Baby Braids Are the Coolest Retro-Inspired Hairstyle

And the look is incredibly easy to do.

Baby braids have become one of the hottest retro-inspired hair trends. While popular during summer and festival season, baby braids can be worn any way, any time. The tiny plaits can be added to virtually any hairstyle, work across all textures, and most lengths. Most importantly, since baby braids are typically added to the front sections of your hair, you can actually see what you're doing when you're styling your hair in front of the mirror. So much easier to execute than a French braid or fishtail.

"I think baby braids are trending because the style is young, feminine, cool, and sexy — and [it] gives off a playful, feminine energy that's perfect for spring and summer," says celebrity hairstylist and Aquage Hair brand ambassador, Laura Polko.

Related: 12 Dutch Braid Hairstyles Perfect for Any Occasion

When styling baby braids, Polko recommends sectioning off the front pieces of the hair at a diagonal, about an inch or so from the part. "As I'm braiding, I like to combine a mix of the Aquage Transforming Spray and Aquage Finishing Spray, and place it on my non-dominate hand," she says. "This mix provides a great hold, so as I'm braiding, I tap into the product mixture on my hand, run over the braid, and continue to do so until I've reached the bottom."

If you're after that effortless finish with no visible hair elastics, Polko has a tip for that, too. "Instead of splitting, once I've reached the middle, I tuck the bottom of the section through the hole between the braided and naturally braided section, and pull through," she says. "This removes the need for elastic and encourages a flatter braid. If your hair is thick or you want added security, I recommend using the Scunci clear elastics, the smaller the better."

For a complete rundown on how to wear baby braids, check out our favorite celebrity takes on the trend.

Festival Braids

Whether you're attending a festival this summer or simply scrolling through street style photos, the braided style Hailey Bieber wore to Coachella courtesy of stylist Irinel de León, is guaranteed to make an appearance.

Baby Braids and Natural Curls

Part of the appeal of this hairstyle trend is that it's universal — the tiny face-framing plaits can be added to any hair length or texture. Just look how gorgeous these tiny braids are with a curly bob on model Chloe Christina.

Gilded Baby Braids

Even if a theme party isn't part of your summer plans, you can take baby braid inspiration from Bella Hadid's 2022 Met Gala hairstyle. The supermodel wore her waves half-up and half-down, and added Gilded Age curtain bangs complete with two tiny plaits.

Sleek Bun With Baby Braids

Here, Zöe Kravitz's super sleek bun looks effortlessly cool, thanks to the two tiny face-framing braids her stylist Nikki Nelms accessorized the updo with. "Baby braids are a great way to facilitate grow-out," adds Polko.

Baby Braids With Waves

Italian blogger Chiara Ferragni wears a thicker baby braid on each side to frame her face. We love how effortless and beachy they look with her blonde waves.

Scattered Baby Braids

While two face-framing braids are the classic version of this fun hairstyle trend, you can put your own spin on the look by adding a number of tiny plaits throughout the top sections of your hair like Dua Lipa.

Retro Baby Braids

Aside from music festivals, baby braids are often associated with the '60s and '70s. Celebrity makeup artist Ash K Holm and celebrity hairstylist Josh Liu leaned into the eras' trends with this look they created for Halston Sage. For hair, Liu channeled Cher with this long, sleek finish and two face-framing braids.

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