Braids ‘n’ buns

Once formal, these old styles have acquired a carefree-careless avatar fit for any occasion

After poker-straight hair and cute curls, stylists are giving a high five to carefully careless hairstyles. And in this genre, it is the buns and braids that have emerged as the undisputed winners. While cynics may argue that these styles have been around for ages, the catchword here is innovation. In recent times top-notch actresses like Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Shraddha Kapoor, have added chutzpah to the braided-or-bunned demeanour to give a new dimension to their crowns.

Variation works
The best part about these funky hairstyles is that you can do your own thing with a mere twist of your finger. Ace hair stylist Savio John Pereira says, "When it comes to braids and buns, you can go for as many variations as you can - fishtail, side braid, root braid and dread braid do wonders to formal as well as casual get-up."

Prep it right
While braids and buns are both integral parts of India's hair heritage, the new avatar owes a lot to avant-garde treatment by style gurus. Hair expert Samantha Kochhar explains, "The secret lies in prepping up your hair well before you braid it. For example, if you use hot rollers on your hair and mess it up using the right products and then braid it loosely, your hair will look very sexy. Fishtail is another haute trend, which is big on the style horizon. You can make this hairdo far more 'oomphy' by using volume rollers at the top and tapering it down to a flat plait. As far as buns go, a low chignon worn on the side, with a few loose strands serenading it, works well for women of all age groups," says Kochhar.

Make your rules
Actress Isha Koppikar, who strictly belongs to this cadre, says, "A spiked knot on one side with a side parting is my favourite style and I never go wrong with it. The best part is that it goes well with ethnic as well as Western attire. I keep changing the way I do these knots, the moot point being it should go well with what I'm wearing. Loose buns give me a lot of scope to be playful and innovate."

Go boho chic
Those who dress out-of-the-box can use braids to optimum advantage. TV star Kritika Kamra, whose boho chic style is keenly followed by youngsters, says, "In the last 70-plus episodes of my show, I have flaunted braids more than 30 times, and not once have I repeated any style. I love the half milkmaid braid and the fishtail, with loose strands, that gives softer, girlie contours to my face. I think my obsession with braids is going to last for a while."

Add 3-D effect
Savio suggests some simple ways to jazz up the braid look. "Highlights and streaks can give a 3-D effect to your braid, which can go very well with a saree and other ethnic gear. I feel buns and braids have universal appeal," he says.