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If there’s one hairstyle that will forever remain a staple, it’s braids. After all, they’ve adorned the hair of women and men since 3500 B.C. in Africa. And at Byrdie HQ, we're huge proponents of epic plaits, even if they're far beyond our skill set. Hey, they're still fun to look at! In search of the most covetable styles, we’ve combed through the Internet to find the coolest, most badass braided hairstyles of all time—30 of them to be exact. Ahead, you’ll find our favorite, long-hair friendly braids of the season—including messy, disheveled fishtails and clean, polished crowns—all ready to be re-created and admired. Warning: You won’t be able to settle on your favorite (we know we couldn’t).
Box Braids
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Create tiny square-shaped parts in your head and three-strand braid cornrows from the root to the ends to create box braids.
Platinum Cornrows
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Experiment with the color and shape of your braids to add dimension and flare.
Twisted Braid
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Everything’s better with a twist.
Disheveled Braid
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A messy braid can look so effortlessly chic.
Edgy Braided Bun
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Braid a sleek center part into an incredibly cool bun.
Bedhead Pigtail Braids
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Braid. Braid. Tousle. Go.
Architectural Fishtail Braid
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Who says you can’t have an updo and a fishtail braid at the same time? Janelle Monáe’s game-changing style proves just that.
Pigtail Rope Braids
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Twist pigtails at the nape of your neck for this relaxed, modern ensemble.
Romantic Braid
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We love a sleek braid paired with big, bouncy curls.
Braided Crown
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Secure long pieces under the crown for ultimate face-framing.
Peek-a-Boo Braid
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What’s that behind your ear? Oh, just coolest little braid ever. Surprise!
Colorful Box Braids
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Singer Lion Babe looks absolutely stunning in her two-toned box braids. The way the red and blonde complement her skin tone is stunning.
Incognito Flat Twist
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So sleek that it almost goes unnoticed.
Undone Braid
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Embrace flyaways with a straighter look.
Braided High Ponytail
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Keke Palmer rocked this next-level braided ponytail with cornrows in the front paired with a ponytail of medium-sized box braids. Her burgundy braids set this look off.
Side Braid With a Pop of Color
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Why not add a little neon to your look? All you have to do is weave a ribbon through.
Fishtail Pigtails
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Just try to be in a bad mood while wearing fishtail pigtails. We dare you.
Intertwined Braids
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The bigger, the better.
Sleek Ponytail Braid
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Before braiding, comb hair into the sleekest, tightest ponytail possible.
Boxer-Braided Topknot
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Kelly Rowland showcases how box braids look just as good swept into a tight topknot.
Braided Side Part
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Add dimension to a side-parted bun by loosely braiding the front section.
Bleach Blonde Ponytail With Braided Accents
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Rita Ora has never played it safe in the hair category. She edged up a typical high ponytail with sleek cornrows in the front.
Braided Bun
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Add some character to your favorite lazy-girl hairstyle.
Textured Curls With Cornrows
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Jourdan Dunn looks like a dream in this carefree, “big hair, don’t care” look. Play up textured curls by adding cornrows for a fun half-braided style.
Three-Strand Ponytail
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Three tightly cornrowed braids form this incredibly cool wraparound ponytail.
Highlighted Crown Braid
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How regal does Kelly Rowland look in this imperfect (yet perfect) crown braid? Your crown braid doesn’t need to be tight to your head—a few highlights and wispy flyaways look just as good.
Half-Fishtail Braid
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This look begins with a loose fishtail but morphs into a classic braid at the nape of the neck.
Wet-Look Braid
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The braided version of fashion week’s favorite trend.
One-Sided Braids
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Taraji P. Henson did this half-up, half-down style right with the sides of her hair in cornrows.
Half-Up Fishtail
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For thicker hair types, finish off a half-up, half-down look with a mini fishtail braid.
Up next, check out more fun ways to style long hair.