It’s clear for everyone to see that braids are definitely having a moment. In the past few seasons, they have been everywhere from Instagram to street style focus to your favorite celebrities wearing them on the red carpet. Therefore, we’ve decided to do some research and compile a list of the best and most eye-catching braid hairstyles for long hair out there. But, let’s be honest. Have you ever seen a braid style you didn’t like?
1. Four Strand Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
Having long hair is perfect for braids because it gives you a lot of material to play with and experiment in case you want to try all sorts of novelty braids. This, for example, is a four strand braid that, even though it looks intricate, is actually fairly easy to pull off.
2. Fishtail Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
This particular style is extremely interesting and eye-catching. It’s a messy fishtail in the middle flanked by two other rows that have been pulled apart from the braid itself. It also has a braided crown at the top.
3. Cute Braided Hairstyles for Long Hair
When it comes to braid hairstyles for long hair, it does not get any cuter than this. This is a rose braid that continues down the back with a special type of fishtail which resembles the falling petals of the rose.
4. Rainbow and Pink Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
This year is all about nonconventional hair colors. And you can really make your choice of color shine if you go for some well-placed braids. This is hot pink hair with some platinum highlights and rainbow peekaboos.
5. Bohemian Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
In the world of fashion and styling, braids are almost synonymous with boho at this point. However, in order to pull off this styling, you must also carefully choose your clothes and accessories.
6. The Bubble Braid
No matter what type of braid you go for, be it French, Dutch, fishtail or a simple three-strand, you can always embellish it further if you go for some bubbles. They are actually sections of the braid which you can tie up using some invisible hair elastics.
7. Elvish Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
This fairy inspired hairstyle may be intricate and time-consuming, but it will be the perfect addition to your Comic-Con costume this year. You can visit your stylist and get it done or ask a friend to learn how to do it from a YouTube tutorial.
8. Cool Braided Hairstyles for Long Hair
Pastel pink is here to stay, hopefully forever because it’s one of our favorite colors and it’s simply gorgeous. You can embellish it with a rhinestone baguette if you’re going to a special event or your favorite music festival.
9. Metallic Green Braids
As we all know, there’s a new trend in town. The metallics are here to replace the matte trend to which you can now say goodbye. This is metallic green long hair which has been plaited into two long boxer braids.
10. Teal Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
Summer is just not summer without a bit of teal. It reminds us of long days on the beach because it has such an aquatic feel to it. These half cornrows are perfect for those lounging moments when you sip cocktails by the pool.
11. Pastel Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
If you can’t make up your mind on what color you want for your tresses, don’t despair. You can go for the pastel rainbow trend. It’s even easier now since most drugstore brands have put out special dyes which you can use at home and get these nontraditional colors.
12. The Fauxhawk Hairstyle
The braided Mohawk has now almost completely replaced the traditional Mohawk as a styling choice. It’s a lot easier to pull off, and it doesn’t require as much commitment as the old one which would have you shave the sides of your head.
13. Two Tone Boxer Braids
Think of this one as a merrier Cruella, if you will. Her hair was half white and half black. You will go for the cheerier version of that using Technicolor shades that brim with positivity and good energy.
14. Light Indigo Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
What we love the most about this light indigo idea for braids is that it has a very dark base. In this way, the pastel color is completely showcased against the brunette of the roots. The braids in themselves are spectacular as well.
15. Dutch Lace Braids
With braid hairstyles for long hair, the more intricate they get, the better because the visual spectacle they make is breathtaking. These are Dutch lace braids that have been inserted into an intricate five strand braid.
16. Side Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
This sandy blonde jumbo French braid is very easy to do. All you have to do is pull it with your fingers until it gets to your desired shape and size. Leave the rest of the ponytail unbraided for maximum effect.
17. Crown Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
Braids come in all shapes and sizes and crowns are definitely some of the most spectacular. They frame your face without you having to wear a headband or find a matching accessory such as a headscarf or something similar.
