Braid Inspiration: Our Favorite Hollywood Styles

By Marianne Mychaskiw
Updated May 31, 2016 @ 12:51 pm

Does art really imitate life? In Jennifer Lawrence's case, yes! Pre-pixie cut, the star famously wore intricate braided hairstyles that mirrored her on-screen plait in her role as Katniss Everdeen, and we were left wanting to recreate each of the delicate looks on our own. The Katniss effect also caught on in Hollywood, with one A-lister after the next hitting the red carpet in a pretty twist that would look right at home among Panem's avant-garde style choices. To celebrate the release of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, we rounded up our favorite celebrity braids, all of which would do District 12's boldest resident proud. See each style in our gallery now!

MORE:
• See Yourself in Jennifer’s Gorgeous Hairstyles!
• Behind-the-Scenes at Jennifer’s Cover Shoot
• Jennifer Lawrence's Best Catching Fire Premiere Looks

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Christina Aguilera

etienneortega/Instagram

WHEN: Music Festival in Morocco, 2016

WHY IT WORKS: Stylist Chris Appleton went for a pierced braid along her hair part and styled the rest of her locks in voluminous waves. Edgy, yet so beautiful.

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Christina Aguilera

@chrisappleton1/Instagram

WHEN: The Voice Season 10
WHY IT WORKS: Not only did Aguilera debut a pretty lilac shade, her hairstylist Chris Appleton gave her a pierced front braid, reminiscent of the early 2000's hoop earrings trend.

 

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Taylor Swift

Jason Merritt/Getty
WHEN: The 2013 Grammys
WHY IT WORKS: A headband braid adds a dose of fun to a dramatic dress.

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Jennifer Morrison

Frazer Harrison/AMA2011/Getty Images for AMA

WHEN: The American Music Awards in Los Angeles
WHY IT WORKS: A hairline plait is an easy way to dress up long layers.

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Miley Cyrus

Scott Kirkland/PictureGroup

WHEN: The 2011 CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute
WHY IT WORKS: Cyrus's roughed-up side braid gets flirty with a few face-framing layers.

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Rachel McAdams

Tristan Gregory/Camera Press/Retna

THE LOOK Textured asymmetrical braid
HOW-TO Thomas Dunkin, the stylist behind McAdams' look, suggests starting by soaking damp hair in Sebastian Professional Texturizer. Place small Velcro rollers throughout, blow dry and add texture with Sebastian’s Microweb Fiber. "If your hair is long enough, a loose, asymmetrical braid will add an interesting twist," says Dunkin. Set the look with Sebastian Shaper Fierce Hairspray.
INSIDER TRICK
BUY NOW Sebastian Professional Texturizer ($16.00, sebastianprofessional.com for salon locations)

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Sienna Miller

Sara De Boer/Retna
THE LOOK Halo braid
HOW-TO Pull hair back into a messy bun and secure with pins. Add a braided piece from the nape of the neck, and wrap around the entire head. Set the braid in place by sticking pins in the braid and connecting to the scalp.
INSIDER TRICK Measure your head to see the ideal length of braid to buy and always match you hair color as closely as possible.
BUY ONLINE NOW Braidies Thick Braided Headband, $10; amazon.com.

Try on Sienna Miller's hair now!

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Jennifer Aniston

Craig Barritt/JPI Studios
THE LOOK Hairline braid
HOW-TO L.A.-based stylist Stephanie Pohl says to start by spritzing volumizer on hair and then blow it dry. When dry, braid a small section of hair along the hair line and secure it with a clear elastic or bobby pin. "Spray a few sections with hairspray and wrap in different directions on a one-and-a-half-inch curling iron," says Pohl. "This is a rather large iron that will just bend the ends to create her look."
INSIDER TRICK "If the braid is too hard to do, you can just do a twist instead," says Pohl.

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Blake Lively

Marion Curtis/Startraks
THE LOOK Full-bodied with mini braids
HOW-TO Gossip Girl's on-set hairstylist, Jennifer Johnson, recommends getting this look by first sprtizing Bumble & Bumble surf spray onto wet hair and blow-drying with a diffuser on a light setting. Then use a two-inch curling iron to create waves throughout the hair and give the look texture with a mix of small braids and twists. "I twisted and braided small pieces and pinned them in and finished with Bed Head Masterpiece hairspray," says Johnson.
INSIDER TRICK "Wrap hair around the curling iron and remove it almost immediately to get this wave instead of a big curl," Johnson says.
BUY ONLINE NOW Diffuser hairdryer, Curlytop, $24; at folica.com

Try on Blake Liveley's hair now!

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Rebecca Romijn

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
THE LOOK Smooth with a side braid
HOW-TO Spritz wet hair with volumizing spray. Blow-dry with a round brush, then part dry hair on the side. Hold hair in a low ponytail (do not secure with elastic, though), and begin braiding, pulling hair to the front and secure with a small-size rubber band.
INSIDER TRICK When braiding, avoid flat hair by not pulling hair too tightly.
BUY ONLINE NOW Large, round boar bristle brush by Julien Farel, $50; www.julienfarel.com .

Try on Rebecca Romijn's hair now!

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Minka Kelly

Janet Gough/Celebrity Photo
THE LOOK Bohemian half-up braids
HOW-TO "If your hair has natural wave, use a holding foam on wet hair then blow-dry with a diffuser," says Bumble and bumble stylist Michele Fiona. When dry, randomly curl sections of hair with a one-inch iron. Add two small braids along the hairline and bring them together and pin in the back.
INSIDER TRICK "If hair is particularly dry, use a moisturizing styling cream only on the last few inches of hair," says Fiona.
BUY ONLINE NOW Take Charge mousse, John Frieda Frizz Ease, $5; drugstore.com.

Try on Minka Kelly's hair now!

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Jennifer Connelly

Steve Granitz/WireImage
THE LOOK Braided headband
HOW-TO Start by making a low braid that's slightly off-center from the nape. Then make a strong, tight braid and secure with a clear elastic. Wrap the braid up over the head like a headband and secure with bobby pins.
INSIDER TRICK If your hair isn't long enough to wrap all the way over the head, stylist Michael St. Germain suggests putting the hair in a low ponytail, then braiding it and wrapping it around the ponytail.
Try on Jennifer Connelly's hair now!
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Beyoncé

XPOSUREPHOTOS.COM
Beyoncé attended sister Solange's fashion week party in a crown braid that was fit for a Queen B and featured braids both large and small.

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Kim Kardashian

Marc Piasecki/GC Images; Neil P. Mockford/GC Images
In anticipation of her week-long pre-wedding festivities back in May, Kardashian adopted a simple, Parisian style for the city of light that included this center-parted plait.

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2013

Paul A. Hebert/Getty Images

WHEN: 2013 Film Critics Association Awards
WHY WE LOVE IT: It's sexy but sophisticated. We love the wispy strands that frame Lawrence's face and the way she paired the milkmaid braids with an edgy, smudged black liner.

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Kate Bosworth

Ben Gabbe/Getty Images (2)
WHEN: The premiere of Big Sur in New York
WHY IT WORKS: Plaits placed down the center gives the polished updo an edgy twist.

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Chloe Grace Moretz

Getty, FilmMagic
WHEN: The premiere of Carrie in Los Angeles
WHY IT WORKS: A mix of tiny plaits will quickly add interest to a messy side-braid.
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