Fun Braided Hairstyles to Try …

By: Amber Oliver

I always want a fresh, cute style, and braided hairstyles are totally a great part of that. I love braids in a hairstyle because they add dimension, different textures and a different appeal to your look. I love that they can be elegant, messy, fun, girly or sporty. Here are some of my top choices for braided hairstyles to try!

1. Fishtail Braid

This braid is great because it’s versatile. It can be elegant and classy or laid back enough for a day at the beach. It’s really easy to achieve and pull off too! It only takes minutes. It can work for most hair lengths too! It’s a no-brainer that this lovely look ended up on my list of the cutest braided hairstyles. [ read: 11 Unique Fishtail Braid Hairstyles To Inspire You... ]

2. French Braid

A french braid can be worn so many ways! It can be at the front, or simply straight down. It’s an easy way to get your hair out of your face so we can admire your beauty! It frames the face well, and looks put together! It can be worn anywhere really! This one is great for people with longer hair! It looks great when side swept too.

French braids, when well done, make very attractive hairstyles. This short and concise video expertly takes you through the process of learning to do your own French braids.

3. BOHO Braid

A Boho braid is mostly seen at the crown or front of the hair. It has a laid back, down to earth feel to it. Think Nicole Richie or Drew Barrymore. They often incorporate Boho braids into their styles. Maybe they can give you some inspiration! It would look great for a day at the park, or at a music/cultural festival.

4. Cornrow Braid

This fun braided hairstyle is great because it can done on most hair types! It works especially well for those with wavy or curly hair. And that’s great, because sometimes those hairstyles can be hard to come by! It adds flare to your hair compared to a regular braid. It would look great for a day out and about or on a fun active date!

5. Braided Bun

A braided bun is a great hairstyle for all occasions. It’s an updo, so it’s pretty enough to wear to a formal event like prom, a gala, a business chic party or a charity event. It’s great for a day at the office too. It adds a little more style to the classic bun look. I love it!

6. Diagonal Dutch Braid

This is a cute variation on the classic dutch braid! It’s similar to the one Prim wore in Hunger Games. It’s fun, funky and sporty. I like that it has a different design along with the braid. It’d be great to wear at the gym or a day outdoors. It’s great to rock on a casual day.

7. Waterfall Braid

Waterfall braids are awesome because they add depth to your hairstyle. It sweeps across your the rest of your hair diagonally and gives you a very romantic, fairy-tale like look. It would look so pretty cascading down your back! It’s great for a party or a romantic date!

8. Tousled Braid

Braids are so popular right now! Ever since The Hunger Games came out, braids have exploded and this braid is no exception! If you're looking for an excuse to braid up your beachy waves, this is it! This tousled braid is just basically taking your beachy waves and braiding them up into a loose braid! It's perfect for the beach!

9. Braided Headband

This braid is so unique, so different and it's ideal for a wedding, for a night out on the town or even if you just want to be a little different! You do have to have really long hair for this one, but it's still so much fun to do!

10. Milk Maid Braid

This braid is so, so cute! It's basically two braids that have the ends hidden and that cross along the top of your head. It's an adorable braid that looks so cute with your little black dress or even with your favorite suit!

11.  Braided Chignon

The chignon is something that is so easy to do, as long as you know exactly what you are doing, but a braided one? Genius! This braid is ideal for the office or even if you are just looking for an excuse to spice up your braid!

12. Double Braid

This braid is almost like the braided headband but instead, it's a double braid that goes from one end of your head to the other -- and the other braid goes in the opposite position. Jessica Alba perfected this particular braid and it looks amazing on her!

13. Knotted Braid

This braid is actually really cool looking! The knotted braid is the technique of the braid and it almost looks like loops in your hair. It's really cool and totally easy to do, once you get the hang of it!

I love braided styles because they’re a chic way to add some fun and spunk to your hairstyle. They’re especially great for warmer seasons when you don’t want your hair in the way! What is your favorite type of braided hairstyle? Would you try any of these?

