Braids for men are an exceptional way to express your personality and experiment with your hairstyle. Although you can’t get braids if you have a military haircut, anywhere from 2-3 inches of hair will suffice for the shortest of braids. If your hair is shoulder-length or even longer, then you have a ton of possibilities to show off your creative side. Explore some of our favorite braids ideas below, and get a sneak peek by pressing play!
1. Braids for Short Hair
It won’t be easy to get braids if you have short hair. However, it’s not impossible. You should opt for a set of thin braids for men that accentuate your existing length. After that, you should be patient enough to let your hair grow for more braiding options.
2. Cornrows
There’s most likely no braiding style for men more well-known than cornrows. The classic technique has been around for decades and has paved the way for numerous intricate braiding styles today. We recommend this approach for a tight and clean braided hairstyle.
3. Feed-In Braids
If you’re thinking about getting thicker braids, you should use the feed in method for them. To put it shortly, feed in braids start thin and get wider as you get towards the top of your head. Additionally, this technique adds shape to your overall hairstyle.
4. Braided Mohawk
What if you’re a rebel without a cause? In this case, we say that you should go for unconventional braids for men. The form can be as creative as you’d like, as long as it represents your personality. Take this daring mohawk, for example.
5. Box Braids
Both men and women can benefit from the advantages that box braids bring. In most situations, box braids come as extensions for your current hair. As a result, you can add length to your hair without having to wait for it to grow naturally. Box braids are also a protective hairstyle.
6. Braids with Top Knot
If your braids will be focusing on the top part of your head, you will most likely end them in a top knot or man bun. In case your hair isn’t significantly long, a top knot will do. Make sure that you wrap your tips tightly so the top knot won’t unravel.
7. Undercut and Braids
An excellent way to make your braids stand out is to pair them with an undercut. There are countless ways you can wear your undercut – from disconnected to faded and more. If you want to emphasize only a certain area, use an undercut to do so.
8. Two Braids and Cornrows
Among styles of braids for men, two braids win by a long shot. They’re easy to get and complement most facial features. Nevertheless, you can make yours more complex by adding cornrows into the design. The longer your hair is, the better your two braids will turn out.
9. Double Man Bun Braids
We all know about the man bun hairstyle by now. But is everyone aware of just how many ways you can rock one? When you mix it with braids, for example, you get a cool and original hairstyle that will enhance your masculinity. Two braids work best for a man bun hairstyle.
10. Natural Twists
Not all braids for men have to be in the traditional 3-strand style. On the contrary, some end up looking awesome just with simple twisting. We recommend this easygoing hairstyle for men who want a natural approach to their braids.
11. Long Braids for Men
If you’ve worked to obtain truly long hair, then why not show it off with some braids? In this photo, you can see a full set of long braids that look amazing on the bearer. You can also get a similar effect by adding extensions through box braids.
12. Two Strand Twists
Another way to rock natural braids for men is through the timeless two strand twist. The technique comes in pretty close to the Nubian twists and serves as one of the most beloved African braids for men and women around the world.
13. Zig Zag Braids
Why get braids like everyone else when you can opt for a unique design? Even though you’ll have to work with a professional to get this sleek outcome, it will be worth it in the end. A zig zag design, for instance, is just what you need to make your braids the center of attention.
14. Double Braided Mohawk with Side Braids
If you’re not a fan of Mohawks in the traditional sense, you can try out a mohawk silhouette through braids. To get these results, you’ll have to part your hair in the middle and create a main braid on each side. Continue with braids all around for a fresh look.
15. Tied Up Braids
One of the coolest parts of having at least mid-length braids is that you can style them as you please. As an example, you can have braids that are about 3 or 4 inches long and tie them up into a ponytail. Not only is it practical, but it also looks nice.
16. Top Braid and Ponytail
On the other hand, you can create your braid specifically for a ponytail. Here, it helps if you have an undercut and a braid only on the top part. If your hair is long enough, you can tie the wrap the tips into a ponytail after your braid is in place.
17. Intersecting Braids for Men
Want to make sure that you have the most original braids on the block? Think outside of the box when it comes to your design. You can intersect, intertwine or overlap your braids as you please. As you can expect, it will take longer to braid them, but you’ll be satisfied with the outcome.
18. Dreadlocks
Dreadlocks make for an eye-catching hairstyle that also doubles as a powerful cultural statement. If you’re into the idea, you should know that there are various techniques available – from backcombing to crochet or freeform dreads.
19. Crown Braids
Feel like a king? Show it! The versatility of braids for men shines once against with this hairstyle – braids arranged to look like a crown. Two main braids were created on each side and connected at the back center, while the middle is filled with cornrows.