18. Half Up Half Down Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
Upgrade your classic ponytail by adding a few braids to it. In this way, it will become the perfect hairstyle for a wedding, your prom or a very fancy garden party. And the best thing about it is that, with a little practice, you can even learn how to do this one at home.
19. Casual Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
They are not called causal for nothing. These are your everyday braids which you can wear to the gym, when you go jogging, to take your dog out, to the supermarket, and even on your way to the hair salon for a little pampering time.
20. Beautiful Braided Hairstyles for Long Hair
This is an inspiring variation on the three strand braid which you can try because it’s fabulous and easy to do. The only thing here is that you have to insert a thin three-strand into a loose one and tie the ends together to keep them in place.
21. Wedding Braided Hairstyles for Long Hair
If there’s a wedding, there must be flowers, right? Then why not try some white sherry blossom cascading down your braid? If you need extra body for it, you can always add some extensions so that you look perfect on your special day.
22. The Ombre Dutch Braid
The color pattern here is wonderful and absolutely inspirational. It starts off with a bronde, aka brown plus blonde made up of highlights and lowlights of both colors and ends in a fantastic platinum blonde ombre.
23. High Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
Now this is long hair in all its might and glory. If you have Rapunzel locks, you might as well flaunt them for everyone to see. And the best way to do that is with this very simple yet powerful braid that will leave everyone gossiping about how stunning you look.
24. Lavender Braid Hairstyles
Lavender is still one of the most beloved hair colors out there. This one has some gray highlights through it that make it look a bit colder and perfect for winter time. Evidently, you can spike yours with any shade you choose.
25. Blonde and Brown Hairstyles for Long Hair
Nothing goes better in terms of colors than brown and blonde. It’s a classic and timeless combination that has the formidable quality of looking good on anyone. This means you can try it out as soon as possible without fear of failure.
26. Bridesmaid Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
Here’s a hairstyle you can try if you are the bridesmaid. It’s a simple and messy braid with a twisted crown and a flower embellishment. We suggest you pick one that goes with the color of your dress and also smells nicely.
27. Simple Braided Hairstyles for Long Hair
If you want to accessorize your braids a little bit but feel like you are out of ideas, don’t despair. Bobby pins are always here to help. You only need to get creative with them. for example, these have been shaped like arrowheads.
28. Blue Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
This blue ombre with arctic lowlights is edgy and incredibly cool. Pair it off with dramatic makeup which includes matching blue lipstick and smoky eyes and you cannot possibly go unnoticed.
29. Romantic Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
If you were looking for ideas for date night hairstyles, look no further because this is it. This fishtail on long hair with beach waves is fresh, romantic, and flirty enough to qualify as the perfect hairstyle to wear on date night.
30. Braid Hairstyles with Highlights
Most of the times when you have highlights of any type in your hair, braids are the perfect way to go because they will showcase the highlights by bringing a three dimensional quality to them.
31. Long and Thin Braid Hairstyles
This one is fairly easy to pull off by yourself as long as you practice it a little bit beforehand. Therefore, it can turn into your go-to hairstyle for Monday mornings or for when you are in a hurry and styling your hair is not an option.
32. Old Fashioned Plaits
Do you remember those plaits all our moms use to put our hair in when we were little girls? They are now back in style and they are not just for little girls anymore. If you style them correctly in terms of clothes and accessories, you can look like a runway model.
33. Braided Pigtails
Speaking of old-fashioned hairstyles that we used to wear as little girls that are making a huge comeback, here are the pigtails we all loved so much. However, they have received a makeover and are now part of a duo that also has French braids.
34. How to Do Braided Hairstyles for Long Hair
If you’re feeling brave, you need to try this one. If you look closely, you will notice that these are actually three easy French braids that have been braided separately and then twisted together as a three-strand plait. How ingenious!
35. Little Girl Braided Hairstyles for Long Hair
When we’re talking about hairstyles for little girls, it’s almost impossible to resist the allure of throwing in a bow. They just look so cute with braids and bows in their long, beautiful hair. So, if you’re looking for inspiration, you’ve just found it.
