There are tons of exciting spring hair trends popping up to try this year, but one of the easiest (and coolest!) is the rope braid. This sleek hair style has fluctuated in popularity over the years, with braids going in and out of style constantly. It’s characterized by slicking the hair back into a ponytail and then braided down almost to the end. It’s most often seen with all the hair completely slicked back, but it also looks super chic with a few strands hanging loose around the face. We saw this style all over the Spring 2020 runways with shows like Self-Portrait, Ulla Johnson, Christian Siriano, and Bevza sending models down the catwalk with various versions of rope braids.
This is the perfect hairstyle for spring as it keeps your hair off and away from your face as the temperatures start to rise. You won’t have to worry about frizz or flyaways, and having the hair off your neck is guaranteed to keep you cooler. It’s also a great opportunity to showcase cool makeup or a special outfit, as your hair is pulled up and away to leave the focus on another aspect of your look. A chic cat eye or bold shadow will really stand out next to a rope braid. However, it adds an interesting pop of texture to your look between the sleek top and braided ponytail. Necklines like a high collar, off-the-shoulder, deep V, or strapless are also highlighted in a beautiful way when paired with a rope braid.
Full Look: Jonathan Simkhai
Photo: Shay Mitchell
Recreating this style is fairly simple, only requiring a few products and just a bit of arm flexibility to reach the back of your head. First, you’ll want to slick all your hair back into a ponytail at whatever height your comfortable with—it can be a high pony if you like, otherwise the middle of your head is great. Slicking the hair back with a mousse to help with hold is recommended to keep flyaways in check and add some shine to your strands. Products like Alterna’s Densifying Styling Mousse or Virtue’s Moisture-Defining Whip work great for this. You could also try a hair oil like Bumble & Bumble’s Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil or Kérastase’s Ultimate Oil Serum for hold and shine. Once the hair is secured into a ponytail, braid the ponytail all the way to the ends and secure with an elastic that’s the same color as your hair. Finish off with a solid mist of hairspray all over the head and ponytail to hold everything in place and ensure no flyaways get out. A stronger hairspray works best for this, like Moroccanoil’s Luminous Hairspray Strong Finish or Bumble & Bumble’s Finish Firm Hold Hairspray. If you feel like your hair isn’t shiny enough, add one final spritz of a product like Ouai’s Hair & Body Shine Mist for that extra bit of brightness.
Photo: Jasmine Tookes
Dress: Zuhair Murad
Photo: Lais Ribiero
Dress: Dolce & Gabbana
Photo: Desi Perkins
What do you think of the rope braid trend?
Let us know in the comments section below!
