There are a lot of options with a lot of variance for braids out there, and it is easy to personalize each style. With so many different directions to look for braiding ideas, we wanted to gather some of our favorites. We have compiled 10 braid hairstyles that work well on their own or as a base to build your own unique style.
What Is a Braid Hairstyle?
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Braid hairstyles come in various shapes, styles, and techniques. At their core, braid hairstyles are the arrangement of two or more sections of hair in interlocking patterns to create intricate designs.
Why Choose Braid Hairstyles?
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Braids offer a variety of looks. They can be technical and elegant for classy evenings, or they can be casual and fun for nights out. Even if you are just looking for a creative way to pull hair away from your face, there is a style for that too.
Braid hairstyles offer endless options for any occasion, and braiding is a great technique to learn if you are looking for new ways to personalize your look or add some detail to an existing style.
One aspect of braid hairstyles that we are in love with is how easy they are to use with different hair types. No matter how thin, coarse, frizzy, thick, or fine your hair is, it can be braided; which means that there is finally a hairstyle that we can dress up or dress down in and feel like our hair is a part of the look instead of apart from the look.
What Do You Need to Create 10 Pretty Braid Hairstyles?
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Like many hairstyles, these braided styles will require bobby pins, specialized clips, or hair elastics. Utilizing hair care products like gel, mousse, or hairspray may also be helpful for some styles. For those who are more new to braiding or to these styles, we definitely recommend a mirror (maybe two) to help guide you as you go.
As for different products needed for different hair types though, we leave that up to you. Due to the nature of braids, hairspray tends to not be needed as it is for other styles, but it may be good to have on hand for shorter hair in particular.
How We Chose
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Hair is versatile, so we wanted to gather a list of 10 braid hairstyles that would work with different hair types, thickness, and textures. We gathered our ideas from trending celebrity looks and social media gurus who have perfected braiding and its potential.
In choosing which styles to highlight here, we reviewed each style’s difficulty and how each works with different hair types, as well as what tools were needed to create the look. Most of these are on the simpler range in terms of difficulty and were braid hairstyles that fit into a variety of different occasions.
What We Reviewed
- Corset French braid
- Tapered tail
- Rope braid ponytail
- Halo braid with bangs
- Dutch crown braid
- Fishtail braid-wrapped topknot
- Center cornrow updo
- Box braids in ballerina bun
- French braid low chignon
- Center-parted box braids
Corset French Braid
This style adds a little flair to a double French braid. One of the reasons we wanted to include it here was the adaptability of the style. The braids can be any size and can be created for any part of the head. It also looks like a more intricate braid hairstyle, but you just need to weave ribbon between the braids. This does not need to be done while braiding either, which lessens any complications and makes it easy to see exactly where you need to go.
All you need for this style is ribbon and two hair elastics.
PROS
- Adaptable
- Can be any size
- Can be created for any part of head
CONS
- May be difficult to do style by yourself
- Requires routine cutting
- Not easily pulled up when needed
Tapered Tail
Celebrity Gina Rodriguez is known for this type of braid as it can both bring out highlights and facial dimensions. With your hair in a high ponytail, begin braiding. Start the base putting all hair into two or three sections and braid consistently more tightly as you work your way down. This creates a voluptuous full shape at the base of the ponytail and a tapered, tighter tail. This style can be done with a standard braid or a fishtail braid.
You only need two elastics for this braid hairstyle.
PROS
- Can be done with standard of fishtail braid
- Brings out highlights and facial dimensions
CONS
- Not suitable for short hair
Rope Braid Pony Tail
This style is similar to the tapered tail. It works best on wet hair and can add immediate style to your hair as well as thick curls once dry. This is by far one of the quickest styles we found; all you need to do it section your hair into two parts once it’s in a ponytail and then twist them together. Be sure to do it tightly so as to not have strands slipping out as your hair dries. We recommend twisting each individual strand before twisting them together. Doing this adds texture and helps keep rebellious hair in place.
You only need two elastics for this style.
PROS
- Adds immediate style
- Quick hairstyle
CONS
- Works best on wet hair
Halo Braid With Bangs
The Halo Braid (with and without bangs) is a fan favorite, and this style has been proven to be worthy of wearing by celebrities like Kaley Cuoco and Taylor Swift. This style can be done on long or short hair though the technique changes between them. In either case, the key is to leave some hair in the front to frame the face.
With long hair, you can begin any standard or fishtail braid, either at the base of one side of your head or at the top of one side of your head. There is a lot of variety here which really lets you determine exactly how you want to look. After beginning, you will braid around the base of your head, finishing at the top to create a finished halo look. The length of your hair should be considered here, and you may need to play around with doing a French braid from the top or starting a standard braid at the bottom to see what your hair length needs.
With short hair, a French braid is a must. Starting at the top side of your head, braid around the base. Depending on how short your hair is, you may need bobby pins to pin the braid at the back and then start braiding again from the other side (if your hair is not long enough to reach).
For long hair, a hair elastic and a handful of bobby pins should do the job. For short hair, you may need a couple elastics and a couple handfuls of bobby pins. Hair spray may be necessary as well depending on hair length.
