27 Gorgeous Summer Braided Hairstyles That Keep You Cool and Stylish

The best hair advice I ever got about summer came from a woman sitting next to me at a pool party who had her hair in this impossibly cool braided situation, and when I complimented her she just said, “I stopped fighting the humidity and started working with it.” That stuck with me because I think most of us spend June through August in this constant battle with our hair, trying to make it behave like it does in October when the air is dry and cooperative, and it’s just… never going to. Braids are the closest thing to a truce you can call with summer weather because they actually get better as the day goes on, as the texture builds and things loosen up a little.

What I really love about braided styles in the heat is that they’re not just practical, they genuinely look like you tried, even when you did the whole thing in your car before walking into brunch. There’s something about the structure of a braid that reads as intentional no matter how messy it gets, which is the opposite of a ponytail that just kind of slowly deflates as you sweat through the afternoon. And the range is wild, from tight cornrow-inspired styles that keep everything locked down to loose romantic braids that move with you. I pulled together my favorites here and honestly, I want to wear every single one of them before September.

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#1: Crown Braid Swept into a Low Braided Bun on Natural Copper Hair

That braid wrapping from the crown down into a tucked low bun is doing real work here, pulling everything off the neck and face while still reading as intentional, not hasty. What caught me is how the face-framing pieces aren’t uniform; one side has a longer tendril near the jaw while the other is wispy and shorter, which keeps the whole thing from looking too bridal. This needs medium to long hair with decent density because a thin braid across the crown will flatten and expose scalp. The warm copper color shows every plait beautifully since tonal variation in natural red hair creates dimension without highlights. Round and oval faces wear this well because the height across the crown elongates. If your hair is freshly washed and slippery, skip this one. You need second-day texture or the braid will unravel within an hour.

#2 Sweeping Side Fishtail on Brunette Hair

There’s a reason the fishtail braid has never really gone away, and it’s because it looks this good. This one starts as a French braid at the crown and then transitions into a fishtail that drapes over the shoulder and just goes and goes. The dark brown hair has these subtle warm highlights that catch light in the braid and add dimension without being obvious. If you’ve never done a fishtail before it takes some practice because the sections are so small, but once your hands get the rhythm it actually goes pretty quickly.

#3 Beachy Blonde Lob with a Waterfall Braid

We’ll end on this one because it just feels like summer to me. A waterfall braid across one side of a blonde lob, with the rest of the hair in soft beachy waves, and that’s it. The waterfall braid is one of those styles where the strands literally drop through the braid as you go so it creates this cascading effect, and on highlighted blonde hair like this you can really see each piece as it falls. It’s delicate and pretty and not trying to do too much, which is exactly the energy I want to carry into the rest of the season.

#4 Milkmaid Crown Braid with Delicate Wisps

I have such a soft spot for a milkmaid braid and this is a really pretty version of it. Two braids wrap around the head to form a crown, and these little wispy pieces are left out all around the hairline that keep it from looking too costumey or too Heidi-in-the-Alps, which is always the risk with this style. The dark hair against her green top is really sweet looking, and because everything is up and wrapped close to the head there’s nothing touching your neck or shoulders at all. Perfect for the hottest days when you need total airflow.

#5 Soft Dutch Braid Into a Messy Low Ponytail

This is the braid you do on a morning when you’ve got ten minutes and you want to look like you care but also like you’re not overthinking it. A single Dutch braid starts near one temple and curves back into a low messy ponytail, and there are all these soft curtain-bang pieces left out in front that make it feel very undone and romantic. The dark black hair has this incredible sheen to it that makes even a casual style look a little elevated. I think this would look beautiful on pretty much any hair texture, honestly.

#6 Loose Half-Down Braid with Gold Charm Accents

The gold braid charms scattered through this loose side braid are giving me everything I want from a summer evening look. The braid itself is very relaxed, more of a loose three-strand that’s been pulled apart, and the rest of the hair falls in beachy waves with those pretty balayage highlights. The charms catch the light and add this boho warmth that feels very “golden hour on a patio somewhere.” It’s effortless but there’s clearly some personality happening, which is my favorite combination.

#7 Side Cornrows on a Textured Bob, Before and After

I really like this one because you can see the before and after, and the difference is kind of amazing for something so simple. On the left it’s a regular textured bob, cute but nothing unusual, and then on the right the same bob has three or four tight cornrow braids along one side that give it this completely different attitude. It’s the kind of thing that takes a haircut from “nice” to “I need to know who does your hair,” and it proves that braids aren’t just for long hair. If you’ve been feeling bored with your bob this summer, try this.

