9 Majorly Gorgeous Braid Ideas for Prom

Do the twist.

By Emily Gaynor

Photography by Nadya Wasylko

May 9, 2016

Fashion Editor: Kirby Marzec

Hair: Lacy Redway using Oribe

Makeup: Suzy Gerstein using Glossier

Nails: Alexaundra McCormick using YSL La Laque Couture

Photographed by Nadya Wasylko
1/11
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a prom picture is most likely worth at least a million. The big night out often takes weeks of prep that involves picking the perfect dress, deciding on a statement lip or eye (or both TBH), coordinating accessories with your date, and last, but certainly not least, the hair.
While updos can go #TBT and too over the top very quickly, something about just leaving strands down feels a little less special. If you're still trying to nail your specific style, have you thought about braids? Braids are equal parts badass and pretty. And they keep your hair out of your face, so you can absolutely whip it back and forth on the dance floor all night long — no deflated 'dos in sight. Although braids often require a bit more patience and planning, the results are surely worth it. With a braid, you can show off texture, detailing, and you have the ability to wear your hair up, down, or a little bit of both with some added oomph. If you're feeling inspired, but still decidedly lost, we're here to help. We teamed up with plait pro Lacy Redway, who frequently works with celebs like Amandla Stenberg, Olivia Palermo, and Halsey, to present 9 twists and turns that run from super delicate to full-on fierce.
Click through and find the prom (or graduation! Or summer! Or music festival! Or date night! Or literally every day!) braid for you. And remember: practice makes perfect.
Bianca wears a Giamba dress. Saks Fifth Avenue. Reagan wears a REDValentino dress, $695. REDValentino Boutiques. ASOS choker, $9. Asos.com.
Photographed by Nadya Wasylko
2/11
Laced Up
“I’m really loving Zoe Kravitz’s braids right now,” says Lacy, on the girls who give her serious braidspiration. “She looks exactly like her mom [Lisa Bonet]. She’s really great at showing versatility with braids. I also love Olivia Palermo. She loves braids, and we collaborate all the time. Her looks go viral on Instagram!” To make your very own picture go viral, or at least rack up a ton of likes, a braid is clearly the way to go. But a basic french braid might not make the cut. Instead, try turning up your natural texture by incorporating braids while also letting your curls take center stage. Lacy amped up #TBT school girl pigtails by giving them a cool-girl twist.
She took a cue from DKNY’s fall/winter 2016 show and added a sporty, lace-up element to Kiara’s braid silhouette. “You can get elastic chord like this at the craft store,” Lacy explains. And for all you braid beginners, or, just can’t-seem-to-nail-the-YouTube-tutorial girls, we feel you. Lacy actually didn’t even braid the sections that she tied off with the elastic. Trick of the eye, right? First, she sectioned off Kiara’s curls and formed the fiercest faux hawk. Next, she took the area directly under the hawk and fastened it with elastic all the way down, mimicking the idea of a braid. Then, she did a tight cornrow on either side of Kiara’s head and gathered in the hair that wasn’t left out for a faux hawk and wove it together. “I wanted to show her natural texture, but make it more playful,” she says. To define coils and showcase your curls, use a cream like DevaCurl’s.
When all eyes are on your hairstyle, it’s key to keep your face fresh. Makeup artist Suzy Gerstein went for a just-bitten lip look and luminous skin to balance the major hair-plus-choker moment. “Glossier’s Skin Tint is great because it gives you a little bit of coverage and it also has a pearlescent quality,” she explains. Her makeup artist secret? First, apply the hydrating coverup and then go in with your concealer — try Glossier Stretch Concealer. “It gives the concealer more to stick to and you might not need as much. The Skin Tint really blurs any imperfections.” Then, take a small brush, like a retractable lipstick brush, and go in to mask blemishes or dark circles. If you’re on the oiler side skin-wise, Suzy recommends using a fluffy blending brush to diffuse the concealer. Top off the vibe with a popsicle pout, and you’re ready for the camera flashes.
Kiara wears a Tibi dress, $725, Tibi.com. Rosie Assoulin choker, $695. Vermillion, Raleigh NC.

