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How to braid 'Golden goddess' Ella Henderson's gorgeous Greek plaits

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Since her debut performance at the X Factor auditions, Ella Henderson has stunned audiences with her fabulous voice and unique sense of style.Key to the talented young singer's look – named a 'golden goddess' by show judge Louis Walsh – is the 16-year-old's lovely blonde locks which are often styled into intricate plaits, curls and vintage-style beehives. Taking to the stage on Saturday evening, Ella looked everything that she appeared to be – youthful, relaxed and stylish. With a braided head-wreath, the teenager showed off her highlighted hair in a loose updo with carefree wisps that caught the light.

Ella Henderson   X Factor

X Factor stylist Jamie Stevens, explained to a source:"With Ella, our main aim each week is to always keep her looking as young as her years with a fresh and natural feel for someone of her age. Plaiting and braiding is a key trend that has been seen on all the catwalks this season, so we've been working with this a lot on Ella, especially as this is a look that girls of a similar age would wear and that we see a lot on the street."

A simple, yet statement, style, this Alice band effect is easy to achieve when you have thick, flowing hair like Ella's. And now Jamie has given HELLO! Online a ten-step guide to creating the singer's showstopping hairstyle: 1. Create a slightly off-centre parting2. Section off from one side of the parting round to the ear, following up to the crown3. Run through some TRESemme Split Mend Sealing Serum through the hair for a smooth finish and then French braid each side from parting to crown and tie with thin elastics 4. Leaving out an inch back from the braid and an inch up from the nape, tie the rest including the braids into a ponytail, securing with a bungee 5. Tong the hair in the ponytail, spraying with medium hold hairspray onto each section 6. Once tonged, push back each curl with fingers to create fatter curls and texture 7. Pin the hair randomly around the ponytail to create a dishevelled up-do shape 8. Once finished, tong the hair outside of the ponytail and then brush through to create a wave 9. Pin this loosely to the rest of the shape to maintain height at the front 10. Finish with TRESemme 24 Hour Body Finishing Hairspray to hold

George Shelley, Ella Henderson, Josh Cuthbert

Combining a trendy topbun with this plaited headband, Ella was also seen trying the look out for herself whilst spotted with friends and former co-stars from the show, George Shelley and Josh Cuthbert of boyband Union J, at the launch of Kardashian sisters' clothing Kollection for Dorothy Perkins.But, voted off in yet another deadlock and shock X Factor twist, the last of the girls was left singing against fellow favourite, James Arthur. Clearly devasted, Tulisa Contostavlos mirrored her contestant's style with a woven plait as she stood on stage in support of her act.

Speaking in an interview on Monday morning on Daybreak, the young singer pointed out "If you look back 6-9 weeks ago it was 'who is Ella Henderson?'" but added, "I've had this amazing platform, but what is meant to be is meant to be."

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