Braid Styles

Once you decide to wear your hair in a braided or loced style, you have committed yourself to "special-person" status. Within the general population, you are no longer just one who is indistinguishable from the crowd.

If you have kinky-textured hair and are more interested with integrating with the majority, then you will probably wear your hair in some sort of straight style. To generalize, most of the world's population has straight-textured hair. On the other hand, the braid or loc wearer reaches beyond the status quo, the need for same ol' thing.

Your mindset as a braid or loc wearer is one willing to stand out and be your creative self. Hair bound in this way is unique. With this unique style, you as the wearer can design it in a many different ways. You can follow traditional styles or go beyond with something else. Wearing your hair in this way is a clear expression of what's going on inside of you.

Open to attention? This is an absolute truth for you who wear these types of hairstyles. You have to be willing to be looked upon, gazed at, admired, or maybe even mocked. But you know it takes strength of character to be prepared for the looks and comments from others. There is strength to express who you are and what you feel inside without fear, for all to see. This is the same kind of strength required to stand and speak your mind in front of thousands.

Bet you didn't know all this about yourself, did you? Take another look in the mirror for another view of you!

Each of us has our own individual style. It is reflected in many ways: how we interact with others, the cars we drive, the clothes we wear, and the hairstyles we choose. However, when I look at the style of braids women choose, sometimes it seems as if their decisions are not necessary based on personal style but on a fantasy image of themselves.

One image that is very popular is one held onto from childhood, having long flowing hair. The very essence of femininity. The long-haired beautiful fairy princess comes to mind. So with braids, it is easy to create (and quite manageable) a similar effect of swinging the strands from side-to-side or flipping them with your hands. This may fulfill a emotional need within us, but at some point we should be able to extend ourselves beyond living out that childhood fantasy to creating a style that truly represents the real us.

Know thyself. You've heard it before but it continues to be the foundation for life. Consider how your braid style can tell a little bit of who you are without speaking a word. Whether your style is Classic, Dramatic, Natural, Gamin, or Romantic.

You are a Classic if you are naturally conservative and lean towards elegance. This is a neat and well-styled hairstyle.

You are Dramatic if you are bold, confident, bold, and daring in many areas of your life. This style can be sleek with a geometric or assymetrical cut.

You are Natural if you are warm, friendly and open-hearted person. The style is tousled, free, loose with perhaps a windblown look. However, this look is never smooth, sleek, and with a blunt cut.

You are Gamin if you are quick-witted, a communicator, spunky with lots of energy. This is a short, cropped boyish style.

You are Romantic, if have a flowing vibe, very feminine, and sexy. This will naturally go along with a charming and charismatic personality. Long braids that are curly that are soft and bouncy.