At the risk of sounding passé, braids are the hairstyle to file into your hair rotation once again. Right in line with the beauty cognoscenti’s will to revive the hair and make-up trends of years past, it seems the more youthful, cutesy style we had once opted to chuck out the window in favour of so-called cooler or edgier manes, is truly back with a vengeance—who says you can’t give braids the edgy flavour we so consistently aspire to in our lives?
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Leading the flirty-fresh style resurgence is none other than K-pop starlet Jennie. A simple glean of @jennierubyjane—the Blackpink member’s personal Instagram account—it becomes instantly clear, Jennie recognises the power of dolling up with a braid or two, and has a ton of fun doing it too. Some, such as the face-framing baby braids, are nostalgia-ensued for sure. But she isn’t the only one opting for some braid-led experimentation. As of late, a growing number of celebrities are beginning to weave the simple and true braid into their everyday looks—and zhuzhing it up further with easily accessible accessories on hand and some sheer ingenuity. See pastel ribbon clips that sing of the noughties à la Twice’s Jihyo and Chaeyoung or the distinctive shape formations that fast-friends Rosalía and Lisa have opted for recently.
It’s of note here of course, that there are a select few braided styles out there that might border the line of cultural appropriation. Whilst there is much to unpack on how inextricably linked it is to Black culture, the general rule of thumb for most who do not identify would be to avoid cornrows, box braids or dreadlocks—especially if you’re simply planning for this to be a playful look for a day or two. Might you be inclined to liven up your everyday mane soon, glean some of these braided hair styles worn by your favourite faces, all sure to bring a little more joy and texture to your tresses for your next crowning venture.
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High and mighty: Yunjin of Le Sserafim
Instead of trying the bubble hairstyle that ruled TikTok over the pandemic, how about opting for a slight nostalgia-inspired twist—by braiding your high ponytails or pigtails instead? Emulate Le Sserafim’s Yunjin’s version and finish it off with a ribbon tie at the end of your pigtails or see Dua Lipa’s hairstyle for a slicker look where one ponytail is split into two before weaving your tresses in threes.
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High and mighty: Hailey Bieber
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High and mighty: Dua Lipa
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Sculpt away: Rosalía
The ultimate way to experiment and play with your mane—and it all begins with a simple braid of some of your locks. On one hand, you could try Rosalía’s method of braiding all your tresses before deciding what to do with them. But on the other, purposefully styled looks à la Yara Shahidi or Storm Reid may be more your cup of tea. Whilst the latter option might require more styling tools and the help of more mirrors, Rosalía and Davika’s sculpted braids ring more casual and inspire free interpretation. Curl your braided locks up into ponytails like the former does hers or twist away whilst keeping some strands loose like the Thai actor does.
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Sculpt away: Yara Shahidi
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Sculpt away: Davika
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Sculpt away: Storm Reid
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Let loose: Lisa of Blackpink
It certainly seems like the girls of Blackpink have got this style locked and sorted. Elucidating a more carefree vibe, simply opt to tiny-braid one or two portions of your tresses and let the rest of your hair down. It’s easy, doesn’t take too much time and presents itself as a chic way of elevating your everyday hairstyle.
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Let loose: Rosé of Blackpink
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Let loose: Jennie of Blackpink
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'90s pigtails: Joy of Red Velvet
It’s cottagecore and Y2K at the same time. The ’90s inspired look is easy enough to replicate—do a loose three-strand braid on your low pigtails and tie it up at the ends. Here, Lukita Maxwell and Joy both do theirs with an addition of a cap or headband to give it a modern spin. Minnie of (G)I-dle on the other hand, combines hers with a half-up, half-down hairdo.
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'90s pigtails: Lukita Maxwell
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'90s pigtails: Minnie of (G)I-dle
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Ribbons mania: Jihyo and Chaeyoung of Twice
When it comes to adding that necessary splash of colour into your manes, see how these K-pop stars are acing the game. From the girls of Twice and Jennie embellishing their braided tresses with a few pastel-hued ribbons to Yunjin’s method of weaving a ribbon into the braid—it seems a simple ribbon will go a long way in giving your braided look some alternative pizzazz.
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Ribbons mania: Yunjin of Le Sserafim
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