Elaborately-braided hairstyles can sometimes take hours to achieve, so of course, you want them to look extra fresh once you finally get out of the salon chair. We're talking about hair that makes you do a double take and then double tap.
Hair braiding, particularly in cultures with a strong African influence, is a tradition that goes back for generations. And classic styles are constantly being reinvented and brought to life with a new-school swag. That's because braids are extremely adaptable, and with a wealth of techniques and traditions to look back on, it should come as little surprise that Black people with naturally Afro-textured hair are embracing and reinventing an important part of our culture.
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Be it beads, patterns that swoop and swirl around the crown, technicolor ombr hues, or braid styles adorned with thread, cuffs, and butterflies, the options are endless, which can be a bit daunting if you're trying to decide on a look. But fear not! We're here to help you navigate it all with some major inspiration spied on celebrities and on Instagram. Whether you're looking to rock straight backs, Fulani braids, or the ever-popular Janet Jackson Poetic Justice braids, we've got ideas that will help you achieve your ultimate hair goals.
Danai Gurira attended the 2022 EBONY Power 100 Awards in a pinwheel-inspired hairstyle made up of small braids all wrapped around each other in circular patterns. This look is reminiscent of '90s finger waves and 1920s flapper waves, proving that you really can achieve any hairstyle with braids.
Leave it to Gabrielle Union to pull off one of the most intricate braided hairstyles of 2022. This circular masterpiece, done by Hairstylist Issac Poleon, is a testament to how versatile braids can be. We can only imagine how much hairspray and how many bobby pins went into this look, but Union carries this crown of braided wheels with unmatched elegance.
Ebonee Davis is a reliable source for natural hair inspiration, and oh, look, here she is again with another hairstyle we'd like to copy. The model/activist stepped out on the red carpet with a set of gorgeous Afro puffs, boasting a base of tiny cornrows braided in three directions.
A few of the models on the runway at Pyer Moss's Spring 2020 show wore sets of beautiful cornrow braids adorned with gold cuffs forged in the image of Black female music artists. The gilded likenesses of Missy Elliot, Grace Jones, Rihanna, Lauryn Hill, and more graced their plaits, a beautiful tribute to the contribution of Black women to pop culture worldwide.
Anyone who has gotten box braids has likely woven those smaller braids into a set of larger ones, and actor Yvonne Orji is no exception. In 2019, she attended the Essence Black Women in Hollywood Awards with her blonde box braids styled into a crown braid that transforms into a braided ponytail.
You know if Beyonc's going to serve a protective style, it's going to be epic. For the premiere of The Lion King in 2019, her hair was braided in a curvy pattern reminiscent of finger waves. It was a beautiful marriage between two hairstyles so important to Black culture.
To close out her video for "Hit Different" in September, SZA gave fans a little teaser of her single, "Good Days." For the segment, she wore a set of beaded braids, complete with a gorgeous fringe, which was also adorned with wooden flourishes.
Dancehall artist Shenseea wore this mile-long braid decorated with a crap-ton of safety pins for her "Trick'a Treat" music video. Her look is a great example of how you can transform a simple high pony with the right accessories. If you've got a bunch of safety pins in a junk drawer somewhere, now you've got a use for them.
Tessa Thompson's super long BDSM-inspired braid was one of our favorite hair looks from the 2019 Met Gala, "Notes on Camp." The style comes courtesy of Lacy Redway, who left a little tassel at the end of the 12-foot long latex braid so it could resemble a whip.
You don't have to do the most to get super gorgeous hair. A simple braided bun is always a good look, as Issa Rae demonstrates here. Here, the base of her hair is kept sleek and the braided bit is just a few shades lighter than her base, hinting at a cool ombr.
Tracee Ellis Ross got all gussied up to for the 2020 People's Choice Awards. For the occasion, her hair was styled by Nai'vasha Johnson in a long, textured ponytail with a finger-wave design at the base.
Let the beautiful Victoria Monet provide you with a little inspo for your next jumbo box braid sesh. The singer/songwriter's dark brown, almost-black braids are brightened up with some strands of blonde, adding dimension to her look.
Saweetie never fails to serve us hairstyles that make us press the "save" button on Instagram. These box braids she's wearing are decorated with clear beads at the ends. This kind of look reminds something we wore as kids in the '90s, except the way she's wearing hers in the 2020s is all grown up.
A high, side ponytail will always remind us of the '80s, but we're loving the modern twist Yara Shahidi's hairstylist put on the look. Instead of styling her pony with a single braid, the actor's got at least four, all tied off at the ends with a little black rubber band.
