Braided Hairstyles. If you want a classic and elegant look, braided hairstyles are a perfect choice. Whether you are walking down the aisle or running on the treadmill this versatile style will keep your hair looking neat and polished. Get inspired by our favorite celebrity looks including a fishtail braid.

Braids (also referred to as plaits) are a complex hairstyle formed by interlacing three or more strands of hair.^[1] Braiding has been used to style and ornament human and animal hair for thousands of years^[2] in many different cultures around the world.

The simplest and most common version is a flat, solid, three-stranded structure. More complex patterns can be constructed from an arbitrary number of strands to create a wider range of structures (such as a fishtail braid, a five-stranded braid, rope braid, a French braid and a waterfall braid). The structure is usually long and narrow with each component strand functionally equivalent in zigzagging forward through the overlapping mass of the others. Structurally, hair braiding can be compared with the process of weaving, which usually involves two separate perpendicular groups of strands (warp and weft).

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History and uses[edit]

The oldest known reproduction of hair braiding may go back about 30,000 years: the Venus of Willendorf, now known in academia as the Woman of Willendorf, is a female figurine estimated to have been made between about 28,000 and 25,000 BCE.^[3] It has been disputed whether or not she wears braided hair or some sort of a woven basket on her head.The Venus of Brassempouy is estimated to be about 25,000 years old and shows, ostensibly, a braided hairstyle.

Another sample of a different origin was traced back to a burial site called Saqqara located on the Nile River, during the first dynasty of PharaohMenes, although the Venus’ of Brassempouy and Willendorf predate these examples by some 25,000-30,000 years. Tides of war movie.

During the Bronze Age and Iron Age many peoples in the Near East, Asia Minor, Caucasus, East Mediterranean and North Africa such as the Sumerians, Elamites, and Ancient Egyptians were depicted in art with braided or platted hair and beards.^[4][5][6]

In some regions, a braid was a means of communication. At a glance, one individual could distinguish a wealth of information about another, whether they were married, mourning, or of age for courtship, simply by observing their hairstyle. Braids were a means of social stratification. Certain hairstyles were distinctive to particular tribes or nations. Other styles informed others of an individual's status in society.

African people such as the Himba people of Namibia have been braiding their hair for centuries. In many African tribes, hairstyles are unique and used to identify each tribe. Braid patterns or hairstyles can be an indication of a person's community, age, marital status, wealth, power, social position, and religion.^[7]

On July 3, 2019, California became the first US state to prohibit discrimination over natural hair. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the CROWN Act into law, banning employers and schools from discriminating against hairstyles such as dreadlocks, braids, afros, and twists.^[8] Later in 2019, Assembly Bill 07797 became law in New York state; it 'prohibits race discrimination based on natural hair or hairstyles.'^[9]

Braiding is traditionally a social art. Because of the time it takes to braid hair, people have often taken time to socialize while braiding and having their hair braided. It begins with the elders making simple knots and braids for younger children. Older children watch and learn from them, start practicing on younger children, and eventually learn the traditional designs. This carries on a tradition of bonding between elders and the new generation.

There are a number of different types of braided hairstyles, including, commonly, French braids, corn rows, and box braiding.^[10] Braided hairstyles may also be used in combination with or as an alternative to simpler bindings, such as ponytails or pigtails. Braiding may also be used to add ornamentation, such as beads or hair extensions, as in crochet braiding.

Braiding is also used to prepare horses' manes and tails for showing such as in polo and polocrosse.^[11]

Braiding in particular cultures[edit]

Indian braids[edit]

In India, braiding is common in both rural and urban areas. Girls are seen in twin braids especially in schools, though now it is decreasing. Young girls usually have one long braid. Married women are found in bun or braided bun.^{[citation needed]}

African & African American Braids[edit]

Braids have been part of black culture going back generations. There are pictures going as far back as the year 1884 showing a Senegalese woman with braided hair in a similar fashion to how they’re worn today.^[12]

Braids are normally done tighter in black culture than in others. While this leads to the style staying in place for longer, it can also lead to initial discomfort. This is commonly accepted and managed through pain easing techniques. Some include pain killers, letting the braids hang low, and using leave-in-conditioner.^[13]