Photographed by Nadya Wasylko
3/11
‘Fro Real
When you have curls like Bianca’s, letting them do their thing is the obvious move to make. Or, make like Lacy and allow for the best of both worlds. Lacy worked with Bianca’s texture and the cool elements of her outfit — like the flowiness of her boho dress and that next-level nose ring — to land on a zig-zag cornrow creation. First, she applied a protecting spray that also added some grip to Bianca’s strands. Try Carol’s Daughter Mimosa Hair Honey Conditioning Mist. “I decided to do different sized braids. By Bianca’s ears I went for bigger braids, but then I did smaller shapes in the middle of her scalp,” she explains. She stopped the braids at the nape of Bianca’s neck and let her curls loose.
If you haven’t quite mastered the cornrowing technique, but you’re a pro at the classic french braid, Lacy says you can still totally achieve this look IRL. “A french braid will be flatter to the scalp and not as raised, but it’ll give you the same effect,” she says. Tutorial time.
“Because the hair is so interesting and has so much going on, I wanted just little washes of color,” explains Suzy. The key? Keep it sheer. “If you have darker skin, browns and reds look beautiful,” she explains. Instead of any harsh lines, Suzy went for a softer approach. She mixed taupe and reddish brown shades of Fiona Stiles Aqua Eye Veil that subtly catches light in the prettiest way. Keep it playful with a transparent lip.
Bianca wears a Topshop dress, $435. Delfina Delettrez nose ring, Delfinadelettrez.com. Un Deux bolo tie, $90. Undeux.co.
Photographed by Nadya Wasylko
4/11
Braid It Backwards
Braids are always an option, no matter your hair length, which makes them an obvious choice for any major event. Model Reagan arrived on set with a choppy shag, complete with fringe. Lacy took one look at Reagan and crafted the coolest way to approach plaits when you don’t have a ton of length to work with. Instead of braiding downwards, which would result in a smaller, shorter style, Lacy decided to switch it up and french braid, backwards. (Remix.) “Instead of going from the top of her head down, I went from the nape of her neck all the way up to her crown. Then I flipped it and pinned the braids onto themselves,” she explains. Lacy spritzed Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray on her fingers before weaving for a mussed, not-so-perfect feel — because polished and prim is totally boring. But Lacy knows that not everyone is blessed with braiding talent. “It doesn’t have to be so exact. If you can’t braid going in reverse, you can still get the same effect by braiding going down,” she explains. There’s no one right way to braid.
Reagan shined bright in her all-crystal-everything, so Suzy let her skin do the talking. Peekaboo freckles and concealer-as-eyeshadow kept the look real. Yes, you read that right. Suzy swears by Glossier Stretch Concealer so much, she even uses it as shadow. “It shows how good the formula is,” she explains. “It doesn’t look cake-y. I used colors that are two to three shades darker than her skin tone. It enhances the natural darkness around her eyes.” Suzy recommends taking a small, fluffy eyeshadow brush and blending the concealer around the eyes. Then, take a clean shadow brush and blur the edges. She also highlighted the balls of Reagan’s lids with Glossier Balm Dotcom for a “gritty, lived-in, smoky” effect.
Reagan wears a Simone Rocha dress, $1825. Modaoperandi.com. Simone Rocha earrings, $325. Nordstrom SPACE. Vivienne Westwood Red Label choker. Viviennewestwood.com.

Photographed by Nadya Wasylko
5/11
Wrap Genius
“Wearing a braid is a great way to convey your personal style, especially if it's to a formal event,” says Lacy. “It’s so unexpected. Most girls go for more traditional hairstyles. When you show up in braids, it helps you stand out amongst the crowd. It’s confident.” Kiara is the picture of confidence in this rad rope situation. First, Lacy sectioned off the hair on the top of Kiara’s head into diagonal sections going from the tips of her eyebrows back to the crown. Then, she braided the two sections and tied them off with elastics. Next, she criss-crossed the ends and wrapped them around each other. To finish, she twisted Kiara’s remaining hair into a rope braid and topped it off with a texturizing spray like Garnier Fructis De-Constructed Texture Tease. Even though rope braiding is one of the easier techniques because it only involves two sections, Lacy warns that it can loosen quickly. Her advice? “Start by prepping hair with gel like SheaMoisture Coconut & Hibiscus Curling Gel Soufflé to help you twist the hair around itself. It’s all about the motion of the wrist.” When rope braiding, first twist the individual sections in one direction and then turn them in the other direction as you wrap them around each other.
When you have brows as bold as Kiara’s, there’s really no need to pile on makeup. Instead, Suzy popped some glitter gloss next to her tear ducts to add a fun surprise. Try Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Glam Rock for a glistening gaze that’ll look sick in pics.
Kiara wears a Blumarine top, $375. Chanel choker. Chanel boutiques.
Photographed by Nadya Wasylko
6/11
Crowning Glory
“Braids are so fun because they aren’t permanent. It isn’t like dyeing your hair. You can take them right out. They’re also a great way to get good texture. When you take them out, you suddenly have great waves or crimp. But they’re a trial-and-error thing in terms of hair length. Certain ones might not work for your hair type or texture or length, but others will. Pinterest and Instagram are great for braid inspiration. Just don’t take it too seriously,” says Lacy. Lacy turned Bianca into prom queen using her hair as her best accessory. “This is a headband-crown-braid situation going on in the front of the hair,” she says. “Then, there’s a lot of detail with braids going in different directions throughout the front.”
If you don’t want to commit to an updo, this is a wonderful way to enter braid territory. And while Lacy’s intricate detailing is literally a work of art, you can also test-drive the look in a simpler way. Simply braid from one side of your head to the other, and let the rest of your hair do its thing. You’ll be crowned before the night even begins.
And don’t shy away from playing up your dress — even with your eyes. Suzy used Supracolor by Kryolan to add some major copper metal to Bianca’s eyes. Slick eyes call for a contrasting lip, so Suzy went matte. “It makes the eyes look juicy and luminous,” she explains.
Bianca wears an Ashish vest, $990. Kiosk. Tibi dress (worn underneath), $545. Tibi.com. Vidakush choker, $35. Vidakush.com. Marland Backus sequin choker, $300. Openingceremony.com.

