Types Of Braids | Ultimate Guide To Different Types Of Braids

Before moving toward the types of braids, let’s talk about the braid. As we are all familiar with the word braid, don’t ever think what is the meaning of braid?

In this article, we will talk about every popular braid style and the ways through which we can make that braided hairstyle beautiful…

Braid is a hairdo/hairstyle formed by twisting and overlapping the hair strands. You can also decorate them by using ribbons, beads, flowers, etc.

Types Of Braids

The braided hairstyles look very elegant and beautiful. Some of us do have some braids ideas but very few of us have enough patience and stamina to try those complicated hair-braiding styles, there are many types of braids hairstyles. So… what are we waiting for, let’s start to learn how can we make them neatly and nicely

1. CLASSIC 3 STRANDS BRAIDS:

This is the most popular and easy braided hairstyle. Almost every woman is an expert in this. This is the first-choice braid for women on casual days.

HOW TO MAKE IT:

• Starts with the sections of your hair into three strands
• Then cross the outside strand over the middle strand
• And repeat the alternating one side and then the other side.
• Continuously interchange the right and left sides until you have braided the desired length.
• Now tie the end with an elastic rubber band.

2. 4 STRAND BRAID:

This braid is very tricky and needs a little bit of expertise and lots of practice to get a perfect 4 stranded braid. These braids are also referred to as plaits hairstyle.

HOW TO MAKE IT:

• Start the braid by splitting your hair into 4 strands.
• Then weave the first strand from right OVER, UNDER, and then OVER the remaining 3 left strands respectively.
• Repeat the whole process from the right OVER, UNDER, and OVER, until you get your desired length of the braid.
• Now tie the braid with an elastic band.

3. FRENCH BRAIDS:

Now we talk about the most popular braids in 2021, i.e., French braid. Now we will discuss this braid style step by step for beginners so you can make them easily.

HOW TO MAKE IT

• The first step in making a French braid is to take a small section of your hair from the top of your head from your temples to the back of your head
• Now sectioned the hair into 3 equal strands.
• Now take the right strand and cross it over and into the middle strand.
• Then take the left strand and cross it over and into the middle.
• Again, cross the right strand into the middle. And hold all of your hair in your left hand, so it will be easy to make the braid.
• Now add a small horizontal section of your hair from the same side into the middle strand
• Now cross the left strand over and into the middle and hold all of your hair in your right hand.
• Again, pick up a horizontal section of hair on the same side and add it to the middle strand.
• Repeat the steps for both sides respectively.
• Tie the braid with an elastic band after reaching the desired length of your braid

4. DUTCH BRAIDS:

I am explaining to you how to make this beautiful braid hairstyle for absolute beginners step by step to get the perfect one.

HOW TO MAKE IT:

• So, the first step in making a Dutch braid is to take a small section of your hair on top of your head from the temple to the back of your head.
• Now section the hair into three equal strands.
• Take the right strand and move it under and into the middle strand.
• Then take the left strand under and into the middle strand.
• Now add a small section of your hair into the middle strand
• Then take the right strand on top of your index finger and bring it back to your right hand.
• Now bring the left strand under and into the middle strand and leave the new left strand on top of your index finger.
• Now pick up the new strand of the same side and add it to the middle strand.
• Repeat the steps for both sides respectively.
• Tie the braid with an elastic band after reaching the desired length of your braid.

5. ROPE BRAIDS:

These are the easiest hair braids for women. Following are the steps for making rope braid step by step.

HOW TO MAKE IT:

• Start with sectioning your hair into two halves.
• Twisted each section towards the right.
• Cross the right section over the left section. So, they can switch places.
• Keep twisting and crossing the right section over the left until you achieve your desired length of braid
• Tie the hair with the hair tie.

6. LACE BRAIDS:

Under this heading, I am going to give a complete guide on how to make a simple lace braid step by step for beginners.

HOW TO MAKE IT:

• Starts with by taking the small section of the hair from front
• Then split the hair into three sections, then you will get the top section, middle section, and lower section.
• Cross the top strand over and into the middle.
• Then cross the bottom strand over and into the middle strand.
• Again cross the top strand over and into the middle.
• Add the new small section of hair right next to the top strand.
• Then take the hair strand which you just picked up added to the middle strand.
• Then cross the bottom strand over and into the middle strand. DO NOT ADD NEW HAIR TO THE BOTTOM STRAND.
• So again, cross the top strand over and into the middle and then pick up the new section of hair right next to the top strand and add to the middle section.
• Repeat the steps until you got the desired length of your braid.
• Tie the end of the braid with an elastic band to secure it.

7. LADDER BRAIDS:

Ladder lacing is sometimes also referred to as drape braid. And now I am going to tell you how to make it step by step.

HOW TO MAKE IT:

• Start by taking the small section of hair from the front.
• Split the hair section into three strands. So, we get the top section, middle section, and lower section.
• Weaving like a usual three-stranded French braid, but the DIFFERENCE is, we add the new hair strand next to the top section, while from the lower section, instead of feeding in section, we are dropping the strands of hairs (ribbons).
• Repeat the steps for the braid until you reach the back of the next ear.
• Now weave the braid just the way the three-stranded braid is going to be made.
• Flip the hanging strands (ribbons) which we drop while weaving the braid
• Now take the small section of the hairs, which is present under the hanging strands (ribbons).
• Divide them into three sections, and weave them into the simple three-stranded braid.
• But to the top section, we are feeding these hanging ribbons one by one
• Now weave them until you reach the desired length of your braid.
• Secure the braid with the help of the elastic band.

