A haircut says a fair bit about a man. Especially when the style in question is less orthodox than another buzz cut. You can be fairly comfortable making snap judgments about their music taste, their fashion sense, even the kind of job they do. But that’s less about the hair, more about our innate tribalism: we like to look like people like us.
Braids have always taken that idea further. The style’s been a fixture since prehistory, adopted as a way to convey power and status by cultures stretching from Africa to Scandinavia and China.
Braids for men are experiencing a resurgence in contemporary culture too, in part thanks to long-haired guys who’ve grown sick of the man bun. But with millennia of examples from every corner of the world to draw on, there’s a style to suit anyone, whether your influence is A$AP Rocky or Viking warriors. And while the style around braids has evolved, the technique remains nearly the same as it was 5,000 years ago. The hair is split into three equal pieces, then plaited: left under middle; right under middle; repeat.
If you’re ready to add some oomph to your appearance and turn some heads, check out our list of the 18 best braids for men for some styling techniques and inspiration.
The History Of Braid Hairstyles
Braids are arguably the OG hairstyle. They date back some 30,000 years if the Venus of Willendorf, a stone fertility goddess that was discovered in Austria in 1908, is anything to go by. Braids have played a social role throughout history, used to communicate tribal affiliation and marital status.
A plethora of cultures have put their own stamp on the technique, from Indigenous pigtails to Chinese staircase braids. Though mostly worn by women, braids were also donned by men, particularly warriors, from the Vikings to Ethiopians and Celts. Granted, your local barbershop is more likely influenced by more recent history.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, braids experienced a surge in popularity as black communities began to reject the white beauty standards that demanded hair be long and smooth, in favor of something more traditional. Figures like Nina Simone and Stevie Wonder popularised the style, which took on a political resonance that resurged in the 1990s, in the wake of the LA riots, and recently as a reaction to the deaths of young black men at the hands of US law enforcement.
This gives braids a unique cultural weight. It’s a generalization, but tighter forms like cornrows tend to be associated with black hair culture; looser plaits and French brands are a more Caucasian phenomenon. If you’re white and do fancy box braids, then be aware that you risk accusations of cultural appropriation. Picture David Beckham’s hair in 2003 and consider whether that’s the vibe you’re after.
But braids are more than an anthropology lesson. They actually look good, too. For guys with long hair, they immediately add texture and shape that waves of surfer tresses sometimes lack. Whether you go for all-over braids or a couple of plaits, you can also use them to soften or enhance what sits beneath them. “Oval faces are best for braids,” says May, “but other shapes can look good too. It’s a matter of playing around and finding what suits you.”
If you’ve got long enough locks, then braids offer some creative styling options that no other hairstyle can match. Find a skilled enough stylist – and Instagram or our top picks below should be your friend here – and the patterns they can craft in your hair are almost limitless. Braids started out as a style that communicated who you were to the people around you and, in the right hands, they should do the same job today.
