Different Types Of Braids

A Regular Three-Strand Braid. It’s the baseline of braids. …
The Fishtail Braid.
French Braid.
The Upside Down Braid.
The Dutch Braid.
The Milkmaid Braid.
The Four Strand Braid.

A braid (also referred to as a plait) is a complex structure or pattern formed by interlacing three or more strands of flexible material such as textile yarns, wire, or hair. Compared with the process of weaving, which usually involves two separate, perpendicular groups of strands (warp and weft), a braid is usually long and narrow, with each component strand functionally equivalent in zigzagging forward through the overlapping mass of the others.

The most simple and common hair braid is a flat, solid, three-stranded structure. More complex braids can be constructed from an arbitrary number of strands to create a wider range of structures. Braids have been made for thousands of years in many different cultures, and for a variety of uses.

Cornrows or braids, are an ancient traditional African style of hair grooming, in which the hair is braided very close to the scalp, using an underhand, upward motion to produce a continuous, raised row.Cornrows are often formed in simple, straight lines, as the name implies, but they can also be formed in complicated geometric or curvilinear designs.

Side-swept cornrows

Depending on the region of the world, cornrows are worn by men or women, or both, and are sometimes adorned with beads or cowry shells. Often favored for their easy maintenance, rows can be left in for weeks at a time if maintained through careful washing of the hair and regular oiling of the scalp.

Box braids are hair braids which are characterized by “boxy” or square-shaped hair divisions. They are typically created by adding in synthetic braiding hair (i.e. kanekalon hair). This hairstyle is a means of protective styling.

A French braid, or French plait is a type of braided hairstyle. The French braid is an adopted hairstyle that originated in Algeria. The French braid includes three sections of hair that are braided together from the crown of the head to the nape of the neck. Variations on this hairstyle include the Dutch braid and the Fishtail braid.

The Dutch braid goes by many names, including the “reverse French braid.” In fact, the Dutch braid is done exactly like a French braid, except that you cross the strands under instead of over. It may look complex to a beginner, but it is actually quite simple! A basic Dutch braid will work on most lengths of hair, but if you have very short hair, consider a double Dutch braid instead.

The Fishtail Braid

Crown Braid or crown plait is a traditional Ukrainian hairstyle usually worn by women with long hair. It consists of a single braid wrapped around the head.

The Upside Down Braid

Crochet braids, also known as latch hook braids, are techniques for braiding hair that involve crocheting synthetic hair extensions to a person’s natural hair with a latch hook or crochet hook. This method is associated with African American hair culture.