#8 Copper Bob with a Braided Headband Detail

I don’t know why braided headbands on short hair don’t get talked about more because this is genuinely lovely. It’s a warm copper bob with loose waves and there’s just a small braid taken from one side that crosses over the top of the head like a headband before being pinned behind the other ear. The whole thing takes maybe five minutes and it completely changes the feel of a basic bob, makes it look thought-out and intentional. The copper color is stunning too, really rich and warm, and the braid picks up all those different tones beautifully.

#9 High Bubble Braid Ponytail with Loose Pieces

This is a ponytail that refuses to be boring, which I appreciate. The hair is pulled up high and then sectioned into a bubble braid that hangs down the back, and there are a few loose pieces at the front that give it a casual feel. It’s sporty but still cute, and the fact that everything is up and off the neck and shoulders means you’re going to stay as cool as you possibly can. The brown hair has a slight wave to it between the elastics which gives the bubbles nice fullness without needing to be super thick.

#10 Sleek Side French Braid on Long Black Hair

Sometimes simple is just better, and this is one of those times. A single French braid starting at the crown, hugging one side of the head, and trailing all the way down past the chest in a tight neat plait. The black hair is so sleek and smooth that the braid looks almost sculpted. There’s no messiness, no pieces pulled out, no accessories, and that’s exactly what makes it work. If you want your hair completely out of the way and you want to look polished doing it, this is it.

#11 Textured Low Braided Updo with Warm Highlights

This one is interesting because it’s not a single clean braid, it looks more like the hair has been loosely twisted and braided in sections and then all folded and pinned into a low gathered bun at the nape. The warm caramel highlights give it so much visual texture that it almost looks woven, like fabric. It’s the sort of updo that works for a summer wedding or an outdoor event where you want to look put together but not like you’re trying to survive a wind tunnel. The imperfection is what makes it, honestly.

#12 Braided Double Buns with Wispy Face Framing

Compared to the space buns we saw earlier, these are a little different because the braids wrap into more compact, rounded buns and all the hair is up rather than half down. The wispy tendrils at the temples and around the ears soften the whole thing and keep it from feeling too tight or too childish. I think the dark hair against the lilac top is really pretty here, and the overall effect is youthful without being immature, which is a line that can be tricky with double buns.

#13 Wrapped Crown Braid Into a Low Braided Bun

This is a full commitment style and I am here for it. A Dutch braid wraps all the way around the head from one side and then coils into a low bun at the nape, and everything is tucked and smooth and completely off the neck. It’s the kind of updo that feels almost European to me, very clean and classic, and it would work just as well at a nice dinner as it would on a day when you just don’t want hair touching your skin. The key here is making sure the braid is tight enough that it doesn’t unravel halfway through the day, so some bobby pins tucked into the bun will be your best friend.

#14 Braided Half-Up Top Knot on a Warm Coastal Day

This is one of those styles that looks like it took thirty minutes but probably took ten, and I love it for that. The top section is braided back into a little knot while the rest of the bob just hangs loose with some beachy wave to it, and the warm caramel highlights running through the darker base make the braids really pop with dimension. It’s the kind of thing you can do on second or even third day hair without any guilt, honestly second day hair probably holds this better. If your hair is anywhere around chin to shoulder length this is a really nice way to get it off your face without committing to a full updo.

#15 Festival Bubble Ponytail with Skinny Accent Braids

This is a lot of things happening and somehow it all works together. You’ve got a bubble braid ponytail off to one side, a couple of tiny skinny braids hanging down around the face like little accents, and the whole thing has this very intentional messy texture that says she probably spent time on this but wants you to think she didn’t. The blonde really helps all these different elements read clearly. It’s very Coachella without being a costume, if that makes sense.

#16 Braided Space Buns on Jet Black Hair

These are fun and I won’t pretend they’re not a little bold for some people, but if you’re into it, you’re into it. The braids feed up into two neat buns on top while the rest of the jet black hair hangs loose and wavy. There’s something about really dark hair that makes braided buns look extra sculptural and cool. I’d wear these to a concert or a rooftop thing, anywhere where the energy matches the playfulness of the style.

#17 Romantic Oversized Side Braid

Oh, I love this one. The volume at the crown, the way the braid is pancaked out so wide it almost looks like it’s twice the size of a normal braid, the loose pieces everywhere, it’s giving very soft romantic energy without trying hard at all. This is the kind of braid you’d see on someone at a summer wedding and think “okay she knows what she’s doing.” The trick to getting a braid this full looking is to gently tug each section outward after you’ve finished braiding, and it helps to have a little texturizing spray worked through before you start.

