7 Braids You Can Do on Short Hair

Updated on 9/15/2023 at 5:35 PM

Braids are beloved for a myriad of reasons. They act as a protective style and lead to low manipulation of your natural hair, they're a fun way to add personality to a look, and they're a creative option to keep your hair back and out of your face outside of a messy bun or a basic ponytail.

Still, not all styles are created equal, especially if you have shorter hair. Whether you have a classic bob, a pixie, or something even shorter, ideating braids for short hair can feel a lot more limiting than you would expect. Technically, you can get the classic goddess, knotless, or mermaid styles that have become popular over the last few years, but with a shorter length, you have to worry about extensions slipping out and being extra careful about constant updos, as traction alopecia can look much more exacerbated on shorter hair.

That said, short hair braids are possible; you just have to get creative on the styles that you choose. Whether it's a short braided bob, an accent braid in the middle of a ponytail, or even simple cornrows, you have options. If you're looking for some inspiration for easy braids for short hair, we rounded up some of the best styles, and accompanying tutorials for different hair types, ahead.

Side Cornrow Braids on Short Hair

Learn how to do two side braids on short natural hair with this 13-minute tutorial. You'll want to get some hair clips to hold the sections of hair in place and tiny elastics to secure the ends.

Waterfall Braids on Short Hair

A waterfall braid starts at the front of your head and wraps all the way around to the other side, pulling in tiny sections of hair as you go. Milana, the vlogger behind the account Milabu, made the style look easy on her short type two hair.

Snake Braid on Short Hair

Ingrid Nilsen shared a quick and easy tutorial on how to do a snake braid on short hair. Simply part your hair to the side, braid a small front section of hair, then hold the middle strand of hair and scrunch up the others. After you make this little snake shape, secure it in place with a bobby pin.

Headband Braids on Short Hair

This braided-hair headband tutorial for super short, natural hair is a fun way to mix up your regular style. After you complete the braids in the front, you can pull the rest of your hair into a puff or leave it out.

Crown Braid on Short Hair

Unlike most crown braids that plait the hair from the back of the head and wrap it around to the front, this short-hair tutorial starts by french braiding at the front and wrapping it around to the back.

Dutch Braids on Short Hair

This YouTuber shared how to do a dutch braid on short hair with bangs. She had been using this hairstyle to keep her grown-out bangs out of her face. The key to making it hold: second-day hair.

Cornrow Braids on Short Hair

Yes, you can cornrow short hair and this cornrow tutorial from Adanna Madueke makes it super easy to understand.