Braided hair makes a comeback

By Aglaja Adam Jul 28, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Berlin - Braided hairstyles are back, running the gamut from old-fashioned romantic looks to tight matronly braids and from avant-garde to '60s inspired styles.

Designers have helped spur on the comeback by doing their models' hair in plaits before they walk down the runway and Hollywood stars have taken to braids feverishly. Braided hair also has proved it can be practical as well as beautiful, as women have known for generations, and today's styles are for any hair length.

Many current variations of braided hair are suitable to be worn in the office, while more loosely braided hair is a good look for the beach. More precise or intricate styles work well at parties or formal occasions.

'They are a real alternative to a swept-up hairdo if the goal is a look that is not too stiff,' said Karim Amerchih, an expert at Wella Pro Series.

Long hair is especially well-suited for making plaits. A current trend is a long braid wrapped around the head or a loose French braid. But women with short hair can also join in the trend by braiding their bangs. Cheating is also allowed: A headband or hair tie that has a braid motif is very chic and helps achieve a 'Heidi look,' said Alexandra Rigano, director of instruction for the Essanelle Hair Group.

Women who consider wrap-around braids and the Alpine look too prim and proper might find the new punk look perfect, said Rigano.

'Either the well-known Mohawk hairstyle is braided right down the middle of the head or the hair in the middle is brushed up into a quiff and the sides are braided flat to the head,' she said.

Another trendy style could be described as '60s retro chic. The important thing is achieving a contrast. A braid laid across the forehead breaks with the elegance of a swept-up '60s hairdo and brings a playfulness to the hairstyle, said Jens Dagne, beauty stylist with a German hairdresser association.

Braided hair can also be combined with an ethnic look. Warm colours, billowy clothing, natural materials and prints from various cultures shape this style. Hairstyle that look soft match the look, said Dagne. He recommends an irregular side braid for long hair.

Amerchih said anyone considering doing the braiding themselves at home will need to practice, especially the French braid and the braided pony tail. Both styles lend themselves to a lot of variation and can be attempted in various degrees of difficulty, the hair care specialist said.

To make a braided ponytail, the hair is divided into three strands that are passed over each other alternatively to form the braid. The French braid is similar, but only some of the hair is used to start the braid. More hair is pulled in with each turn of the braid.

'You start with part of the hair toward the back top of the head and form the braids down the back, bringing in new strands of hair as you go along,' said Dagne. 'The difficulty is to keep the size of the braids the same.'

The fishbone style varies slightly in that only two strands of hair from the outside are braided in. The strands are laid from right to left toward the middle. The strands that are braided in should be the same thickness so that the style looks even, said Dagne.

An simpler variation involves twisting the hair. Two strands of hair are twisted around each other like cords. When there are two of these, they can the be twisted into each other to form a bun, said Dagne.