Boho braids seem like they are super simple to do, but they actually require a lot of thinking to make sure the placement of the braid is correct and looks textured just right. One of my clients was a photographer who collected a ton of inspiration photos for boho braids and when she finally got into my chair she said, “I want to look like I just woke up on a hillside in Tuscany” and boho braids totally fit that description! Most people overlook the effort that goes into a braid. It is not just about pulling this and letting that. There is a perfectly balanced amount of purposely placed perfection and just the right amount of not looking too messy.
I really enjoy doing braid styles because they suit every hair type and length. I enjoy that a boho braid on fine hair is totally different than a boho braid on thick, coarse hair because of the variety in my techniques. Each of those looks amazing because the styles are designed to fit the person, not the other way around. I’m excited to share a few of my favourites with you.
#1: Soft Curls with a Single Braid Detail
This one focuses on the curl, but the braid adds something special. How it is placed woven through the middle section brings a lot of intention to the style without it feeling overdone. When it comes to hair of that medium length, there is enough weight to prevent the curls from springing up too much, meaning the movement is stunning. If your hair is already a little wavy you’re already halfway there. Just grab a 1 inch curling wand and go in alternating directions, making sure not to touch the curls until they’ve cooled.
#2 Braided Crown with Loose, Airy Curls
I believe that a crown braid with curls underneath it is a style that looks great from every angle. It’s why so many people wear it to weddings and garden parties. The curls help make this style feel like there isn’t a lot of effort put into it. What I really love about this version is that the braid is soft enough, and is sitting loose enough to allow the curls to be more visible. For lasting volume I recommend a light mousse applied through damp hair before you start styling.
#3 Auburn Boho Braids with Gentle Wave
This shade of auburn looks especially nice. The color reflects the light in the waves and the braids appear more dimensional than if they were all one color. The braids look small and spread out which adds nice texture without being a complete braid. On finer to medium hair I particularly like this loose braid placement as it makes the hair appear much more voluminous.
#4 Crown Braid Updo with Romantic Loose Pieces
Honestly, the tendrils around the face make this look. If there’s too many it can look like the updo is messy, while too few can leave it feeling rigid. But this is just right. The crown braid is soft and pretty and the curls left around the temples and jaw soften everything. For sure, anyone wanting to avoid prom vibes is gonna love this. It has a romantic and relaxed look, plus if you pin it well at the bottom, it stays nice throughout a long event.
#5 Short Bob with a Delicate Braid Accent
People usually say you need longer hair to do boho braids, but this shows that’s not true. The little braid hidden in a chin-length bob is so cute. It stops the cut from being boring and lets the bold lines of the bob do their thing. The trick with a style like this is to not go overboard. One or two braids is perfect, and they should be placed where they will draw the most attention. Putting some texturizing spray on the ends gives that piece-y look without the stiffness.
#6 Loose Tendrils Woven Through Relaxed Braids
I like to call this the I didn’t try that hard braid, but of course someone did actually try. The way those loose tendrils are pulled through and around the braid sections give it that undone look that is really hard to pull off. The reason this looks the way that it does is because of how uniform the braids are. With some sections being tighter, and others having barely anything, this inconsistency really keeps it looking natural, instead of like it was made by someone with too much time on their hands. If your hair tends to come undone from braids easily, putting some dry shampoo at the roots will give your hair more grip.
#7 Medium-Length Boho Braids with Natural Movement
The warmth factor is great on this! The braids are done in a way that shows the waves in the hair to create a vision of a style that works with the texture instead of against it. With braided wavy hair, this style really sinks in and looks like it belongs. I wouldn’t use too many products. Let the natural texture shine and the only thing I’d recommend is if things are losing their volume by the afternoon.
#8 Shoulder-Length Braids with Soft, Lived-In Texture
This one looks casual but nice. With shoulder-length hair, there won’t be a lot of space for braids, so the design has to be really thought out. The wavy bits filling in the gaps between the braided bits create that styled-the-day-before-waves look. The second-day hair really is best for boho braids. Clean hair is too slippery and too well behaved.
#9 Intricately Woven Side Braid with Curled Ends
The braid is nice and tight enough to keep its form but loose enough to avoid looking like an old-school French braid from 2005. The curled ends look polished and the relaxed boho vibe is still there. The soft strands around the face are the perfect balance of pulled forward to be styled and left natural, no complaints there. If your curls tend to fall quickly, a flexible hold hairspray from a distance should work to avoid crunch while keeping the curls intact.
#10 Braided Crown with Tousled Fringe
Adding a fringe to a braided style gives it another vibe than without. This would be a classic boho crown braid but now there is a touch of French New Wave here. The exposed messiness of the fringe is a nice touch of imperfection and it really draws attention to the eyes. If you have bangs, this is a great way to incorporate them into a braid style without having to pin them back or anything!
#11 Long Waves with a Braided Crown Detail
With longer hair, this braided crown is almost like a headband. It gets the hair away from the face while still allowing the length to flow freely. The underlying straight to wavy texture also adds some sleekness to the style, balancing the rustic feel of the braid. I think this style is quite practical for warm weather because it really gets the hair off the neck and face without having to do a full updo. The only drawback is that for this style to work, the braid has to be anchored really well at the back, otherwise, gravity will take over by mid-afternoon.
#12 Loose Side Braid with Highlighted Dimension
The highlights are working as they are supposed to. They catch the light in the braid and make the woven parts look more intricate than they actually are. This style works great on medium length hair because it won’t pull at the roots. I often recommend this style to clients who want to try a braid but don’t want to go full festival. With the highlights, a simple three-strand braid is going to look like you put in a lot of effort.
