Cute Braided Hairstyles

There was a time when braids meant those school days when there wasn't much to do with our hair. Then, most of us grew out of it, and hoped we'd never have to braid our hair ever again. But of late, braids seem big. Truth be told, it's one of those totally cute hairstyles for long hair, mainly because of how practical it is. Don't you just love it when a hairstyle is totally cute, trendy, and yet practical... There's just something about fashion when it serves every purpose, and those darling braid hairstyles for girls do just that. But what is it about that plaited look that today works wonders for so many? Wasn't it considered one of the most boring looks at one time? Well, just playing around with different number of strands is what helps achieve a myriad of looks when trying to braid your hair. If you want more on styles, read further to see what we've got in store for you...

Types of Braided Hairstyles

The braided look has today transformed itself from boring to classic, so let's see what all can be done with this look...

Braids for Short Hair
As much as people associate the braided look with long hair, there are loads of cute braided hairstyles for short hair too, provided your hair isn't ridiculously short of course. Some of the braids that you could experiment with if you have short hair are horizontal braid, zigzag braid, and cornrows. Undoubtedly, cornrows can get a tad tedious to do, but once you have it sorted it's a rather trendy look. On the other hand, the horizontal and zigzag braid are definitely way simpler, the first of the two being the easier option without a doubt. You could also do the basic French braid, thus creating a classy look for you short hair. For steps on how to do it, check below...

How to do the Horizontal Braids
What you need to do to get the horizontal braid look is to plait your hair from ear to ear, rather than working your braids downwards. Once the sideways braids are done tuck the rest of the hair under the braids and secure them with bobby pins, and you're good to go with those cute horizontal braids. For some clarity on what the look should resemble, take a look at the image accompanying this article. The picture to the top, left, is a reasonably good example for this look.

Braids for Medium Hair
Now, if there's one convenient length of hair, I think it is medium hair, and truth is, there are so many cute braided hairstyles for medium length hair that you could experiment with innumerable styles. Right from a dainty French braid to the trendy cornrow, medium hair is a good length to work with. Let's take a look at how you can achieve that adorable French braided look...

How to do the French Braid
It may seem like a task at first, but there's absolutely no need to worry or get intimidated when working with this style, all it requires is some patience, and concentration. Let's get started with the method now...

Begin with the standard rule of section the hair into three parts. You will have to ensure though, that the strands are thin, unlike the thick sections that are used when making a regular braid. Once you're done sectioning the hair, make a thin braid out of the first three sections. After every weave that's done, you'll need to add some more hair to the previous strands, thus thickening the strands at every step. Also, this braid must start higher up on the head (closer to the crown), as opposed to the regular plait which starts closer to the neck. Keep up with the addition of strands with every weave that you make, and you'll be ready with that French braid in no time. For a better idea on how it should look, you could check out the collage accompanying this article.

Braids for Long Hair
Quite possibly the best length to have if you want to play around with different types of hairstyles, cute braided hairstyles for long hair knows no bounds. The French braid, herringbone braid, lace braid, or even the Dutch braid. You just saw how to go about the French braid, so how about a look at the Herringbone braid now...

How to do the Herringbone Braid
Start by gathering sections of your hair at the point where you would like for your braid to begin. Once you've picked out the portion of your hair that you want to begin with, section it into two parts yet again. From the right side of your hair, pick a few more strands, and cross it over the section to the right of the previously picked hair. Now, go on to combining this with the section that was to the left. The next thing you want to do is, repeat the step that was just mentioned, the only difference being, this time you work with a strand from the left instead. Maintaining this process, alternate between left and right, all the way till the end of your hair, or whatever point you wish to stop at. You could set it with some hair spray, and secure it with a hair-tie once it is fully done. The fishtail look is now complete.

*If your braids bear close resemblance to those shown in the different images, you know you're going the right way...

As mentioned before, you could also try the side-braids, or a French braid with your long hair. If you feel like getting extremely creative, you could also try your own variation of the regular styles. Also, do not forget to use some hair spray on completion of the braid. This may be considered optional, but is a good idea since it'll help keep your hair in place, allowing a neater look throughout. So, go have fun with that pretty twisted look! :)