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70 Beautiful and Stylish Braided Hairstyles for Women

Braided Hairstyles

There are numerous ways in which women have styled their hair since hairstyles became a thing 30,000 years back. Among those styles, braids have been the most popular, and there are many ways you can braid your hair. We have enlisted only 70 of the best braided hairstyles for women.

We braid our hair for convenience or style, we braid them for our office, gym, or even on our wedding day. There is a always some type of hair braiding that is perfect for you. So, let’s get into it.

Box Braids

Braided Hairstyles
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Box braids have cultural significance for women with Afro-textured hair. In this hairstyle, all your hair is sectioned off into squares, with each square plaited individually. This looks creates a sort of bouquet of plaited of plaited hair. And it looks absolutely magnificent. They make your hair look compact and holds your hair together. They may take a long time to put in but once you have them done, they will last you for weeks. You don’t have to worry about styling your hair too much.

Braided Ponytail

Braided Hairstyle
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This style of hair is very simple to do. After tying your hair into a ponytail, you can braid your hair to give it more weight. It’s a very simple yet versatile look as you can wear it in the office, school, or even on a date night. Furthermore, since the style pulls all your hair towards the back, it draws the eyes up and makes your face look sharper and longer. You can add any accessory to add some more style and depth to it.

French Braid

Braided Hairstyles - French Braid
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A classic when it comes to braids for women, the french braid is timeless and feminine. It is a perfect style for any festive occasion, whether it is accompanied with flower crowns, clips or colorful rubber bands. It looks beautiful any way. You can pull out some strand of hair from the front side to frame your face and give it a romantic look. Or you can add tie it neat and tidy to look more polished.

Dutch Braid

Braided Hairstyles - Dutch Braid
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The dutch braid is sometimes called the French Braid, because both the plaits involve adding sections of your hair as you go down. Moreover, they are an underhand braid style, which means, your hair stands out from your head. It’s a heavier take on what would be a simple braid.

Crochet Braids

Braided Hairstyles
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Braided Hairstyles
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We know crochets as weaving technique for clothes. Similarly, crochets involves braiding your hair into loose cornrows. When you’re done with that, we add hair extensions by threading them through the rows using a crochet hook. After which, you can plait them in the style that you like.

Lemonade Braids

Lemonade Braids
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Lemonade Braids
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The name of this braid comes form the album Lemonade by Beyoncé. She made them famous when she wore them for the cover of said album. In this braiding style, you create neat, and even cornrows that go from left to right. Since they can be of any size and thickness, lemonade braids are considered to be versatile.

Fishtail Braid

Fishtail Braid - Braid Hairstyles
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Fishtail Braid - Braid Hairstyles
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Fishtail Braid - Braid Hairstyles
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The fishtail braid is very mesmerizing to look at, and it brings a touch of boho to the look. All you need to do is use either the French or the Dutch braiding technique, and maintain a tight grip on your hair to create this beautiful look.

Stitch Feed-in Braids

Braid Hairstyles
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The idea of a two feed-in braid is that a hairstylist will put extensions to increase length and volume by plaiting them with your natural hair. This look will feel more natural and put less tension on the scalp.

Braided Buns

Braided Hairstyles
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Braided Hairstyles for Women
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This is a very interesting look braid style. Here, you can section your hair into two parts, and create Dutch braids at the nape of your neck, up to the top and do the same from the front side making them meet in the middle. Secure the remaining hair in the middle into a ponytail, and twist it to create two buns.

Goddess Braids

Braided Hairstyle
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Goddess braids are thicker version of cornrows. In this underhand braiding style, the braids are formed into ponytails, updo or left loose. As the name suggests, you will look a goddess when you wear this look.

Tribal Braids

Braided Hairstyles for Women
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Traditionally, braids were used in order to express each person’s status and their cultural heritage. But today, tribal braids can be used to show different styles by combining different techniques. This creates an unique pattern and style that is mesmerizing to look at. There are no limits to it, you can be as intricate as you want!

Cornrow Braids

Braided Hairstyles
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This style of braids, is by far the trendiest and most popular hairstyle right now. The hair strands are braided hairstyles using the underhand technique and are braided close to the scalp. And then the hair is arranged into neat rows, from which they get the name. One of the best part about cornrows is that, you can arrange it any way that you like, you can make them thin or thick, or combined with any other braiding style.

Fulani Braids

Braided Hairstyles - Fulani Braids
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This style of braiding is specifically from the Fula people in West Africa. It is their signature braid involving thin to medium plaits braided hairstyles in rows towards the side, with a central twist at the crown. The prettiest part about this style is that the central braid can be accessorized with beads and rings.

