African Braid Hairstyle

Braid hairstyles are cute and sexy, and are fast becoming a popular trend for celebrities like Jessica Alba and non-celebrities as well. In the world of fashion, hairstyles come and hairstyles go, but African braid hairstyles have become an increasingly popular alternative to chemical processing and other hairstyles that require higher maintenance.

A Short History of Braiding

Braids - or plaits - are formed when three or more strands of hair are layered one over the other until the braid or braids have reached the desired length. Different affects can be achieved by using odd combinations of hair strands, or by weaving multiple braids together.

The concept of braiding has been around for at least 5,000 years. In Africa, braided hair can be traced back to 3,500 B.C.E. when it was a social event between women, especially family members who would practice on each other's hair, creating new styles. Wall murals from Egypt show princesses and commoners alike sporting braided hair, and in Europe the style known as the French Braid was common among women who did not have access to keeping their hair as clean as they could in a culture that frowned on bathing in general.

Today braiding one's hair has become more of a fashion statement than anything else, but the sheer variety of African Braid Hairstyles allow one to pick and choose what is right for them, or even combine styles to create new and exciting creations.

A highlight of going on holiday is being able to be completely free from the strain of styling... you would think... but more recently holidays have become one of the most stressful times for men and women alike, in fear of not being able to straighten or curl their hair properly, or the humidity causing frizz to be out of control! One thing that you can always fall back on is the classic holiday hair braid. With so many variations, the hair braid has been around for decades and is a look that just never ages.

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