20. Short Dreads
Not everyone may be up for long dreads, but short locs are always a great alternative. You can get a taper fade undercut and get dreads only on the top part. Any dreadlocks style will work for mastering this look.
21. Creative Cornrows
Your cornrows can take any shape, size or style. In fact, we actually encourage you to take some time to think about a unique design for your cornrows. You can incorporate swirls and even geometric shapes to make your cornrows as creative as possible.
22. Man Braid Bun Black Hairstyle
You can also rock a man bun when you have three braids. The ones shown in this example aren’t tightly braided and can be unraveled with ease. The man bun tops the look off perfectly, as well as the cleanly shaven undercut.
23. Braids with Box Fade
A box fade, also known as a temp fade haircut, can have a massive impact on your haircut. It adds definition to your entire hairstyle by contouring your hairline. If you plan on getting top braids for men, you should think about adding a temp fade to your haircut package.
24. Funky Braids
An adventurous guy deserves a hairstyle that does his personality justice! If you’re not afraid to explore out-of-the-box hairstyles, you should go ahead and get a set of funky braids for men. Make them intriguing – you’ll love it!
25. Braided Locs
Locs are highly appreciated also for the broad range of hairstyles that spring from them. For example, locs can easily be braided into interesting hairstyles. The picture above shows how you can adopt this technique for an undercut hairstyle.
26. Ombre Braids for Men
If you have relatively long braids, you can venture into the wonderful world of colors. Not only can you dye your braids in any color you like, you can also combine specific shades. The results will be picture-perfect ombre braids that look amazing.
27. Braids from the Top Side
Just like you part your hair, you can also choose to get your braids in a certain direction. For instance, you can pick a particular point that you want your braids to start from and work your way through the rest of your head from there.
28. Two Small Braids
What if you just want to try out some braids for fun? You can choose to braid only a small section of your hair and get cool results. Get inspired by the photo above and create two overlapping braids across a side part and on the edge of an undercut.
29. Braided Braids
Although it may initially seem redundant, braided braids are a thing and they look outstanding. Provided your hair is long enough, you can start with a full head of thin braids. Afterwards, join your smaller braids to form two or three larger braids. Braidception, right?
30. Colorful Teal Braids
Remember what we said earlier about braids and color? Well, this example should motivate you to get out of your comfort zone and explore bold tones. Even though you don’t have to choose turquoise and black as your palette, it goes to show that rebellious shades look super fly.
31. Fishtail Braid
Want a bohemian approach for your braids? While dreadlocks are most likely the most popular choice, you can try a temporary method like the fishtail braid too. Get one or more of them for a genuinely memorable and impressive hairstyle.
32. Braids with Metallic Beads
Accessories are a fine way of customizing your braids to make them truly yours. Metallic beads, for example, are readily available and can be shaped to fit over almost any braid. You can add just two, like in this example, or place them all down your braids.
33. Fishbone Braids
As far as braids for men are concerned, the fishbone method is widely embraced. Indeed, it does require longer hair to pull off, but the outcome is major eye candy. For fishbone braids, we recommend getting one on each side of your head for pleasant symmetry.
34. Braids fwith Bangs
According to the way you get your braids done and how long your hair is, you can incorporate faux bangs into the style. For this, you will need to get a good amount of your braids done along your temple so they can fall into place over your forehead.
35. Back Crown Braid
Crown braids don’t always necessarily have to be in the front part. As a matter of fact, you can focus on the back part of your head for an original take on the style. Moreover, you can get two traditional braids and just pin them one over the other for a temporary hairstyle.
36. Long Dreads Ponytail
If you end up getting significantly long dreadlocks, it may be difficult to have them down all the time. Instead, you can choose a braided hairstyle that involves wrapping your dreads in a ponytail. Consequently, you won’t be annoyed by having the dreads in your face.
37. Wavy Pattern Braids
We’ve covered braids that take specific forms, but what about the space in between them? You can have a classic hairstyle, such as traditional cornrows, and spice up the hairstyle by playing with the parted areas. Create wavy lines to enhance the look.
38. Braids for Men with Two Buns
In a world where most guys opt for one man bun, dare to be the one that gets two. If your braids are symmetrical, with an even amount all around, you can separate them into two parts that represent each side of your head. At the end, tie them into two buns.
39. Reverse Braid
Not all braids have to be installed for longer periods of time. Especially if you have fine hair, you can play around with a braiding style for a certain occasion. To nail the reverse braid, tip your head upside down, start braiding from your nape and end it in a knot.
