21 Accessory-Heavy Braid Styles To Add Even More Glam To Your Hair
Regardless of the decade, one look that always seems to be in style is braids — whether they are subtle like the '90s baby braids or as rockstar messy as a fishtail braid from the '70s. These timeless braids have beaten time and fashion eras, and today, all of them remain popular choices.
However, even with the variety that braids offer, one can easily get a bit bored of them, especially if the same style is rocked over and over again. Luckily, there are easy and fun ways to spice braids up, which brings us to the topic of braid accessories.
From enchanted and whimsical fairycore-inspired pieces to edgy and rebellious punk and rock hair décor — there's a braid accessory style for everyone. And while you might need the helping hand of a loved one to recreate some of these looks, the majority of these braided and accessorized hairstyles can be easily done by yourself at home — and some are simple enough that they can be created in under two minutes!
Pearls galore: The glamorous braid is always the right choice
Pearls are known for that touch of glamour and sophistication, and while they have taken over jewelry trends, they also work well as a hair accessory. Now, you don't need to break the bank to achieve this fun look; there are numerous hair accessories with pearls available on the market. When you're feeling creative or want a unique touch, or you simply want to cover your braid in lots of pearls — a quick trip to the craft store and some trusty eyelash glue can transform your braid into a pearl-studded masterpiece.
Explore braid accessories with subtle accent braids and golden rings
2000s fashion is back in full swing, and one of the hottest trends making a return is classic Y2K baby braids. With this trend, it's up to you if you want to go with just one braid or more, but we do have a tip for making your baby braids more special: Decorate them with golden rings designed for hair. They are super easy to put on, and within seconds, you will transform into a whimsy fashionista.
Go for a voluminous daisy Dutch braid for that blossoming hair effect
Any braid, regardless of whether it is messy or sleek, can be made better with the addition of floral accessories. However, if you're going the slightly messy and voluminous route, may we suggest going for daisy hair clips? This romantic and easy hairstyle is a great choice for anyone who wants to explore the cottagecore trend without immediately having to go for cottagecore fashion.
Go the classic route with a scarf braid
Perhaps the easiest way to accessorize a classic braid is with the addition of a scarf of your choice. Weaving a scarf into your braid is like adding a personal signature to your hairstyle, making your braid much cooler and more unique. The best part about this trick is that you can always customize your look by picking a scarf that matches (or contrasts) the rest of your outfit.
Be bold with braided buns and a glittery twist
Using glitter in your hair is definitely not a look for running errands (unless you want it to be), but for a fun festival or party, you can definitely combine some hair glitter with your go-to braids. Of course, you can go the classic route by putting the glitter all over your braids, but a more funky and unique approach is using the glitter on the parting of your hair. The rest is up to you; you can wear the braids down or throw them up into loose space buns!
Intricate lace-up braids are a great way to spice your hair up
For this look, you might need a willing hand to help you with the lace-up pattern, but trust us — the end result is so worth it. A lace-up braid essentially consists of two separate Dutch braids that are later connected with a piece of yarn. Of course, this look can be recreated with any kind of string; you can even use a thin, lacey one.
Frame your face with long tendril braids and rings
Face-framing tendrils have been popular for a while now. Whether achieved through dyeing face-framing pieces of hair in a lighter shade or simply by leaving a couple of strands outside of an updo, they have been a significant hair trend of the 2020s so far. A fun way to kick things up a notch is to put your face-framing pieces into a braid and add a couple of hair rings to them.
Channel your inner mermaid with a seashell braid
Mermaidcore is generally a trend that tends to peak in the summer, but that doesn't mean you can't incorporate pieces of a mermaid style into every season. A fun way to add hints of the ocean into your look is by incorporating small seashells into your braid. The easiest way to achieve this is to go for seashells on a string and simply braid the string into your hair.
A messy braid with delicate bows is the perfect balance of boho and chic
One of the easiest yet most effective ways to enhance your braid — especially if it's a messy fishtail one — is to add a couple of delicate bows to it. For this, all you'll need are a couple of pieces of silk ribbon in a shade you like. Simply wrap the pieces around your existing braid and tie them into a bow. And don't worry; this style thrives on messiness, so your bows don't need to be perfect by any means.