#13 Wispy Braids with Layered Bangs
Bangs always complete the look. They also frame the face so the braids feel less like an attachment and have a more natural feel to the style. With fine hair, these types of braids appear more intricate and deliberate. I suggest that you don’t wash your hair the day you’re going to do this because the slight grit and texture on day-old hair help the braids stay put and create more volume to the style from the beginning.
#14 Braided Updo with Curled Face-Framing Pieces
I finish this sort of updo for clients who tell me they do not want an updo. With the curls around the face, it’s not so obvious that they’re going for more of a sleek and pulled back look. The braid in the back adds detail from different angles too! If your hair is wavy, you can skip wrapping those front curls because the texture will do it for you. Just wrap the wand loosely around each piece to set it and let it cool for 10 seconds max before you release it.
#15 Textured Braids Sitting on Soft Waves
I also like how the braids on the top create a nice contrast to the loose flowing waves under them. It also makes it look as if there is a hair accessory blended into the style which is cool. The hair being medium lenght keeps the waves lightweight which also helps with the movement. This is a nice hairstyle to choose if you are growing out your hair becuase it looks nice during the awkward stages of growing it out.
#16 Twisted Braids with Face-Framing Softness
I think twists feel different than standard braids, and I feel like that different feeling is something that is really underused in boho styles. They give off a really interesting visual effect, but it is not too distracting. The layers that frame the face in the temples are completely straddling the line between being super grounded and super wearable. In humidity these styles come unraveled a lot faster than braids. I would consider securing the ends more firmly if you are in a place that is tropical, or if it is really muggy and humid.
#17 Relaxed Braids Paired with Gentle Curls
The way the style of braids and curls work together is awesome. In this case, neither one is distracting enough to pull away focus from the whole style. For finer and medium hair this combination really creates the look of thickness in the hair. With the different textures, people tend to look at the volume more instead of the absence of it. I have done versions of this on clients who were concerned that their hair was too thin for braids, and every time they were surprised by how much more hair was created once the braids were added.
#18 Mid-Length Side Braid with Tousled Roots
Sometimes braids make your hair look flat. That’s easy to fix. You can boost it by spraying your roots a bit before you start braiding. Take some sections from the crown and spray them with some root lifting spray. Also make sure the top of the braid is fluffy and not too tight. With the root lift and the loose braid, it will look like you have thick hair, which a lot of people with fine hair want.
#19 Braided Updo with Wispy Tendrils
The wispy hairs add a lot to the look. They can change a normal braided bun, making it look softer and more friendly. The trick for using tendrils is to pull them out before you finish the updo, not after. Trying to grab loose pieces after everything is pinned could ruin the whole thing. If you want to do tendrils, you are going to need to plan for them by leaving hair sections at the front hairline free. After securing the rest, you can curl or bend those pieces.
#20 Layered Boho Braid with Loose, Flowing Texture
The cut’s layers create a different, uneven texture for the braid. When you braid hair with layers, short pieces pop out and create that look that would take a lot of time to do on hair that is all the same length. The face-framing pieces come out on their own since the hair is cut to fall that way. If you have layered hair, it will be easier than you think to achieve this style.
#21 Braided Bob with Grey-Toned Highlights
The bob’s grey highlights make the braid look deeper, and the color changes make the braid easier to follow. When done on shorter hair, a braid like this is a lot less of a commitment, and more like a style accessory, which is nice for when you want to test the waters with a braid. The waves in the bob’s body create a nice cohesive look. If you want to get grey highlights, I suggest talking to your colorist about specific placement because having them near the braid area is really different.
#22 Tousled Bob with Braided Accents and Warm Highlights
I really like how the detail of the braids blends into the messy bob texture, then you notice it. It makes the whole style feel more sophisticated than how other styles would treat the braids. The warm highlights attract attention and light movement toward the waves, even on lower-density hair. This is that kind of style and it gets better with the day as the texture is relaxed more.
#23 Textured Side Braid with Lifted Volume
The extra volume in the crown area helps this side braid look thicker and fuller, even on finer hair. The lift is essential since side braids on fine hair can look really limp without it and pull everything flat against the head. The little bits coming out of the braid help add freshness to the look and keep it from being overly neat. The gentle color changes throughout the lengths are a nice touch too, giving a woven, tapestry-like quality to the braided sections that you wouldn’t get from a solid, uniform color.
#24 Light, Airy Braids Finished with Soft Curls
To keep boho braids looking great for thinner hair, they should be light and airy. With fine strands, braids that are heavy and tight definitely look stringy and, if you’re not careful, can cause some breakage. These have been woven very gently with lots of slack and the face framing curls soften the overall look without any additional weight. The braids stay tidy while the face framing curls provide that finishing touch and make this style really nice for the warm weather. If you have finer hair, you will probably want to do this a little differently; with larger and chunkier sections for the braids if your hair is thick or coarse.
#25 Beach-Inspired Braids with Flowing Waves
This look keeps your hair easy and breezy and braids at the crown do all the structural business. The way the braids are positioned, they draw attention to the top of the head. This is very flattering since it draws the eye upwards. The waves at the bottom look effortless, like they were created by sea salt and convertible hair. If you want those waves to last a really long time, you can do braids on damp hair the night before, and sleep on it. In the morning, just braid the crown part to keep it looking fresh, and the waves should already be set in perfect undone texture.
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