Perfect Party Hairstyles to Wear This Holiday Season

By: Simone Kitchens

Nope, holiday hair doesn't have to be fussy—or even hard to do. These ten looks are simple and chic. Try one tonight!

Holiday Hairstyle Idea for an Office Party: Pull It All Up

• The grade school-style curled ponytail has been sleekified. Something about the easy-going-ness of this look at Anna Sui feels like a fun night guaranteed.

• To get the look yourself, work in a texturizer like Brocato Volumizing Tonic Spray on damp hair, then blow-dry. Gather into a high pony (leave ends tucked in elastic if your hair is longer than bust level), then wrap a one-inch section around the base to hide elastic. Use a curling iron to mold hair into the round shape, then gently tease. Tame with a spray like Got2B 2Sexy Voluptuous Hairspray.

Holiday Hairstyle Idea for a Holiday Dinner: Try Braids

• Braids used to scream weekend hair: cute but super casual. No longer. A crop of styling bars and doable at-home tips is making the look evening-ready.

• For those braiding at home, John Barrett stylist Kayley Pak recommends twisting dry hair around a one-inch curling iron beforehand—this boosts body and helps braids stay put. And always braid your hair supertight, even if you want a loose look. Once you're done, soften it up with your fingers. [ read:  Fun Braided Hairstyles to Try … ]

Holiday Hairstyle Idea for a Cocktail Party: Do Big Curls

• A little forties, a little seventies—and ridiculously easy to re-create: That's our take on the soft, retro hair Guido Palau did at the fall Bottega Veneta show, here.

• To get the look yourself, start by spraying in a thickener like Redken Guts 10 before blowing hair dry and making a deep side part. Next, coil sections of hair around a half-inch curling iron, then pin down. (Begin the curls at ear height, keeping the hair on top of your head flat.) Once they're set, unwind the spirals and separate with your fingers. Run a boar-bristle brush through for extra body. To maintain the bouncy style, finish with a blast of hairspray. ( Try Herbal Essences Set Me Up Hairspray ) Finally, tuck a bobby pin on the side opposite your part for instant glamour.

Holiday Hairstyle Idea for a Back-Tie Affair: Leave It Loose

• Yes, that's right—super-dressy clothes can look great with undone hair. "Who wants to look like they spent 10 hours in a chair getting their hair done?" says Sally Hershberger stylist Teddi Cranford, cofounder of the new Whiterose Collective, which offers personalized "event hair" from seasoned backstage and celeb stylists. "Evening hair has a tendency to look stuffy," explains Cranford, who honed her soft, tousled hairstyling skills on backstage teams for Alexander Wang and Marc Jacobs.

• Cranford likes extensions to add body—"glued in for security"—but you can also use a styler ( like Suave Volumizing Root Boost Spray ) to create lift. Include a few braids, as Cranford did for Girls star Jemima Kirke at the CFDA awards. Leave ends loose for a softer finish. (Cranford recalls the actress's styling direction: "I want to look like I've been running through the forest.") And it's all about balance. "Pair a bigger headpiece with rich, full hair; tight updos call for smaller accents," says Cranford. And embrace imperfection: "I've learned that symmetry isn't necessarily beautiful. It's nice when things are a bit off." 

Holiday Hairstyle Idea for a Big Night Out: Slick it Back

• Elegant hair doesn't mean complicated hair. The polished, gorgeous style Cara Delevingne rocked at the Jason Wu show is dramatic but easy.

• To get the look yourself, begin by working in a smoothing serum like Kérastase Elixir Ultime  for sheen, then part hair with a comb. Next, pull hair toward the nape, and tie in a low ponytail. Twist into a chignon, and secure the free ends to your head with a simple metal clip (we like Goody Classics Jenna Barrettes ). Add bobby pins for extra hold if needed.