5 GOOD REASONS TO WEAR BRAIDS OFTEN. Anthony’s latest shoot and quotes seen GRITTY PRETTY

What is it with women and braids?

We’ve never met a braid we didn’t like, but they aren’t exactly an everyday style after your teens – unless you’re Beyoncé. (This needs to change, but more on that later.)

Braids are a lot like romantic comedies. They seem complicated, but most abide by the same format. If you know how to braid, the possibilities are endless. We could look at a milkmaid or boxer braid over and over and never tire and an intricate plot always incites more praise.

Seems to us the only reason why we don’t wear our hair this way more often is because there is no real occasion that calls for it. So we’ve enlisted award-winning hair stylist, Anthony Nader, to come up with five styles and tell us exactly where, when and how you can bring them out

What would you call this braid?

A relaxed or ‘undone’ fish tail braid.

Where would you wear this?

Any event where the dress code is smart casual or a photo of you might end up on Instagram.

Top tips for this style?

Slick hair tight into a low pony just below your crown to start the fishtail braid. When you get to the end, secure with a plastic tie and pull the braid apart gently so it appears soft and ethereal.

What would you call this braid?

Bohemian braids.

Where could you wear it?

A weekend get-together, music or arts festival or when you’re on holiday. This one’s as low maintenance as they come.

Top tips for this style?

The more haphazard and random in size your plaits, the more natural it will look. For this shoot, I braided approximately 15 different sized braids throughout the model’s hair. Another tip is to keep braids tight and clean so they look intentional so it doesn’t vibe too Bob Marley-esque.

What would you call this style?

Bubble braids.

Where could you wear this braid?

To a bridal shower, milestone birthday party or a more laid-back wedding.

Top tips for this style?

There is no need to braid all the way down to the ends for this style, introduce your ribbon anywhere in the braid and wrap it around the end of each section and tie in a knot. The style doesn’t need to be symmetrical, but it should feel and look balanced.

What would you call this braid?

Classic fishtail braid.

Where could you wear this?

Try this on a Monday when you want to make more of an effort, or bring it out on a casual Friday at work. It’s also good for date nights and basically anytime you want to present yourself as someone who’s got life sorted.

Top tips for this style?

Brush the pony smooth before you start. Use a shine spray for extra glam before and/or after you start the fishtail braid.

What would you call this braid?

Lemonade Braid (and yes, you can thank Beyoncé for this one).

Where would a woman wear this?

Take this style to a concert or themed-party, whenever you’re feeling a little bit extra.

Top tips for this style?

Can I tell you that I cheated on this look? I actually went to a wig shop and got synthetic hair pieces (cheap as chips!) and plated about ten of them the night before so I could glue them on with a special hair glue also from the wig shop. I slicked the hair back first into a low bun first, then applied the glue in dots along the braid and positioned them in the curved shape. You can create whatever shape you wish. After we shot this image, I peeled off the braids without a trace of glue in sight and brushed out the models hair without one tear from her! It took me 20 minutes max to put together.

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