36. Carousel Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
The reason why this type of braid is called the carousel is fairly obvious. Is was plaited to resemble the spiraling and swirling shape of a merry-go-round that keeps on spinning and spinning.
37. Creative Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
Since we’re on the topic of creative braids, here’s another one for you. This is a classic ponytail with a three-strand braid on the side which has strands coming out and webbing around the ponytail. It might be difficult to pull off, but the effect is mesmerizing to behold.
38. The Diagonal Fishtail Braid
If you’re ever bored with straight and conventional lines, go ahead and braid your hair diagonally. It’s a true feat of engineering and you can call yourself a true expert in braid hairstyles for long hair if you pull this one off.
39. Milk and Coffee Braid Hairstyles
This color combination is called milk and coffee because it’s a mix of white blonde and brunette with just a little bit of brown in the middle that reminds one of the delicious beverage. The combo is heightened by the fact that the hair is braided.
40. Aqua to Purple Braided Hairstyles
There’s no better way of doing a summer hairstyle than by combining two fresh colors such as aqua and purple. These jumbo cornrows start off as aqua and slowly descend into purple. This has to be one of the coolest braid hairstyles for long hair we’ve ever seen.
41. Platinum Braided Hairstyles for Long Hair
Extreme blondes are in this season. Therefore, you need to say goodbye to bottle blondes and natural looking shades. This year is all about arctic blonde, iceberg blonde, platinum, and silver. Find the shade that’s perfect for you.
42. Cobalt Blue Braid Hairstyles
Another nonconventional color which you can try this summer is cobalt blue. It goes perfectly well with minimal makeup such as pastel pinks and nudes. What you want is to let the hair color shine.
43. Purple to Blue Ombre
Contrary to popular belief, ombre doesn’t have to follow two colors that are closely related. You can also get ombre from two strong, contrasting shades such as this gorgeous wine belonging to the purple family and blue.
44. Gray Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
Gray is the perfect color for winter. It’s reminiscent of the landscape outside which means you will blend in perfectly. Plus, you can style it with metallic accessories that will make this edgy color look even cooler.
45. Unicorn Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
The unicorn trend is still going strong as far as hair color is concerned. The great thing about it is that there is no discernible pattern to it. This means that you can choose whichever colors you like most and mix them up.
46. Fairy Braid Hairstyles for Long Hair
Braids can also help with your next Halloween costume idea. This is a woodland fairy with scarlet hair and ivy running around across her. The best thing about it is that it’s not difficult at all to pull off this costume and look.
47. The Selena Gomez
Not even celebrities could have resisted the lure of braided hair. Here’s Selena Gomez. She opted for a messy yet gorgeous side braid which makes her look casual and elegant at the same time.
48. The Blake Lively
Everyone knows that Blake Lively has one of the best heads of hair in the business. Here she is with a few shaggy braids that have been embellished with a glittery golden rose which highlights her honey brown hair.
49. The Cheryl Cole
The British singer opted for a back braid which has been sectioned three times with simple, black, satin straps. It goes well with the bohemian vibe we’re getting from that gorgeous lacy, wine-colored dress she’s wearing.
50. The Sarah Hyland
This Modern Family cutie opted for the classic mermaid braid in her signature bronde color. She paired it with a smoky eye and nude lipstick so that she could keep the focus on her hair and eyes. What a stunner!
Conclusion
Braid hairstyles for long hair come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, as we’ve just seen above. The great thing about braids and the reason why they have been a favorite among women for such a long time is that they are a universal hairstyle. Braids match every type of face and can be made out of thin hair or thick hair alike. All you need to do now is choose your favorite!

Susan is a successful hair stylist who chose to combine two of her biggest passions: writing and styling! When she is not sharing her experience with out readers, Susan updates her skills and knowledge with new styling courses and trainings. She specializes in event hair and makeup and is working on her own illustrated hairstyle book.
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