Brandy Norwood hit the stage at the 2020 Billboard Music Awards with her long, blonde box braids styled into at least five Bantu knots. It's a friendly reminder of the versatility of protective styles, and another great option to choose from if you already have box braids in.
There is no hairstyle more classic than a good set of straight-back cornrows. While this could be considered one of the more basic cornrow styles, it's easy to elevate the look to make it more special. For the 2020 American Music Awards, Ciara wore hers with a swooping, swirling set of baby hairs.
Jordyn Woods fted Justin Roberts's New Music Video 'Way Too Much' with a set of box braids that were left loose and wavy at the ends. Offering proof that scrunchies are making a big comeback, the model used a satiny-looking animal-print version to hold her braids in a half-up, half-down look.
Stylist Vernon Franois took the concept of a braid crown to the next level with an actual crown. A few days after Amandla Stenberg debuted long, thick braids with red highlights and a thinner braid split along her hairline, Franois reinvented the look by pinning it up and topping it off with a starry tiara.
Taraji P. Henson decided on a gorgeous set of Fulani braids to promote Empire in South Africa. There's so much gorgeousness going on here, it's hard to choose a favorite element. The braid precisely laid down her middle part? The plaits left loose at the temples? Or the big bun of swirling, highlighted braids sitting high atop Henson's head? One thing is for sure: It all comes together for an absolutely epic look.
Skai Jackson's look comes courtesy of L.A.-based hairstylist LaShondra, who styled the actor's hair in feed-in braids of varying sizes, pulled up into a ponytail. And, of course, the baby hair is slicked to perfection.
Prepare to be obsessed with this look Janelle Mone wore for a Today set at Rockefeller Plaza: a thick braid with a black-to-silvery-white ombr. Hairstylist Nikki Nelms finished off the look with a golden ring that cleanly seals the tapered end.
Laurel Harrier wore box braids to the L.A. premiere of BlacKkKlansman for a special reason, according to her hairstylist Lacy Redway. "Most of us remember iconic moments from the '90s of seeing Janet Jackson with box braids in Poetic Justice or Brandy in Moesha," she captioned an image of Harrier's look. "But how many of you guys know that braids can be traced back more than 5,000 years ago to about 3500 B.C. ?" In her post, Redway lays out a brief history of braids before mentioning that Harrier chose the look to "celebrate the history and culture of box braids." Harrier's braids, which boast slightly wavy, loose ends, were styled into a half-up, half-down look, complete with subtle, slicked-down baby hairs.
Hairstylist Christina "Tina" Trammell gave multi-hyphenate Erica Ash a gorgeous set of Fulani braids that looked beautiful paired with her head-turning gown. Trammel also added wooden beads at the ends of Ash's braids, tying the whole look together.
This next-level look on the lovely Amandla Stenberg comes courtesy of hair legend Vernon Franois. Franois created this multicolor, knotted plait, "because why knot," as he captioned an image of the look on his Instagram page.
Hairstylist Sheridan Ward gave Thandie Newton this hairstyle for a panel at Cannes Lions. Her cornrows were braided back in a slightly swoopy pattern, brought together at the nape of her neck into a low bun that is making us hungry for Cinnabon.
For the cover of Allure's June 2017 issue, Ze Kravitz's signature micro braids (this time in platinum blonde) were accessorized with charming faux flowers and butterflies, courtesy of Nikki Nelms. The result? An ethereal, mystical style.
Known for her colorful style, Brazilian blogger Mag Moura looks like she came straight out of the '90s with her face stickers and unicorn braids adorned with pastel beads on the ends. Here, she styled them in high pigtails, leaving some braids out in the front to frame her face.
Insecure creator and actress Issa Rae stunned on the red carpet at the 2017 NAACP Image Awards rocking this half-up, half-down look with a cornrowed topknot and two hanging braids on the side. The rest of her hair was left loose in a braid-out pattern at the back. Consider trying the style out on those days when you want lots of volume but also want to keep your hair out of your face.
Alicia Keys has been serving us gorgeous braided hairstyles since she burst onto the scene in 2001 with "Fallin'", and she's still in the business of selflessly providing the girls with hair inspo. During her tenure as a judge on The Voice, she wore cornrows that fed into a larger braid with a voluminous bouffant
When is Solange Knowles not giving us serious hairspiration? After going blonde in September 2017, she later stepped out with this set of braids by Susy Oludele, aka @hairbysusy, we were, as the kids say, shook. We love the mix-and-match feel of these braids, adorned with beads and white thread. 152ee80cbc
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