There’s no rule anywhere that says that braids are a hairstyle exclusively for women. On the contrary, there are many braid hairstyles that look jaw-dropping on men. Guys have been rocking long and short braids for decades, and over time these braid styles have increased in complexity and design. Men’s braids that are worthy of going viral are very intricate, detailed and clean.
Men can pull off so many different styles and looks from braiding their hair. Some braid styles give a cute and youthful look while other styles can make them look masculine and mature. For men, it’s safe to go for braid styles that highlight their hard masculine facial features and make them look sharp and handsome. Next, you’ll find 20 different types of braided hairstyles that every man should try out!
1. Box Braids for Men
Men’s box braids are made by braiding the hair using extensions in such a way that there are knots at the roots of the braids. Braids for men aren’t customarily very long which means they take less time to make. This style also lasts a long time when properly cared for and can be worn several different ways, including the up-do depicted here!
2. Cornrow Braids for Men
Cornrows, particularly straight-back cornrows, are a very common style for men and are meant to be simple and straight-to-the-point. Cornrows for men usually take minutes to a couple of hours to make depending on the size of the braids, the length of the hair, and if there’s a braid design or pattern. This is a popular protective hairstyle that aids the growth of the natural hair, and extensions are rarely used for men’s cornrows.
3. Single Braids for Men
Single braids, also called Individual braids, are made by parting and braiding the hair individually in such a way that the braids are hanging down. The key to nailing single braids for men is making large sections and clean, slicked down parts. This can be successfully done without extensions or with extensions as box or knotless braids. Single braids are one of those styles that give a youthful look to the wearer.
4. Black Braids for Men
In recent years, it’s become commonplace to see men with bleached and colored hair. However, a lot of men have maintained their love of black braids and don’t particularly like the hassle and attention that comes with making colored braids. Black braids for men can be made in a wide array of different styles and accessories like beads can be attached to the ends to spice them up.
5. French Braids for Men
French braids are done by sectioning the hair into large strands as you braid, then lapping them over each other using the three-strands technique which leaves a unique pattern in the hair. French braids for men can be made in different styles and sizes—they can be jumbo or skinny, and either be loosely or tightly braided depending on the style you want to achieve. Naturally, the tightly-braided French braids last longer than the loose ones.
6. Braids for Men With Short Hair
For guys who like to keep their hair short and sweet, we’ve got something for them too! Hair as short as a few inches can be braided into handsome styles, however you’ll want to keep the parts very crisp and the sections small. Short hair can be braided into single braids and even cornrows! Extremely short hair types, on the other hand, may not be able to be braided without extensions.
7. Man Bun Braids
A man’s braids can just as well be wrapped in a bun at the ends to secure them from falling out. Styles like straight-backs, ponytails, and even single braids with enough length can be wrapped into a bun in order to make them feel more comfortable and keep them from hanging on your back.
8. Viking Braids for Men
Viking braids, or Nordic braids, are achieved by braiding the sides of the head into small braids, then making a large French braid in the middle. Viking braids rose in popularity as a result of the hit TV series “Vikings” and they give the wearer the stern look of a warrior. Viking braids are easy to make, not time-consuming, and look absolutely fierce!
9. Twist Braids for Men
Twist braids for men are super easy to do! Making these involves using the two-strand technique and simply twisting the two individual strands of hair together. Twists for men are usually made in medium and jumbo sizes to maintain a masculine look, which means they don’t take long to make or take out.
10. Two Braids for Men
Two braids are a great go-to for guys in a time crunch, however they usually don’t stay neat very long because they’re so big. The two braids hairstyle can’t be made on very short hair, and can also be difficult to make on bulky and super thick hair types.
11. Short Braids for Men
Truthfully, unless their hair is uncut and naturally long, men usually don’t have lengthy braids that flow down their backs. Short braids on men are what you’re more likely to see and they can make the wearer appear younger. They compliment the face whether they’re left hanging or packed into a ponytail. Short braids for men usually take just minutes or very few hours to make.
12. Four Braids for Men
The four braids style is precisely what it sounds like—the hair braided into four braids. Four braids for men don’t last very long because of their big size, but they take little time to make and look great.
13. Braids for Men With Long Hair
You have to admit: seeing a guy with long braids is always pretty impressive! The cool thing about long braids is that they’re very versatile when it comes to styling—not to mention how nicely they sway behind you when you walk! Braids for men with long hair will obviously take longer than short hair but there’s more room for creativity. They can also be packed with embellishments and fashioned in ways that can’t be achieved on short braids.
14. Short Viking Braids for Men
Do you love the look of viking braids but always thought they can only be made on long hair? Well toss out that thought! Viking braids can look just as awesome on short hair and even styled into a bun just like in the picture.
15. Dutch Braids for Men
Dutch braids are also known as reverse French braids. That’s because unlike French braids which involve braiding the cross-sectioned hair strands over themselves, Dutch braids involve braiding the strands under themselves. The Dutch braiding technique is the foundation for most cornrow styles and Dutch braids come out very neat when braided well.
16. Short Box Braids for Men
Short box braids for men are intended to be very short. They can be done on short hair or long natural hair that has been folded to achieve a shorter length and more thickness. The extensions used are cut very short—only a bit longer than the length of the natural hair. Short box braids take little time to make and are easy to take out.
17. Fishbone Braids For Men
Fishbone braids are a super unique style where the hair is braided in such a pattern that they resemble the bones of a fish. Fishbone braids are achieved by parting the hair vertically in half and plaiting both sides so that there are small horizontal cornrows that lead from the middle into one big vertical cornrow on each side. This is definitely a social media-worthy style and serves as a great protective cornrow style as well!
18. Locs Braids For Men
Loc braids for men are braids that are made with natural dreadlocks. There’s no shortage of men with long, beautiful locs and locs are easy to decorate with beads, rings, and cuffs. Braiding your locs is an easy way to style them and try something outside of the usual leave-out or ponytail.
19. Mohawk Braids For Men
The mohawk braid is one of the edgier styles on this list. This style is formed by shaving both sides of the head low and braiding the remaining hair in the middle into a large, voluminous braid. Mohawk braids are a bold look and are akin to hairstyles worn by warriors in the distant past.
20. Faded Man Bun Braids
Faded man bun braids are made on men who already have a taper fade haircut. The sides of the hair are cut very low while the hair at the top of the head is kept long and braided to form a bun at the end. Faded man bun braids can be done fast because there’s much less hair to work with.
