Published 31st January 2020
From festivals and sports to everyday styles, braided hair is big right now, and there are many ways to get the look just right, no matter your destination. There are hundreds of ways to braid all different types of hair to create your own unique style.
The Braiding Trend
The braiding trend has quietly taken over the hairstyle world with celebrities, influencers and stylists all working to create unique looks. One thing that people love about braids is the soft waves they leave in your hair, and the way you can make your look at neat or messy as you’d like.
From twisted braid up-dos to elaborate braids down the back, there’s a style for every taste and every hair type!
If you have never had a braid in your hair or just stuck with something more simple, then there are a few styles to try to get the hang of the basics and start to learn what you like.
French Braids
French braids are one of the classics and can work with curly hair or straight.
Make sure your hair is as smooth as possible before you start.
1. Use a rat-tail comb to section off a triangle of hair from your forehead to the crown.
2. Split this into three sections and braid them as usual, bringing in hair from the sides of the head each time you cross
3. Keep braiding and adding sections from each side until you reach the end of the head, then braid as usual and tie.
Dutch Braids
Dutch braids are like an inside-out French braid and uses the same basic idea to prepare a section of hair.
Then rather than crossing sections of hair over each other and into the middle, you do the opposite. You pass the sections underneath each other, pulling them inside to out, making the braid stand out much more than a traditional French braid.
Fishtail Braids
This style is great if you like the slightly messier, casual look as it isn’t quite as formal as the other styles.
1. To start, comb your hair and divide into pigtails, clipping one section away while you braid.
2. Split the hair into half, holding both parts separate but in one hand.
3. With your finger, bring a small piece of hair from the outer part of the left section and cross it, joining it to the inside of the right section.
4. Repeat from the other side
5. If you want that slightly messy look, tug on the edges of the fishtails to make the braids looser and undone.
These are just three of the hundreds of ideas to braid your hair and shows you that you can create a look that suits your style and is unique to you.
Plus, braids work for almost any type of hair and even some for relatively short styles so everyone can have a go.