#18 Fishtail Wrapped Top Knot with Highlighted Strands

This is giving me garden party, and I mean that in the best possible way. There’s a fishtail braid that wraps around the base of a high bun, and the blonde highlights weaving through the darker base make the whole structure of the braid stand out beautifully. Everything is up and off the neck which is ideal for those days when it’s truly sweltering, and the few wispy pieces left out around the face keep it from looking too severe. Gorgeous with a sundress, gorgeous with a tank top, just gorgeous all around.

#19 Bubble Braided Pigtails in the Park

Bubble braids are one of those things that look way more complicated than they actually are, because all you really need is a bunch of small clear hair elastics and the willingness to keep sectioning and pulling. These pigtails have the cutest rounded puff between each elastic and the center part is clean and sharp, which grounds the playfulness of it. It’s very much a weekend style, a going-to-the-park or grabbing-ice-cream kind of look.

#20 Braided Headband Ponytail with Soft Curtain Bangs

I think what makes this one so charming is the way the braid wraps across the top of the head almost like a headband, and then the hair is gathered into a ponytail with these bouncy curled ends, and the curtain bangs and face framing pieces are left out to do their thing. It looks polished enough for a work lunch or a date but it’s not stiff, there’s movement everywhere. The braid itself is pretty small and delicate which keeps the whole thing from feeling sporty.

#21 Half-Up Dutch Braids with Long Loose Waves

This is a more understated take where the braids are just doing a supporting role, two smaller Dutch braids along the crown that feed back and disappear into all that long dark wavy hair. It’s the kind of style that keeps the hair out of your eyes without looking like you’re doing too much, and it goes with literally everything. The waves have that nice lived-in texture that you’d get from sleeping on a braid the night before, or from a quick pass with a 1.25 inch curling iron and then shaking it out.

#22 Blonde Double Dutch Braids with Wavy Ends

I really love how thick and chunky these Dutch braids are, they almost look rope-like, and the blonde color makes all the woven texture so visible which is really the point. The braids stop at the nape and the rest falls in a soft wavy ponytail. On dark hair you lose some of that braid detail in photos but on blonde hair like this every crossover is on full display, which is genuinely satisfying to look at. This is a great one if you’ve got thick hair and want it completely off your neck without piling it all on top of your head.

#23 Crown Braid Half-Down with Olive Silk Bow

The deep black hair here is so shiny and healthy looking that even a simple crown braid becomes something really special. It wraps from one side across the back of the head and the rest of the hair falls in long soft waves, and there’s this muted olive green silk scarf tied right where the braid meets the loose hair. It’s subtle and pretty and the kind of thing that makes people do a double take from behind.

#24 Pull-Through Braid into a Bubble Pony with Loose Front Pieces

The crown section here is doing the real work. There’s a flat pull-through braid across the top that transitions into bubble segments down the length, and that combination keeps everything off the neck while still reading as one cohesive style. You need mid-back length at minimum and medium to thick density because thin hair will leave the bubbles looking deflated. Notice how the elastics are completely hidden inside each section, which takes patience and a few extra bobby pins most tutorials skip. Fine hair won’t hold this. The face-framing wisps are intentional and keep things from looking too pulled or severe, which is generous for rounder face shapes. One thing worth knowing: humidity will frizz those loose pieces fast, and retouching them midday is not simple when the rest is locked in place.

#25 Double Dutch Braids Into a Low Wavy Ponytail

Okay so this is the braid I’d want if I were going to be outside all day, like at a barbecue or a beach or just running around in the heat, because everything is pulled back and controlled through the crown but you still get this gorgeous cascade of waves at the bottom. The Dutch braids are tight and neat and then they just release into this long ponytail that has the prettiest loose waves. You need some length for this one obviously, but if you’ve got it, this might be the most reliable hot-weather style on this whole list.

#26 Bandana Braid with Loose Tendrils

There’s something about a printed bandana pushed back like a headband with a loose side braid that just feels so right for summer. The braid here is not trying to be perfect, it’s a little bumpy, a little uneven, and those wispy pieces around the face are doing all the heavy lifting in terms of keeping it soft. I think this is one of those looks that works whether you’re twenty-two or fifty-two, which is honestly the mark of a really good style.

#27 Scarf-Tied Double French Braid Ponytail

I’m a sucker for a silk hair scarf worked into a braid, and this does it perfectly. Two loose French braids merge at the nape and then the hair spills out into a long wavy ponytail, with this pretty floral scarf tied right at the meeting point. The whole thing reads very “I went to a farmers market in the south of France,” which is exactly the vibe I think we’re all chasing in July. The braids themselves aren’t tight at all, they’re almost puffy, and that softness is what makes the whole look feel relaxed instead of fussy.