These Short Hair Braid Looks Are Anything But Boring

If you've ever given in to the feminine urge to give your hair a drastic chop, you know that short locks, though stunning and generally easy to maintain, sometimes come with a slew of inconveniences. For starters, short hair is often hard (if not impossible) to pull back into a ponytail or any kind of updo, making it sometimes difficult to style. And if braids are your favorite way to wear your hair, you may have understandable hesitations when it comes to opting for a short cut. But what if we told you that, in fact, there are numerous ways you can braid your short hair?

Though it may seem like an impossible feat, braiding short hair is perfectly achievable, even if you have a pixie cut. Plus, braided styles often don't take as long to do on short hair as they do on longer locks. Remember to keep some hairspray or gel on hand to give your braided style some hold and to secure any flyaways. Other than that, if you're ready to try your hand at braiding your short hair, you're in the right place!

Are you sporting a full set of braids, like box braids or cornrows? If so, you may wear your hair down most of the time, but we think you should switch it up every once in a while by pulling your braids up into a half bun for a playful style that also stays away from your face. 

If you just want to get your bangs out of your face for the day, a great option is to pull them back in a few Dutch braids on top of your head, securing the braids together at the crown of your head with a decorative tie or ribbon. 

Another braid alternative that seems like it was made for short hair is the loose twist. To make a loose twist, simply grab two small sections of hair and loosely twist them around each other. You can hide the end of the twist with bobby pins, or show it off by securing it with a decorative clip. 

You don't have to pull all of your hair into a braid. Why not just braid some short front strands of hair? Even just one small, thin braid can provide a great accent to your short cut, spicing it up a little. Want to get spicier? Add more small braids — there are no rules here. 

Why not braid your whole head if you can? We think box braids are a great option for short hairstyles. As a bonus, you can do a lot with a head of box braids — pull the braids back into a short pony, a bun, or a half-bun style.

If you can't pull all of your hair into a bubble braid, you can probably at least do a small bubble braided section. And if you're feeling particularly fun, we think you should bubble braid your bangs. No matter what you do to the rest of your hair, bubble-braided bangs will offer an element of whimsy to your overall look. 

Do you want an easy, chic way to update French braids that's suitable for short hair? Pull your hair back into two French braids as you normally would, and once you reach the nape of your neck, use bobby pins to secure your hair into buns. This hairstyle is effortlessly elegant for short-to-mid length cuts.

Remember, your braid doesn't have to be an actual braid — a faux French braid can work just as well. This style is similar to a twist hairstyle, except instead of using the same two sections of hair for the whole twist, you'll add to each section as you twist your hair (similar to how you'd add hair to each section while doing a French braid). 

Remember the Y2K baby braids phase you may have gone through in, like, middle school? Well, we have some good news — baby braids are back in full force, and they look great on short and long hair alike. Scatter some baby braids throughout your short hair for a great nostalgic hairstyle.

You can also pull off just one waterfall braid that wraps around your head. This style is slightly elevated from a double waterfall braid and we think it makes a great accent for textured hair. Plus, since it sits toward the top of your head, it's easy to pull off even on short hair. 

Another bubble braid style we're currently obsessing over is the half-up double bubble braid. This easy-to-achieve look uses two small sections of hair (one on each side) to create a bubble braid that accents the rest of your hair. We love the quirky take this can add to any look. 

A half-up bubble braid can make a great, subtle accent to your short hairstyle. Use a small section on one side of your head to make your standard bubble braid, and simply leave it hanging down. This approachable look says that you have your stuff together, but are still down to party on occasion. 

Another option for long-on-top pixie cuts is the unique, quirky angled braid, which you can get by starting a French braid on one side of your head, continuing it at an angle across the top, and ending it on the other side. Pinning decorative clips throughout the braid can give it an extra boost of elegance. 

A halo braid gives a similar look to a crown braid, but instead of gathering two braids together in the back, a halo braids consists of a single braid all the way around the base of your hairline. This is another elegant style perfect for weddings or any formal event you may be looking forward to.

Or you could refrain from braiding the top of your pixie altogether. Rather, add some micro braids to the side of your pixie. Whether you go French, Dutch, or just with a plain old braid, a little side braid or two makes a great accent to your pixie cut. Keep the braids to just one side of your head for a great asymmetrical look. 

Short-to-mid length hair may be able to be pulled back into a single braid — if you can pull it off, we think you should capitalize on that. Pull your strands back into a single chunky Dutch braid for a style that's casual enough for a day around town, but upscale enough to end the night at a fancy restaurant. 

If you have a short afro or other natural hairstyle and just want something a bit different, why not DIY a set of cornrows? Yes, this may take some patience (and a bit of practice) but we love the put-together-ness that cornrows can add to any vibe.