North West's Double-Dutch Braids Were Designed For Style, Not Practicality

North West just put the most literal twist on double-dutch braids. The hairstyle stole the spotlight on a recent trip she took to Tokyo. In an Aug. 22 Instagram post shared by Kim Kardashian, West walked across the room with the braids — interwoven with bright streaks of hot-pink hair — trailing behind her on the floor. "Look at these braids," Kardashian said in awe as her daughter turned to pose for the camera.

Commenters were quick to point out that the length of the braids was fun but ultimately ill-suited for a vacation in such a big city, potentially posing a tripping hazard to North and those around her. Still, while the extreme nature of the braids absolutely warrants some additional caution, it seems they've already navigated their way through Tokyo just fine.

In fact, throughout the trip, North's double-dutch braids have flown on a private jet, slithered around an interactive exhibit, taken in the sights and smells of the Wagyumafia restaurant, and even helped Kardashian jump rope. "When your hair could be used as a jump rope," North shared on her TikTok, showing a clip of her mom hopping over the braids, proving her hair could be used for actual double dutch. (You can also watch the video in full below, which was posted to Kardashian's Instagram account on Aug. 24.)

North's hairstyle isn't sensible by any means, but it's not meant to be. This is especially true for a child with an en-suite glam team, a deep interest in fashion, and an extensive résumé of avant-garde hairstyles. In the past, she's stepped out in everything from rhinestone-wrapped box braids to french braids embellished with fresh flowers. At the end of the day, no one should be surprised to see North trying new and exciting things when she's already established herself as a trendsetter at 10 years old. As for the double-dutch braids . . . we just hope they had a safe flight back from Tokyo.