8. FISHTAIL BRAIDS:

So here I am going to discuss the simple fishtail braid step by step for beginners.

HOW TO MAKE IT:

• Start the process by sectioning the hair into 2 splits.
• Now take the small section from the outside of the right strand.
• Cross that strand over and add to the left strand.
• Similarly, take the small section from the outside of the left strand and
• Add cross that strand over and add to the right strand.
• Repeat the process by continuously adding the section from outside and crossing that and adding them to the opposite-sided strand.
• Now secure the braid by tying them at the desired length of your braid.

9. PULL-THROUGH BRAIDS:

This the something different from the traditional braids. But this can be made very easily. Now I am going to tell you the steps through which you can achieve a perfect pull-through braid.

HOW TO MAKE IT:

• Start by making the small ponytail on top of your head
• Then take a hair clip and clip the ponytail out of the way.
• Now take the half horizontal section of your hair and tie them like a ponytail.
• And now you have two ponytails on top of each other.
• Now remove the clip from the top ponytail and let it go.
• Now split the top ponytail into two equal sections.
• Then pull the bottom pony up through the two sections and then clip it out of the way by clipping them on top.
• Now again take a half horizontal section of your hair just like before.
• But this time includes the two halves of the previous ponytail to the new one.
• Now take down the ponytail by removing the hairclip.
• And repeat the steps until you get the desired length of your ponytail.
• Tie them with an elastic band.

10. REVERSE BRAIDED BUN:

This is also sometimes referred to as the back reverse French plait hairstyle bum It’s quite a typical bun, it requires practice and patience for a perfect reverse braided bun… here are the steps for beginners to achieve this hairstyle.

HOW TO MAKE IT:

• Initially flip your head upside down
• Get your brush and nicely brush your hair upside down to avoid any knots.
• Now take the small section from your neck.
• Now divide this section into three strands
• Now take the right strand and cross it over and into the middle strand.
• Then take the left strand and cross it over and into the middle.
• Again, cross the right strand into the middle. And hold all of your hair in your left hand, so it will be easy to make the braid.
• Now add a small horizontal section of your hair from the same side into the middle strand
• Now cross the left strand over and into the middle and hold all of your hair in your right hand.
• Again, pick up a horizontal section of hair on the same side and add it to the middle strand.
• Repeat the steps for both sides respectively.
• Till the half of your head secure the braid with an elastic band.
• Now flip your head into the normal upright position and start preparing for the bun.
• Take all your hair including the braid.
• Make a ponytail on the top of your head.
• Use a donut band to volume your bun.
• Place the donut in the middle of your pony and
• Then distribute your hair of pony evenly around the donut band
• Now hold the donut with one hand and
• Use your second hand to pull the hair around and tuck it under.
• Now secure the bun with bobby pins.

11. WATERFALL BRAIDS:

This is a quite complicated type of braid, and which is also needs lots of practice for a nice and beautiful finish.

HOW TO MAKE IT:

• Take the small section of hair from the front side of your hair.
• And then split the hair into three sections, the top strand, the middle strand, and the lower strand.
• Take the top strand and cross it over and into the middle section.
• Now take the bottom strand and cross it and into the middle section.
• Take the small section next to the top strand and that into the middle strand.
• Now dropping the small section of the hair from the lower section.
• Again, add the small section next to the top strand into the middle.
• Repeat the steps until you reach the back of your hair, or whatever you like the length of your braid.
• Now secure the braid with the help of elastic bands or bobby pins.

12. MILK-MAID BRAIDS:

It’s a very traditional braid, you have mostly seen them in the 70’s Hollywood movies.

HOW TO MAKE IT:

• Start by partying the hair from the right side.
• Then divide the section of the hair from your crown.
• And secure them with bobby pins or elastic bands and make a ponytail.
• Now divide the hair at the back of your head into two sections, the right, and the left side.
• Then we are going to make them into a French braid.
• So take the small section of your hair near the parted area
• Now split it into three small strands.
• Now take the right strand and cross it over and into the middle strand.
• Then take the left strand and cross it over and into the middle.
• Again, cross the right strand into the middle. And hold all of your hair in your left hand, so it will be easy to make the braid.
• Now add a small horizontal section of your hair from the same side into the middle strand
• Now cross the left strand over and into the middle and hold all of your hair in your right hand.
• Again, pick up a horizontal section of hair on the same side and add it to the middle strand.
• Repeat the steps for both sides respectively.
• Tie the braid with an elastic band after reaching the desired length of your braid
• Now make the French braid on the other side by repeating the same above steps.
• Now take the ends of both braids and tie them on the opposite side with the help of bobby pins.

13. AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING STYLES:

These hairstyles are most popular among African people. There are many types of African braids some of them are, box braid hairstyles, crochet braids, accent braids, dynamic side swept cornrows braids, crisscross goddess braids, etc. You can make these types of braids just like the French braid (which I have already mentioned before in this article) but only the difference is they took a very small section of hair to weave them.  Some of the most popular African hair braiding style pictures in 2022 are presented down below. Related read: 7 best flat irons for African American hair according to consumers.