Photographed by Nadya Wasylko
7/11
Gone Fishin’
Any Pinterest-obsessed beauty junkie knows that rocking a fishtail is a surefire way of turning heads, no matter the scenario. And Lacy brought her A-game with this fishtail cornrow. “This fishtail started out tighter to the head, as opposed to taking the end of your hair and doing a fishtail braid. Instead, it’s like doing a french braid, but making it fishtail instead,” she explains. Then, Lacy did one better and added two more fishtails in the back and braided all three together as one. This is a genius hack that makes it look like one continuous braid, even if you really have a choppy, layered cut that doesn’t allow for a single, super-long option. “It’s all about doing layers so that you create an illusion,” Lacy explains. For fishtail 101, watch this informative video.
To make Reagan’s eyes stand out even more, Suzy dabbed concealer over her lips to blank out her natural lip hue.
Reagan wears a Peter Pilotto dress. Canary, TX. Prabal Guring x VOJD Studios earring, $326 per pair. Vojdstudios.com. Zana Bayne choker, $275. Zanabayne.com.
Photographed by Nadya Wasylko
8/11
Disco Queen
When deciding on your prom hair, it’s important to incorporate your outfit into the full look, from head to toe. Lacy was so inspired by Bianca’s sparkly dress and holographic necklace that she made her braid shine, too. For this mohawk effect, Lacy started the braid at one side of the nape of the neck and brought it upwards. At the top of the head, she continue the braiding down. Then, she created another braid at the middle of the head to give that continuous plaited feel. To finish, she misted shine spray like Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine all over to reflect the clothing and accentuate the braid.
Suzy picked up the purple hue in Bianca’s necklace and choker and brought it to her lids. Try Maybelline Color Tattoo in Painted Purple. Subtle highlighting on the high planes of her cheekbones keeps the shimmer alive.
Bianca wears a Carven dress, $540. Chalk Boutique, IL. Double Disco hoop, $120. Doubledisco.com. Vidakush choker, $35. Vidakush.com.

Photographed by Nadya Wasylko
9/11
Party Girl
“This is so fun. And so realistic. And so easy,” swears Lacy of this carefree option. “We’ve seen crown braids so many times. But it’s nice. And this is a half crown braid. Instead of continuing it, finish it off by the ear,” she says. Half the time, and still a fully gorgeous style. Jeuge the hair left outside the braid with a salt spray like Not Your Mother’s Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray for a roughed-up, just-woke-up-like-this air.
And don’t forget your body! Your face and hair are good to go, but Suzy swears by the powers of Eucerin Intensive Repair Body Lotion, since dresses tend to show some skin. “It exfoliates while it moisturizes, so it's ideal for drier areas like elbows that need extra attention and love after a long winter, come prom,” she explains.
Reagan wears Betsey Johnson dress, price upon request. Eddie Borgo earring earrings, $140. Eddieborgo.com. Martine Ali choker, $35. Martineali.com.
Photographed by Nadya Wasylko
10/11
Buddy System
The hardest part about braids? It can take awhile to get that flick of the wrist down. Plus, awkward contorting in the mirror can get frustrating. The surest fix — phone a friend. Getting ready for a night out, like prom, is made even better with besties. And braiding is always more of a party when there’s more than one involved. Grab your friend, plan coordinated (but somewhat different) styles, and you’ll be the talk of the town. Bianca and Reagan both incorporated crown detailing into their prom pretty moves, but they added their own individuality to complete the looks. Reagan left her hair down, while Lacy laced some braided buns together and placed them toward the back of Bianca’s head. “This allows you and your friends to showcase your unique personalities. Have fun with it,” says Lacy.
Bianca wears a Giamba dress. Saks Fifth Avenue. Reagan wears a REDValentino dress, $695. REDValentino Boutiques. ASOS choker, $9. Asos.com.