Decorate a classic Dutch braid with pearls down the center
Pearls as braid decoration are so versatile that we absolutely had to showcase another way of incorporating them into a hairstyle. For this look, it's best to go with either a French or a Dutch braid. Once the braid is done, add pearls down the center of it, giving your hair a symmetrical and delicate look.
Add a lace scarf to a crown braid
You know those super thin Y2K scarfs that were all the rage back in the day? Well, if you just so happen to have one in the back of your closet, consider yourself lucky, as you can easily transform it into a hair accessory. Simply braid the scarf into two crown braids, and you can use whatever is left as a headband in the front. And if you don't have a skinny scarf, a delicate lace ribbon will do the trick, too.
Channel your inner goddess with a wire wrap-around braided ponytail
This one might not be for everyone — but if you're someone who loves an edgier look and doesn't shy away from Greek goddess-inspired trends, a braided ponytail wrapped in golden wire might just be the hairstyle for you. To ensure the look is easy to create, go for a very thin wire that is easily bendable around your braid, and once you get to the end of it, simply twist the wire around the hair tie until it's all used up.
Baby braids can easily be spiced up with real flowers
We already established that face-framing baby braids are a popular choice that allows you to add some more pizzazz to your everyday hairstyle. Anyone who wants to spice the look up even more can opt to decorate the braids with small details, and a popular choice seems to be real flowers. Of course, this look won't last for too long as the braid decoration will wilt, but hey — for a few hours, you can transport to the '70s and channel that inner flower-power style.
Rock a youthful look with pigtail braids and pink bows
Those who aren't afraid of embracing a youthful hairstyle no matter what their age is should go for pigtail braids. This hairstyle has become increasingly popular with the rise of balletcore, and if you really want to go the extra route, make sure you add some pink ribbon bows to all four spots where you have hair ties.
Spice up any braid by adding hair clips to it
Most of us already have a few fun and quirky hair clips that we bought, thinking we could pull them off, only to end up keeping them in the back of a drawer. Well, if that sounds familiar, you'll be happy to hear that funky clips can be easily pulled off as a part of your braid. In fact, the more hairclips you put on the base of the French or Dutch braid, the more quirky and cute the final hairstyle will look.
A head scarf and braids are a match made in heaven
If you have braids, a fun and easy way to keep them out of your face during a busy day is to use a headscarf to tie them back. Now, there are a couple of ways you can rock this look, depending on whether you want any hair peeking above your forehead or not. The best part about this hairstyle is that you immediately look more stylish even though you literally just spent 30 seconds putting on a bandana.
Take your low braid to high fashion by adding bobby pins to one side
A classic low braid is by far the easiest one to create, which makes it a great choice for when you're in a rush. However, it is also the braid that tends to look the most boring. Luckily, there are easy ways to make it seem more elaborate and fancy — one of which includes adding cute bobby pins to one side of your head. This entire hairstyle can literally be done in under two minutes, and even on the go!
A safety pin braid is definitely a statement
For those who prefer an edgy and rocker-chic look, safety pins are probably already a fashion staple. However, one thing you may not have thought of before is adding safety pins to your hair. In fact, creating a thin Dutch braid on the side of your head will give you the illusion of an undercut — and spicing it up with a few safety pins will make you look extra badass.
Make baby braids more fun by adding yarn to them
If you have voluminous or curly hair, baby braids can often go unnoticed as they tend to get lost in your hair. An easy way to prevent that is by simply threading a piece of colorful yarn into the braid — the pop of color will ensure your baby braids are always visible. And yes, this style can be as neat or as messy as you like!
Use multiple hair ties to achieve a bubble braid effect
A bubble braid is a simple yet very eye-catching hairstyle that looks amazing on any hair type. While most might be inclined to use those see-through plastic elastic for this look, opaque hair ties are actually a beautiful hair accessory. You can create a bubble braid by using hair ties in a subtle color, or you can go all out with a vibrant shade — even using different ones for a colorful look is an option!
Clip butterflies onto your braid for that fairycore look
You know those butterfly hairclips that were popular in the '90s and early 2000s? Well, those are having a major comeback, too, and they actually serve as the perfect braid accessory. Whether you add only one or a dozen for a whimsical fairycore look is all up to you.