Braid

Braid
CC BY-SA 2.5 · source
Name	Braid
Type	Plaited hair
Also known as	Plait

Braid A braid is a hairstyle formed by interlacing three or more strands of hair to create a coherent structure worn for adornment, protection, or identity. Braiding appears across many societies, connected to figures and institutions such as Cleopatra, Marie Antoinette, Louis XIV, and Queen Elizabeth I through portraits and depictions, and to events like the Transatlantic slave trade, the Harlem Renaissance, and the Civil Rights Movement where hair signified status and resistance. The technique underpins decorative arts and crafts, influencing items shown at venues like the Smithsonian Institution and written about in works by Zora Neale Hurston, bell hooks, and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

Etymology and terminology

The English term derives from Old English and Old Norse roots related to "to braid" and is paralleled in other languages recorded by scholars at institutions such as the British Museum and the Bibliothèque nationale de France. In literature and catalogues, braids are often called "plaits" in sources like the Oxford English Dictionary, while textile and anthropological studies at the Royal Anthropological Institute contrast regional vocabularies found in collections of the British Library and the Library of Congress. Terminology also intersects with names of historical personages and garments catalogued in archives related to Marie Antoinette and Empress Wu Zetian.

Types and techniques

Classic forms include the three-strand plait referenced in instructional manuals held at the Vatican Library and complex patterns such as fishtail, French, and Dutch braids documented in ethnographic records from the National Museum of Anthropology (Mexico), the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Composite techniques like rope braids and cornrows relate to practices observed in West African courts chronicled in records about Mansa Musa and the Songhai Empire, and in colony-era transcripts tied to the Transatlantic slave trade. Interlacing methods also appear in European guild manuals from the era of Guilds of Florence and in the visual registers of Caravaggio and Rembrandt portraits. Mathematical treatments of braiding connect to research by scholars associated with Princeton University, Cambridge University, and the Institute for Advanced Study.

Cultural and historical significance

Braids serve as markers in rites of passage and social order among peoples documented by explorers like James Cook and missionaries related to the archives of the Hudson's Bay Company; they appear in iconography of leaders such as Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan. In African diasporic contexts, braiding signified kinship and communication during the era of the Transatlantic slave trade and later during social movements associated with figures like Marcus Garvey and Malcolm X. European courts used elaborate braiding to convey rank in portraits of Louis XIV and Catherine de' Medici. Modern cultural scholarship by writers at Harvard University, University of Oxford, and Columbia University examines braiding in relation to identity politics explored by Angela Davis and Stuart Hall.

Materials, tools, and preparation

Traditional tools include combs and aids found in collections at the Victoria and Albert Museum and accessories such as ribbons, beads, and metal clasps evident in holdings of the Smithsonian Institution and the British Museum. Modern salons associated with academies like the Vidal Sassoon Academy and institutes such as the Paul Mitchell School employ synthetic extensions produced by companies represented at trade shows like the International Beauty Show. Preparatory practices—washing regimens endorsed by brands featured in Vogue and Elle and conditioning methods studied at laboratories affiliated with L'Oreal and Procter & Gamble—affect braid longevity and appearance.

Styling methods and variations

Styling ranges from utilitarian updos seen in service uniforms of organizations like the Royal Navy and the United States Army to couture braiding on runways of houses such as Chanel, Dior, and Alexander McQueen. Variations include protective styling popularized in movements linked to Black is Beautiful and celebrity endorsements by figures like Madonna, Beyoncé, Rihanna, and Zendaya. Historical revivals occur in film and theatre productions of works by Shakespeare and Greta Garbo and in costume departments of studios such as MGM and Warner Bros..

Maintenance and care

Best practices come from cosmetology curricula at schools like the Paul Mitchell School and research by dermatologists at hospitals such as Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins Hospital. Maintenance includes gentle detangling with combs archived in museum collections, moisturizing regimens referenced in manuals from L'Oreal researchers, and protective nightwear marketed by brands reviewed in periodicals like Allure and Glamour. Avoidance of excessive tension is advised in studies published by dermatology departments at Harvard Medical School and Stanford Medicine to prevent traction alopecia discussed in case reports from New York-Presbyterian Hospital.

Modern usage and symbolism

In contemporary contexts braids are visible in popular culture through performances at venues like Madison Square Garden, appearances on platforms run by Netflix, and red-carpet events covered by The New York Times and The Guardian. They function as symbols in political acts—seen at demonstrations associated with Black Lives Matter and cultural showcases at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival—and as commercial styles promoted by companies such as L'Oreal and premiered at fashion weeks in Paris, New York City, and Milan. Scholars at institutions like University of California, Berkeley, Yale University, and New York University continue to analyze braiding as an intersection of aesthetics, identity, and social history.

Category:Hairstyles