Blame it on everyone's favorite Swiss Miss, Heidi, but we've always associated braids with innocence. At least we did until they started showing up on the red carpet. Now, they're just effortlessly chic.
This is great news for both celebs and us regular Janes for a couple of reasons:
First, it's rather refreshing to see a different hairstyle popping up on the A-list. There are only so many voluptuous curls and intricate updos we can take.
Amanda Bynes and Sarah Michelle Gellar both rocked braids earlier this year. But it's Jessica Alba who really owned the look on the most fashionable of nights—the Oscars.
We love that braids are so easy to pull off. No fancy equipment or high-priced hairstylists are required—just some nimble fingers and bobby pins. (For specifics, mystyle has all the tips you need.)
At long last, we can display our own braid love on a supermarket run or even the red carpet without feeling like an out-of-place Bavarian milkmaid.