Fulani braids can be combined with other braiding styles also. It is definitely an uniquely magnificent hairdo.

Waterfall Braids

Braided Hairstyles - Waterfall Braids
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Braided Hairstyles - Waterfall Braids
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The waterfall braid is considered to be one of the most beautiful feminine braiding styles. It looks delicate and fairy-like. Moreover, it is like a modified form of the french braid. The difference is that you only braid the top part of your hair, instead of pulling it entirely into sections and braiding it.

This look creates a flowy, cascading effect which why it is also called a waterfall braid. You can add tiny flowers to make it look more romantic and beautiful.

Yarn Braids

Braided Hairstyles
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Braided Hairstyles
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This style of braid is a little different from the rest. Here, the extensions are acrylic or made of yarn. The yarn braids come in different colors which you can mix and match however you like. Furthermore, this braids are a great protective style for Afro-textured hair, especially for colder months.

They can be as thin and thick as you want and depending on your hair length, it’ll take more or less time.

Crown Braids

Braided Hairstyles - Crown Braids
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Like the name suggest, a crown braid looks like there is a crown on your head. On days when your hair isn’t that washed, you can opt for this style as it works best when your hair is a little unwashed. You can start by plaiting your hair into a double Dutch or French braid, and then lift each one and pin it on the side of your head to form a little crown.

Butterfly Braid

Butterfly Braid
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Butterfly Braid
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This braid is particularly, unique and eye-catching because it is so thick and big.After you have braided them, stretch and pull sections of the braid to make it thicker and fluffier. Furthermore, because this braid is so thick, it requires hair extensions, and even sewing to keep the braid in place. We definitely recommend trying out this braid once in your life.

Mohawk Braid

Braided Hairstyles - Mohawk Braid
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We know what a mohawk looks like, so you can understand the idea behind a mohawk braid. You can easily plait a thick Dutch braid along the center of your head, and then tie the rest of your hair into a ponytail. If you want more of a punk style, then this hairstyle will work best for you.

Jumbo Box Braids

Braided Hairstyles - Jumbo Box Braids
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These braids are simple yer eye-catching. Jumbo braids are a great choice if you have thick hair and want to style it in simple ways. Moreover, they are less time consuming and offer the perfect canvas for trying out new hair color and accessories.

Snake Braid

Braided Hairstyles - Snake Braid
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A snake braid is almost similar to a crown braid, in that it creates a halo-like style around your head. This is a super easy style you can try out. Start plaiting a small section of your hair at the temple, and braid it back until there is no hair left to braid. Then hold one of the three strands and push the other two back up. Repeat the same process on the other side of the head and create a ponytail.

Triangle Box Braids

Braided Hairstyles
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Like the name suggests, triangle box braids are different from the typical box braids. The hair sections formed in this braiding look almost triangular in shape. It’s a sort of modified twist on the classic box braid and works well with thicker braids.

Side Braids

Braided Hairstyles
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Side braids may be a bit tough to do for a first-timer. Here, you start braiding at the hairline and move towards the crown and stop braiding it. The remaining hair gives a flowy look to your hair. As a result, you get an unusual yet beautiful hair style.

Senegalese Twist

Best Braided Hairstyles - Passion Twist Braids
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This look is perfect for people with long hair. These twist braids are similar looking to ropes. This twists are also a protective style for your hair. The process involves twisting the hair extensions around your natural hair. Furthermore, these twists last for four months!

Halo Braid

Braided Hairstyles - Halo Braid
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Similar to a crown braid, a halo braid involves sweeping all your hair to one side and Dutch braiding it from left to right. To make it a little different from a crown braid, start braiding at the temple, about an inch back. When you add more sections, the brad will begin to coil around your head. This look is perfect for formal events.

Ghana Braids

Braided Hairstyles - Ghana Braids
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Ghana braids are intricate and versatile. There are many varieties of ‘Ghana’, but most of them start with micro braids which slowly taper back, getting wider and fuller as more hair is added. You can braid them from the front to the back, but you can also start at the crown of your head or go side to side.

Ombre Braid

Braided Hairstyles - Braided Hairstyles - Ombre Box Braids
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If you have ombre hair, then this braid will look perfect on you. The reason why this look is particularly beautiful, is because the natural weaving pattern makes the gradient of color transition look seamless and soft. Additionally, if you want to keep things more exciting, you can do a six-strand plait instead of a three-strand plait.