40. Snoop Dogg Braids for Men
As we get closer to the end of our list, we want to mention a handful of celebrities that rock braids for men flawlessly. Naturally, we’ll start with one hip-hop veteran permanently associated with the idea of braids – Snoop Dogg and his iconic braids with beads.
41. ASAP Rocky Braids
Another rapper who is almost just as famous for his looks as the Doggfather is ASAP Rocky. The most well-known ASAP Mob member can always be found with medium-length braids, either left down or tied at the back of his neck.
42. Braids for Men with Straight Hair
If you don’t have afro-textured hair but you want to get a similar result with braids, you can get numerous tightly braided ones. Make sure that you’ve allowed your hair to grow at least shoulder-length and that it’s not cut in layers.
43. Undercut Design and Braids
Once you have decided to get an undercut hairstyle for men to go with your braids, you may want to think about the design opportunities available for you. Through a shaved design, you can personalize your hairstyle to accurately reflect your tastes or interests.
44. Braids with Intricate Designs
Now here’s a braided hairstyle that will satisfy even the most selective dudes. With such an intricate design, these braids aren’t like anything you’ve ever seen before. Work with your stylist to find unique braids that can mirror your personality.
45. Lil Yachty Braids
He may not be a veteran, but he’s one of the most well-known new school rappers on the scene today. We’re talking about Lil Yachty and his unmistakable cherry red braids with clear beads. If you’re fearless, these are the braids for you.
46. Bicolor Cornrows
Similar to the way ombre hair transitions from one color to the other, you can switch the direction. In other words, instead of melting colors vertically, you can use two distinct shades horizontally. The technique looks best with braids that are fully on top.
47. Dutch Braids
Do you have thick hair or want to make fine hair appear richer? The Dutch braiding technique will help you achieve these results. Just so you know, the style is also regarded as Ghana braiding when used in the African hair community.
48. Soft Braids
If your hair is straight and silky, you’ll, unfortunately, be having a pretty hard time keeping your braids in place. However, you can play around with some soft or loose braids for some neat pictures or a special event. Finish them in a man bun for a cool effect.
49. Bun with Twisted Dreads
The hairstyle shown in the image above has it all – dreadlocks, twisted braids, color transition and a man bun. What could you want more? Like with all complicated braids for men, you should definitely rely on the assistance of a specialist for these jaw-dropping results.
50. Wiz Khalifa Dreads
We’ll continue on a cheerful note with a set of electric dreadlocks. Rapper Wiz Khalifa is known for rocking all types of dreads, but in 2017 he decided to bring them to life with a color that’s impossible to miss. Maybe it’s an idea for you.
51. Braids w/ Highlights for Men with Straight Hair
Ombre braids may not be your thing, but perhaps braids with highlights will. The additional color will look amazing when woven into a braid, whether you choose a single top braid or multiple ones. You can also adapt the look for formal occasions.
52. Red Beads on Braids
You already know that beads are awesome accessories for making braids stand out. Regardless if they’re metallic or plastic, beads can spice up your hairstyle in no time. To add even more flavor to the mix, experiment with beads in different colors, like the red ones above.
53. Hipster Braids
If you have long hair and a well-groomed moustache and/ or beard, you can feel free to try out various types of braids. The contrasting styles will help enhance your overall look, making your appearance unforgettable in any setting.
54. Cornrows with Two Front Braids
You won’t see cornrows mixed with longer braids that often, and when you do, they’ll most likely be resting at the back of your neck. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t go against the grain with your own touch, adding two longer braids in the front across your forehead.
55. Braids for Men, Viking Style
Finally, you can be influenced by other cultures for your hairstyles. Even more, you can draw inspiration from historical hairstyles, such as Viking braids. Although we can’t attest that the braids above are an actual representation of Viking looks, they’re definitely in that direction. We’ve got more Viking hairstyles in another article!
56. Orange Intricate Braids
These braids looks so great they’re almost literally on fire. Get yourself a crown like this that’s fit for a king! Notice the maze-like pattern in the middle of this hairstyle.
57. Middle Braid & Side Braids
This one looks kinda like a giant spider sat on your head – but in a good way. I particularly love the metal beads on each braid. This style seems a bit easier to maintain as well.
Conclusion
All in all, braids for men are a fun, nice-looking and practical way to style medium or long hair. You can get inspired by your favorite rappers or your cultural values for your braids, depending on your reason for getting them. Additionally, don’t forget that not all braids are kept in for a longer amount of time. So, which braids are you going to get?
This article was updated in February 2019.
