Braid Designs

Going back several thousand years, various braid designs have been worn by men and women for both comfort and style. The variations on the basic braid are such that entire salons are set up just to do braiding. These are definitely not your grandmother’s pigtails.

Cornrow braids are a hip and striking style.

Braid Designs in History

The ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Africans, and Asian peoples all wore their hair in braids. This wasn’t just because braids looked good and helped keep hair off the neck in hot climates. In the days before shampoo, braids also kept hair clean. People continued to wear their hair in braids for centuries for just this reason. But of course, they also look good.

Basic braid designs, also called the English style -- three evenly divided chunks of hair woven one over the other from the top of the head to the end of the hair -- hasn’t changed in all these centuries. A single braid can be made from six or even nine chunks of hair, but the idea is always the same. How you choose to wear it, though, is up to you.

French Braids

The elegant French braid is made by taking small chunks of hair from the crown of the head and gradually adding more hair to each chunk in even amounts so that all the hair is eventually integrated into the braid. Although the classic style is to wear one single braid, French braids can also be made as two or more braids on the side, sometimes braided together into one if the hair is long and thick enough.

Dutch Braids

Also called an inverted French braid, this braid is made by weaving the chunks of hair under, rather than over, each other, which creates the look of a braid that sits on top of, rather than under, the hair.

Accent Braids

A style that goes back to young women in the Middle Ages and was popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s, accent braids have come around again as teenagers sport thin braids on either side of the head. Adorned with colorful ribbons, the braids add a flirty bit of interest to otherwise loose, flowing hair.

Cornrow Designs

Cornrow braid designs, also called track braids, are a striking style for African-American hair, equally effective both for men and women, and has been used for centuries in sub-Saharan Africa. To create a cornrow, the hair is braided in thin, tight braids close to the scalp in straight lines.

Browsing pictures of braid styles can help you decide on a look for you. A skilled hairstylist can also braid the hair in a variety of geometric designs. This sort of design can take hours to accomplish, but the time and money are well spent because the cornrows can be left in the hair for several weeks. The hair is washed through a hair net and the scalp and hair are gently oiled to keep them in good condition. Cornrows are often adorned with beads or cowry shells, following ancient African tradition.

Secure your braids with lively adornments.

Princess Braids

The simplest form of the princess braid is worn by Carrie Fisher in the original Star Wars movie, in which long braids were twisted over her ears (she referred to them as her “hairy earmuffs”). This medieval style can actually have a lot of elegance and beauty when intricately coiled and fixed to the head with sparkly hairpins. It can be difficult to do well, and you may do better to have it done by a professional stylist.

Braid Basics

Braid experts say it’s best to imagine executing a braid before you actually try it, and that you should close your eyes while braiding rather than looking at yourself in the mirror. Your intuition and sense of touch will create the more perfect braid.

It’s also better to braid your hair while it’s slightly damp, as it’s more manageable and easier to divide evenly into sections.

Finally, be mindful of the sort of band you use to secure a braid. A rubber band will damage your hair. Use proper coated bands or other hair ornaments like clips and barrettes. Don’t be afraid to be inventive. Ribbons, jewels and even flowers are a lovely way to adorn your braids, giving you fabulous braid designs suitable for any occasion.

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