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Wednesday 20 November 2013

African Hair-Braiding Styles



Braids are an age-old tradition in African culture. They have been used to signify social, economic and marital status throughout history. In modern times, they have taken on a new life, serving as a way for African-Americans to connect to their heritage or as an efficient, practical way to keep hair.



Popular Braids

  • The two most popular braid styles for African-Americans are the Country Plait and its variation, cornrows. Both of these styles are attained by sectioning the hair and braiding it very close to the scalp in rows. The Plait weaves in hair from above the braid, whereas cornrows weave hair in from below. This creates a more three-dimensional look for cornrows and flatter braids with the Plait. Both braiding techniques can be used to create rather unique and complex designs with the hair. Micro Braids have recently become popular and can allow for many different hairstyles to be worn day to day. These braids are extremely small and appear like thick strands of hair.

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