Braids aren’t usually worn year-round in black culture; they’re instead alternated with other popular hairstyles such as hair twists, protective hairstyles and more. Braids are especially popular during the summer months, with June and July being especially popular times to adopt this hairstyle in the US.^[14]

As long as braids are done with a person’s own hair, it can be considered as part of the natural hair movement.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^Kyosev, Yordan (2014). Braiding technology for textiles. Woodhead Publishing. ISBN9780857091352.
2. ^'History of Cornrow Braiding'. rpi.edu. Archived from the original on 9 October 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
3. ^'Nude woman (Venus of Willendorf)'. khanacademy.org. Archived from the original on 13 November 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
4. ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2007-04-26. Retrieved 2007-04-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
5. ^'BRAIDS HAIRSTYLES 2018'. Archived from the original on 26 September 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
6. ^'plaits'. www.ancient-origins.net. Archived from the original on 18 October 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
7. ^'African Tribes and the Cultural Significance of Braiding Hair'. Bright Hub Education. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2018.
8. ^'California bans racial discrimination based on hair in schools and workplaces'. JURIST. Retrieved 2019-07-03.
9. ^'New York bans discrimination against natural hair'. TheHill. 2019-07-13. Retrieved 2019-07-18.
10. ^'Braid Hairstyles Guide - DIY'. Iknowhair.com. Archived from the original on 2013-11-12. Retrieved 2013-11-22.
11. ^Braiding and Plaiting Your HorseArchived 2010-02-01 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2010-2-20
12. ^BB, Miss (2016-06-22). 'Do cornrows come from Africa?'. BLACK AND BEAUTIFUL. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
13. ^'How To Relieve Pain From Tight Braids And Soothe'. That Sister. 2019-01-06. Retrieved 2020-01-02.
14. ^'Google Trends - Braid Trends Over Time'. Google Trends. Retrieved 2020-01-02.

Question: 'Why does the Bible speak against braided hair?'
Answer: Twice in the Bible, braided hair is seemingly spurned. First, Peter instructs, “Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear” (1 Peter 3:3–4). Second, the apostle Paul tells his co-missionary Timothy to convey to his church members “that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire” (1 Timothy 2:9). At first glance, these verses (only partially quoted here) appear to admonish against specific hair and clothing styles, but, when taken in context, they instead refer to bigger topics: humility and modesty.
In first-century Roman culture, women would customarily braid or twist their hair high onto their heads, often decorating their locks with jewels, gold adornments, and more to garner attention. The ornate displays indeed drew a public response, but the apostles’ point is that to flaunt one’s beauty for selfish adoration is not in line with the humility of Christ. Jesus says in Matthew 23:12, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
First Peter 3:3–5 speaks of true beauty: “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” There is a contrast set up here between outward, fleeting beauty and inward, lasting beauty. God sees the heart, and a beautiful woman has a “gentle and quiet spirit,” whether or not her hair is plaited into fancy braids. It’s not that braided hair is sinful, but it is more worthwhile to develop godly character than to coiffure the hair.
First Timothy 2:9–10 refers to modesty, a highly debated topic in Christian culture: “I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.” Again we have a contrast, this time between flashy externals and less-noticeable deeds. The best attire for a Christian woman is “good deeds,” whether or not she has the braided hair, jeweled adornments, and chic clothing of the day. Scripture does not teach it is a sin to groom oneself to feel more attractive, but it is sinful to do so with the prideful intention of turning heads, and the good works are always more important than the hairdo.
Both passages referring to braided hair utilize a literary technique common in the Bible—the comparison and substitution of an undesirable (sinful) thing for a better (godly) thing. For example, Jesus states in John 6:27, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you.” Is Jesus saying that a person should not work for physical food? Of course not. Second Thessalonians 3:10 tells us, “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” Jesus is simply comparing spiritual food to physical food, emphasizing that spiritual food must be given a higher priority. To value physical health over spiritual health would be detrimental.
Christians should strive to maintain a godly perspective on how they present themselves to the world, demonstrating God’s glory with their bodies (1 Corinthians 6:19–20) and caring about the spiritual state of their brothers and sisters in Christ (Romans 15:1–2). Rather than focusing on outward appearances, an inward focus on developing Christlike behavior is more profitable. Christians must “make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5–8).