Micro Braids

Braid Hairstyle - Micro Braids
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These tiny and delicate braids are perfect for days when you want more kinetic movement in your hair. They look beautiful and cute but are very time consuming to braid. Also, you should know that these kind of braiding can cause more breakage than bigger plaits since they are braided so tightly. So, make sure you have smooth and strong hair to carry out this braid beautifully.

Tree Braids

Braided Hairstyles - Tree Braids
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Tree braids are made by creating mini cornrows starting from an inch away from your hairline. And the rest of your hair is left loose which you can tie in a ponytail if you like. This hairstyle adds volume to your hair and makes for a unique hairstyle. Tree braids are perfect when you are short on time but want to look good for your day out.

Braided Updos

Braided Hairstyles
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This look is very vintage and period classic. It looks clean and polished. Here, you bead a serpentine French braid that moves from one side of your head to the other. Or you can create a double Dutch or French braid and twist the two plaits together to create a braided bun effect.

Half-Up Half-Down Braids

 

Braided Hairstyles
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This look is very simple and messy and works perfectly for women with long hair. It is pretty straightforward for what it is.You can create a French braid in the center section of your hair and then twist it up into a messy bun.

Pop Smoke Braids

Braided Hairstyles - Pop Smoke Braids
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The name Pop Smoke Braids is inspired by the late rapper of the same name. They are a protective style for natural hair. The best part about this style is that it can be worn by anyone. Whether you are a man or a woman, or you have a different hair texture or different length. The traditional approach has a middle parting with four feed-in braids on either side of the head and they are created using stich-in knots.

Small Box Braids

Braided Hairstyles
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A small box braid is basically like a box braid but smaller. This hairstyle looks very compact and good. They are a great protective style and will reduce grooming time every day.

Black Braids

Braided Hairstyles for Women
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You can darken your hair to the black color to bring out that beautiful weaving pattern. This color makes your hair look better because all the damage and dryness is masked under this color.

Natural Hair Braids

Braided Hairstyles for Women
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For women that want to embrace their natural hair, this braid uses no extensions and only your natural hair. You can practice any braiding style into your hair and have fun with it. Although, the style that you can use will vary depending on the hair length.

Updo Braids In A Bun

Braided Hairstyles for Women
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When you want to look smart and sophisticated, buns are perfect for these occasions. They are easier to style and are a great way to keep your face sharp. On days when you want to accentuate your neck and neckline more, updo braids in a bun are a perfect option to use.

Unique Braids

Braided Hairstyles - Ghana Braids
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We have suggested many different braiding names, but you can combine them or create your own to make your very own unique braid. Furthermore, you can accessories to your hair to make it more your style. No one women’s style will be similar, so don’t be afraid to experiment with patterns, curls, beads and hair rings.

Bob Braids

Braided Hairstyles - Bob Braids
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If you have a bob haircut then you can employ box braid into it. The perfect thing about this braid is that it will make your hair look compact and protect your hair. And your hair will be easier to manage.

Knotless Braids

Braided Hairstyle - Knotless Braids
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In a knotless braid, it protects your hair and scalp, locks in moisture and aids natural hair growth. Moreover, they establish a stylish and relaxed aesthetic to your hairstyle. They do not put tension on your hair and so, are perfect to keep your head light!

Braided Hairstyles for Kids

Braided Hairstyles for Kids
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There are so many varieties of hairstyle you can do for your kids. There are many cute options like a top braided bun or cornrows with beads. You can pick anything that is comfortable and casual. And you can also, let your kids make them more personal to suit their style with any accessory of their child.

Medium Box Braids

Braid Hairstyle
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Compared to the longer and thicker box braids, a medium box braid is perfect to complement your facial features. It works well for any texture, and can be styled in many ways including updos.

Twist Braids

Braided Hairstyles for Women
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Twist braids are created by wrapping hair extensions on your natural hair which resembles a rope, thus the name. There are so many variations to this look, depending on the length and the style you choose.

Long Box Braids

Braided Hairstyles for Women
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If you want to make a statement with a braid that looks feminine, then we recommend trying out the long box braids. This look is versatile and you can create them on different hair type and lengths. Long box braids take more time and effort to create and require more hair. However, the finished look is absolutely stunning.

Large Knotless Braids

Braid Hairstyle

Braids without knot look stylish and at the same time, they are practical. It gives you a break form heat styling, and reduces grooming style by letting natural hair grow. The best part of knotless braid is that they are less harsh on your scalp, and cause less tension, making it easier to wear lengthier braids. So, you don’t have to worry about getting headache when you do large knotless braids.

