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Braids never go out of fashion, but this time braided hair is an absolute trend. Get inspired by these ideas and learn a little more about the history of braids.
You'll see in this article
Simple or elaborate, braids are easy to do and make a big visual impact on any look, and on any type of hair.
Women of the past long ago discovered the art of weaving strands into creative, beautifully intricate hairstyles. But probably what attracts us most about braids is their ability to bring out more femininity, thanks to the elaborate preparation of the strands.
Where do hair braids come from?
Braids are a female hairstyle that has been present throughout human history, dating back to prehistoric times.
Hair braids can be traced back to various cultures, so it's hard to say who created them. It seems to be one of those things that humans would naturally develop, after all, a haircut wasn't as commonplace as it is for us today.
The oldest known reproduction of hair braids is of the Venus of Willendorf, a female statue found in present-day Austria. Another statuette, the Venus of Brassempouy, found in southwest France, shows a braided hairstyle.
Pigtails, a style of braiding, have also been found in cave paintings. A woman with pigtails in the Sahara desert dating from 3500 BC.
In ancient times, braids were more than just aesthetic, they also had an important cultural and social significance.
Fast-forward to 3100 BC, when the ancient Egyptians ruled. Upper-class men and women wore elaborate braided styles, adorned with beads, jewels and gold threads.
In Ancient Greece, braiding hair was not only a symbol of beauty, but also a reflection of social status and occupation. Women of different classes wore different styles of braids, with intricate locks reserved for aristocrats and simpler braids for the working class.
Braiding was and still is an important cultural tradition among many Native American tribes.
In the late Middle Ages, long, flowing hair was well-liked, so braid styles such as the crown braid, the fishtail braid and the double braided bun were popular.
But it was definitely the pigtails that took cultural root in Africa. The intricate patterns woven into a person's hair often communicated their role within the community: different styles were used to identify age, tribe, marital status and even social standing. Braiding was (and still is) a social art, creating such detailed looks took hours, so this time was dedicated to bonding with family and friends.
Types of braids and techniques
Braid styles continue to evolve as people experiment with techniques from different cultures and combine the old ones with each other!
Classics such as pigtails, crown braids, French braids and braided buns are always timeless and are suitable for both formal and casual events.
The types of braids are basically 5 techniques:
1 basic braid
2 French braid
3 Inverted braid (Dutch)
4 Lacy braid
5 Cascading braid
With braiding techniques you can combine, change position, add ribbons, combine techniques with each other, use thinner strands. All the other techniques are derived from these.
How do you braid hair with ribbon?
Add a ribbon to one of the three strands of hair, braid as usual, weave the ribbon consistently and secure the end for a charming touch.
How to make a bow hairstyle?
Make a bow hairstyle by tying your hair into a high ponytail. Form loops on each side, secure in the shape of the bow, wrap a strand around the center and fix with hairspray.
What is the best hair ribbon?
A versatile, soft satin ribbon is often considered the best for hairstyles, as it adds a touch of elegance and is easy to work with.
Braid ideas
Braided bun
Easily adorned with ribbon, it adds a touch of elegance to your hairstyle, creating a subtle but captivating look that's easy to achieve. Make a basic braid and braid it with a ribbon, tying the ends together. After finishing the braid, make a low bun and secure with bobby pins, just like that
Princess braid
Divide your hair in half and make a Dutch braid from the top. Tie the sections back into a high, curly ponytail.
Braided crown
timeless look by creating two separate braids and pinning them gracefully at the top of the head
Double French braid
Make a braid starting at the top of the head.
This ribbon hairstyle is also suitable for short hair. You can easily style your short hair using ribbon, improving its overall appearance.
Braided fishtail with ribbon
To create this stylish look, incorporate a ribbon of your choice into the braid, weaving it with the strands as you braid. Secure the end with an elastic and voilà - you've achieved a graceful and fun ribbon-braided ponytail.
Ponytail and braid
Braided ponytails are a great way to protect your pony while looking effortlessly elegant.
Faux fishtail hair
If you haven't learned how to braid yet, you can make a fake fishtail braid. Messy fake fishtail braids are the perfect look for a busy mom or someone with no time or manual dexterity, simply because they look perfectly imperfect and require no fishtail braiding technique!
Braiding
Rows of inlaid pigtails, simple and elegant for both formal and casual occasions. An impeccable look with a low bun at the nape of the neck.
Braid and Dutch braid
A mix of the traditional pigtails, but this time with a bit more volume, and the Dutch technique, with a braid underneath starting from the back and ending in several small buns that form a set at the top of the head
Lacy braid
The two rows of braids are woven using the lace technique (strands are added on one side only), which is simple and has a great visual effect.
4-part braid
A more advanced technique for braiding hair, if you've already mastered the basics, it's time to take it a step further.
Dutch side braid
The same traditional technique, only on the side. Note that the great visual effect is to fluff, to pull the parts of the braid together, giving the impression of a lot of volume. It's perfect for those with short hair and if you need to, use hair ties.
Fishtail braid
One of the characteristics of the boho style is the ethnic element, and one of the very characteristic elements of Indian culture is the long-braided hair and adornments. The herringbone braid is perfect for the romantic, uncluttered and adorned Boho look.
Bottom-up inlaid braid
For a modern and bold look, reverse the beginning of the inlaid braid and finish with a high bun
Crown braid
If your strand length isn't that long, there are ready-made extensions to add a beautiful braided crown
Combination braids
The combination of 2 techniques gives a modern effect while evoking a nodal look.
Side braid
Just move the beginning of the inlaid braid and voilà, a sophisticated hairstyle without too much effort.
Viking braid
The Viking style has been a favorite for a long time, use and abuse braids on the sides of the hair and leave parts loose
Ponytail with braids
The technique is the same as for the Dutch braid, using 3 strands to form a ponytail where you separate another strand and braid it into a basic braid.
Braided hair
This idea can be done either as a Dutch braid or as a basic braid from one strand to the end of the ponytail. The secret is to leave the braided end of the strand loose enough for you to pull on the parts of the braid that form the link to make it look like a sturdier strand; on very straight hair, use a fixative.
Dutch braid
A mix of Dutch braids at the top with a slight tuft, finishing with the rest of the hair in a beautiful, messy ponytail.
Typical Dutch
The typical Dutch braid is made up of 2 independent braids on each side of the head, starting at the top and ending in a basic braid.
Lacy braids and low ponytails
Two lacy braids, the one where you add strands only on one side, on the other it remains basic, or you can also opt for the Dutch braid as we saw above, on each side of the hair forming a low tail.