Braids are a gorgeous way to keep your hair pulled back and still look pulled together. Cary Fukunaga even sported some man-braids at the Emmys this year, spawning rumors that the trend will soon jump to men. But the problem for most of us commoners is how to achieve the cool looks we see. Enter Instabraid, one of the hottest new Instagram accounts, which collects and catalogs all the braided styles your heart could want.
This sporty braided pony is perfect for your next workout:
Sporty braid
While this casual braid would be great for running weekend errands:
Casual braid
This braided bun is sleek enough to wear to the office but fun enough to go out afterward:
Braided Bun
Or bring the drama with this updo (it's not as tricky as it looks!):
Dramatic updo
The best part about braids is that you can do them on almost any length of hair (even pixies can do little braids to pull bangs back), they're very secure and they only require a comb, hair ties and possibly a few bobby pins. Plus they look good on women of all ages.
If I have one small quibble with Instabraid it's that they often don't link to the source or give directions on how to do it. (Although you can often find that info from helpful commenters.) If you're already pretty good at braiding then you can probably work it out on your own from the pictures.
For more fun braid ideas
Copy Katy Perry's milkmaid braids
How to bring on the braids
3 Braided hairstyles