PROS
- Worn by celebrities
CONS
- Can be time consuming
- Difficult to do style on yourself
- Hard to do on short hair
Dutch Crown Braid
This style is similar to the halo braid. Your hair is braided around the crown of your head to give the appearance of, you guessed it, a crown. This style works really well with long, thick, and well-textured hair as it gives the crown more of a presence. Depending on how you wear this style, it can give a playful feel or even a regal appearance.
For this style you need a hair elastic and bobby pins.
PROS
- Can give regal or playful feel
CONS
- Best for long, thick, well-textured hair
Fishtail Braid-Wrapped Topknot
Of all the braid hairstyles, this was one of our favorites, partly because it has a simple-yet-chic appearance, but also because it works great for day two hair without compromising sophistication or creativity. This braid hairstyle is done by putting hair up and fishtailing two small sections on opposing sides of the ponytail. By wrapping the fishtail braids around a bun, you add sophisticated details to a fun look without having to wash your hair again and start from scratch.
For this look, you will need three elastics and some bobby pins.
PROS
- Sophisticated look
- Do not need to wash hair beforehand
CONS
- May be difficult to do style on yourself
Center Cornrow Updo
This style works well in classy and casual environments. A Dutch braid down the middle of the head makes a statement when the hair along the small adjoining sections is pulled away into a low ponytail or bun. Depending on how you wear this look, it can be edgy or dignified, and it works well with a variety of hair types.
You will need a couple elastics for this style.
PROS
- Works in classy and casual settings
- Make statement
- Works well with variety of hair types
CONS
- May be time consuming to do style
Box Braids in Ballerina Bun
Box braids are thin, individually braided strands that offer a variety of diverse styles. The ballerina bun is a look that is elegant while also being simple. While box braids are typically done by a professional, pulling your hair into a bun needs no such skill. It is simple, and we love this braid hairstyle for it.
For this style you will need a hair elastic and bobby pins. For box braids, we recommend going to a professional.
PROS
- Variety of diverse styles
- Elegant and simple
CONS
- Recommended box braids done professionally
French Braid Low Chignon
This French braid works well with thick hair. The placement and thickness of the braid can vary depending on your own taste; this style will make a statement, regardless. Similarly to a halo braid, this style wraps around your head as little or as much as you would like, which means you can decide how fashionable or functional this braid is. It works great for keeping hair out of your face without compromising style and is a great choice for hair that is naturally rebellious or too fine to give large amounts of volume.
For this look, you may need a hair elastic and bobby pins.
PROS
- Great for naturally rebellious hair
- Makes a statement
- Can decide how fashionable or functional braid is
CONS
- Works best with thick hair
Center-Parted Box Braids
After you have your amazing and professionally done box braids in, one of the simplest ways to show them off is to wear them down. They make a statement any way you wear them, but letting them hang loose with a dramatic part down the center is a stunning way to be seen without having to fuss over bobby pins and hairspray.
PROS
- No need for bobby pins
- No need for hairspray
CONS
- Recommended to get box braids done professionally
Halo Braid
Think halo braid with bangs without the bangs. By braiding hair around your head, you create a halo effect to show off highlights and hair color and you keep hair out of your face. Whether you have full-bodied or fine hair, this style will still give a fun and elegant look that functions well as it flaunts your face and hair.
Done with long hair, this can create a full-bodied halo that adds sweet and dramatic flair to your style. Done with short hair, it effectively pulls hair out of the face and gives a good texture and details to any style.
For this look you will need hair elastics and bobby pins. Hairspray may be needed for shorter hair.
PROS
- Works for short and long hair
- Works for fine or thick hair
- Gives texture and details to any style
CONS
- May need hairspray for shorter hair
The Verdict
Your individual preference and hair type come into play in a big way here. For that reason, we will give a variety of conclusions to portray the various braid hairstyles and the ways in which they could be beneficial.
For those of us with long, thick hair, we loved the halo braid with bangs and the fishtail braid-wrapped topknot. While they take a little more time, they look stunning, and they are diverse enough to wear in many settings. Having thick hair means that we do not need to try to add body to hairstyles, and body is something this style needs. It feels like a perfect fit.
On the other end, those of us with shorter, thinner, or maybe hard-to-style hair leaned more towards the French braid low chignon and the halo braid as both can be done with shorter hair and do not require as much body or texture to look great.
We felt that box braids could fit into each hair type more readily, and as they make a statement on their own, any added style compounds creativity and class. We all had fun with the box braids styles and would recommend them to anyone who wants to try something creative with their hair, though we do want to point out that they work especially well with rebellious and frizzier hair, as it provides tight structure so you can enjoy many of the styles you otherwise would not be able to in such a short amount of time.
Overall, these braid hairstyles are examples from many different types and techniques that braids can offer. If you enjoyed these, there are many others to play around with, as well as many variations on what we reviewed here. Once you master the basics and have played around with these styles and others, we recommend personalizing them. Add a creative flair to make the style your own!
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