It seems to be the most preferred look on the red carpet. From Kajol, Sonam Kapoor, Chitrangada Singh to Rihanna, Blake Lively, J Lo and Scarlett Johansson, everybody seems to be rocking the braid. Be it a cascading fishtail, a tousled crown braid or a complicated French one, the fuss-free hairstyle looks like it’s here to stay.
Once relegated to the beer halls of Oktoberfest, the braid, previously considered too girlish, has been given a new twist for a chic A.M. to P.M. look. And no, we don’t mean the severe, matronly braid running down the length of your back. We mean messy, wonderfully wild and sexy braids that set you apart. Think Bohemian flair or Frida Kahlo-like up dos or Dutch braid-inspired tousled locks. From being purely functional and thoughtless hairstyles, this style has now crossed over into the fashion space and how.
In fact, from red carpet premieres to runways and even magazine covers, braids are a rage. So much so, that you even have specialised braid bars in cities like New York and London.
The style works perfectly for any face shape and hair length. Be it a short bob, wavy medium length hair or even beautifully straight long hair, there are a great many ways to style your locks and tease them into stylish perfection.
Three stylists recommend the perfect braids for different hair lengths that one could carry off from morning to night for an effortlessly chic look.
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Keep it short
FRONT BRAID
Part your hair, either down the side or the middle and begin braiding it from the front till the crown. Do the same on the other side and tie both the braids at the back with a rubber band. Ensure that the braids aren’t too tight and tugging at your hair.
SIDE BRAID
Divide your hair into two sections. Begin braiding your hair only on one side. You could opt for either a regular braid or fishtail. The fishtail one does add more character to your look though. The beauty of this braid is that it’s done only on one side for a soft chic look.
UNDER BRAID
Take a box section on any side of your hair. Take a small one inch section from the box section and do a normal braid tie at the end using a rubber band. Continue doing the same till you finish the box section. Take the other side of the hair on top the braid hair.
-Aly Hirani, creative style director at Swag4hair
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We like it medium
TUCKED IN BRAID
Start with detangled hair and split all hair into three equal sections. Begin braiding by crossing the right piece over the middle then the left over the middle. As you continue to braid add hair from each side to the braid. Don’t braid your hair too tight though. When you reach the end of the braid, tie it with small hair ties. Proceed to tuck the end of the braid under the base of the braid and secure with bobby pins.
WATERFALL BRAID
Starting near your hairline, pick up three strands of hair. Cross the strand closest to the top of your head over the middle section. Cross the bottom section over the new middle section. As you continue braiding this way, drop the middle strand down so it blends with the rest of your hair. Use this method to braid the rest of your hair. Voila! You have yourself a waterfall braid.
GoT INSPIRED BRAID
Also known as cornrows, the style was made popular by the G.R.R. Martin show. Typically flat, you can choose to keep yours chunky. Divide hair into three parts for braiding. Begin by braiding a small section, add hair as you braid. Continue braiding and adding hair to the cornrow. Make three such braids from the front. They are great for showing off highlights in dark hair. Wrap hair around your hair tie to make it look more chic.
DUTCH HEADBAND BRAID
Essentially an upside down French braid, the Dutch headband braid is perfect for a casual yet stylish look. Create a side parting in your hair and on the side with more hair pick up a section of hair near the parting and divide it into three sections. Cross the back strand under the middle strand, then cross the front strand under the middle strand. Now cross the back strand under the middle strand and bring in a section of hair. Continue doing this till the end of your hair. Gently loosen the sides of the braid to finish the look.
-Rebecca Samuel, director, Vurve Signature Salon
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For the long haul
MESSY PLAIT
Give yourself a side parting and separate your hair in two. Now further section these into two each, giving yourself four sections. Start braiding your hair with the section on the far left, cross under the next, then over the third before weaving it under the fourth section. Continue braiding in this manner all the way down. Secure the ends with a hair tie. Gently tug sections of the braid apart to loosen it, giving you a messy look. It helps to tong your hair before you begin braiding to add texture to your look.
FISHTAIL BRAID
Texture your hair first to give the look some hold. Gather hair to one side in a low ponytail. Now separate this into two sections. Hold one section and take a narrow strip of hair from the outside and bring it over to the other section. Repeat while adding more such narrow strips as you go. Secure hair with a hair tie. To add more character to your look you can play with the upper hair by giving it loose curls.
WRAP AROUND BRAID
This works wonderfully with long hair. Simply section your hair and braid it till the end. Now wrap this around your head to form a band. You can give this a whole new dimension by French braiding your hair before you wrap it around your head. Giving yourself loose curls before plaiting will also hold it better.
-Vipul Bhagat, celebrity stylist and makeup artiste
