• Creating doll hairstyles is fun for girls.colorful dolls image by Calin Tatu from Fotolia.com
  
  There are endless hairstyles that will work on many types of dolls, including American Girl, Barbie, Bratz and porcelain dolls. Brushes specially made for dolls will help make the styling process easier. There are even hair salons for American Girl dolls located in major cities around the country with stylists who specialize in giving these dolls a new 'do. Such salons also offer doll cleaning and doll ear piercing.
  
  

Braided Hairstyles

• For a simple braided look, start by brushing the doll's hair and misting it with a spray bottle filled with water for easy management. Brush out 1 inch pieces in the very front and pull them back. Take a 1 inch section from the back middle and braid all three sections together down the back of the doll's hair to form one large braid. Secure the hair with an elastic band. Decorative clips can be added if desired. Create a second braided hairstyle by braiding the rest of the doll hair on either side of the long braid to make three braids. These braids can also be decorated or braided together to create additional looks.
  
  

Bun Hairstyles

• To create a beehive bun, the hair must be brushed until silky. Twist hair into a high ponytail and secure with a coated rubber band. Loosely spin the ponytail into a bun and wrap around the bun with another coated rubber band.
  
  To create a messy bun look, use four rubber bands and a hairbrush. Part the doll's hair in the back down the middle; a pick comb can be used to create the part. Brush out a side pigtail and secure it with a rubber band. Take a small front section of hair on the side that is not secured and twist it. Hold onto the twist as you take a second section of hair next to the twist and repeat. Hold both twists with one hand as you twist a third section of hair. Pull the three twists with the remaining hair into a pigtail. Lift each pigtail up and pull (not entirely) through rubber bands. Pull as much or as little hair as desired to create messy buns.
  
  

Curly Hair/ Long Hair Hairstyles

• Use hair clips to pin the doll's hair back.Hair clips image by RUZANNA ARUTYUNYAN from Fotolia.com
  
  Brush out the doll's curly hair and take a front section of hair about 3/4 inch wide. Tie the rest of the hair up a little past the doll's ears and secure with a rubber band. The style can be left as a ponytail or the rubber band can be loosened and the hair flipped under the ponytail to make a pretty up 'do. Twist the front tendril with a finger to make it curl. Style a long-haired doll's hair by brushing out a front section about 1 inch wide and pinning it tightly back at the crown with a hair clip. Repeat on the other side of the doll's head to create two pinned sections. Hair can be left as is or braid side sections of hair into small braids and secure with hair ties. Hair can be left down or pulled into pigtails.