Box Braids With Curls

Braided Hairstyles for Women
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A box braid with curls is basically the usual box braids but with ends left to flow out into curls. This gives your hair a unique finish, and makes you look softer in comparison. You can choose at what point the curls start and the braiding ends, depending on how you want to accentuate your face. However, you should know that curly ends need more maintenance.

Braided Bun

Braided Hairstyles for Women - Braided Bun
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Braided buns create a sophisticated finish and are perfect for formal occasions. It’s a very simple look for days when you want your hair out of the way. Also, you can accessorize them to make it more vibrant and attractive.

Braids With Beads

Best Braided Hairstyles - Braids With Beads
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Beads have been used to style our hairs since time immemorial, they make your hair look more colorful and fun. They have roots in African culture and can be a way to honor their ancestors and reflect their heritage. There are so many varieties of beads like glass, wooden and more which change the entire look for each occasion so you can have fun with it.

Braids With Curls

Best Braided Hairstyles - Braids With Curls
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Using curl extensions you can curl your entire hair or just leave the ends of the braid as curly. Thus look creates a soft and feminine touch to your already gorgeous hair.

Passion Twist Braids

Best Braided Hairstyles - Passion Twist Braids
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Passion Twist Braids were created by Miami hairstylist Kailyn Rogers in 2018. It a new approach to styling two-strand hair and it can be used on various hair lengths and it can be left loose or styled into an updo. They are water-friendly, comfortable and practical so they are perfect for the summer months.

Ponytail Lemonade Braids

Braided Hairstyles for Women - Ponytail Lemonade Braids
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Just like the Lemonade braid inspired by Beyonce, this ponytail version is quite similar to it except, we tie it all up into ponytails making the cornrows more visible and prettier.

Straight Back Braids

Braided Hairstyles for Women - Straight Back Braids
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Braided Hairstyles for Women - Straight Back Braids
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In this hairstyle, just like the name suggests, we pull the braids straight towards the back and away from the face. If you want to accentuate your jaw and bring attention to your eyes, this look will be perfect for you. It’s a very simple and lasting hairstyle with not much effort involved. Lastly, it gives off a simple and elegant look for your day-to-day life.

Ombre Box Braids

Braided Hairstyles - Ombre Box Braids
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This style is basically the box braids but done on ombre hair. This braiding style accentuates the weaving pattern and the colour gradient even more. So, choose any two color, preferably light for the bottom part of the hair and have fun with it.

Butterfly Box Braids

Braided Hairstyles for Women - Butterfly Braid
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In butterfly box braids style looks oversized and heavy, making it more extravagant. Box braids are versatile and adaptable so you can choose the level you want. Whether it’s small or large, long or short, or how dramatic you want it to look.

Stylish Braid Hairstyle

Braided Hairstyles
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Fishbone Braids

Braided Hairstyles - Fishbone Braids
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This is a protective style created close to the scalp, it’s slightly different from a fishtail braid. Here, we have multiple tiny cornrows that support two large braids that run down the side of the head. It looks like like fishbone when looked from the top, thus the name. This hairdo is perfect for women of ages, even kids.

Poetic Justice Braids

The name comes from a film made in 1993, called Poetic Justice starring Janet Jackson, who wore these braiding style. These braids are thick and long and help lock in moisture. These hairstyle can be time consuming to do but it so worth it.

Cornrows Goddess Braids

Braid Hairstyle - Cornrows Goddess Braids
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This look is very similar to cornrows but thicker, they have been in style since the 90’s, when it was especially popular. There are many ways to style them, including down or an updo. These braids will last for two to three weeks and are less time-consuming to pull off.

Long Tribal Braids

Braided Hairstyles for Women
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These involve different techniques correlating to each tribe of Africa. These tribe braids are an excellent way to honor your heritage and culture. Furthermore, they are much more protective in style and have been use by tribes to indicate social standing, age and marital status. You can personalize it with the appropriate beads, cuffs or shells. They are a beautifully gorgeous hairdo for traditional looks.

Dookie Braids

Braided Hairstyles - Dookie Braids
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A dookie braid is perfect for women wanting large braids that hang loose. They were especially popular in the 90’s. There are many ways to adapt this look to suit you. You can do just a few braids or many and you can style them up or leave them down. Even style icon, Rihanna has been seen wearing them. We definitely recommend trying it out.

Triangle Braids

Braided Hairstyles - Triangle Braids
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These braids lock in moisture and help prevent breakage, they look similar to box braids. They are perfect for any hair texture, and natural hair growth. The scalp will have mini triangle shapes because of the way the hair is braided. It definitely stands out amongst the crowd.

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Written by Tikli Team

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