OVERSIZED BRAIDS

CHUNKY, OVERSIZED AND OBVIOUS, WHEN IT COMES TO BRAIDS THIS SEASON, THE ONLY RULE IS THE BIGGER THEY ARE, THE BETTER

Micro-plaits might be pretty but it’s mega-twists that were trending across the catwalks. Chunky braids, oversized plaits, call them what you will, the only rule is that they need to look big and voluptuous.
 
What is up for discussion is where you position your plaits. Milkmaid-style pigtail plaits that begin just behind your ears are cute but why not color a strand of hair in a pastel shade or bright fluorescent hair color to add an element of excitement? Or go for a hair accessory and try intertwining a ribbon through the plait. You could even start your plait at the parting and twist your hair into box braids or French pleats before continuing the plaits down to the tips.
 
On the catwalks halo braids finally got bumped off the topspot and in their place came plaits snaked into buns at the nape of the neck. At Bora Aksu’s London Fashion Week show, the KMS UK Creative Team fashioned hair into S shapes and pinned into place leaving tufts of hair free at the ends for a playful and more romantic finish. Long hair works best for this as naturally it means you have more to play with but you could always adapt the style and plait short hair into semi-updos and limit it to two tiny plaited buns behind the ears. Or do as the session stylists did backstage and fake it with fat plaited hair extensions for perfectly proportioned plaits.
 
Accessorizing these oversized braids is another winner. Another winner at London Fashion Week was the Simone Rochas show where the UK KMS team added velvet ribbons that gave the hair a Bohemian-esque vibe. While some of the low-slung twists were tied off with black bows, other models had the bows placed at the top of the plait – a clever way to keep fringes, flyaways or layers secure if they have a tendency to spring out of plaits.

For the more nimble fingered plaiters out there, take inspiration from the immaculate French braids that appeared at the Double Rainbouu shows at Australian Fashion Week. Plaited right from the parting line and tight to the scalp until hair hit shoulder height, the KMS AU team then secured hair with a simple elastic and left the remainder of the hair loose as an antitheses to the immaculate braiding above. Modern and mesmerizing, if you’ve mastered the fishtail plait, this is the upgrade.
 
Of course, for all of these fat plaits and oversized braids you need some products on hand to get rid of frizz and add bulk. Backstage the KMS AU team prepped models’ hair with TAMEFRIZZ Shampoo and then added a cocktail of ADDVOLUME Root and Body Lift and Styling Foam Mousse to swell the hair from root to tip and give it extra fullness. Once your plait is in place spritz on some THERMASHAPE 2-in-1 Spray that gives hold and shine to hair and finish with an all-over blitz of HAIRSTAY Anti-humidity Seal. It means you won’t have to worry about frizz or flyaways ruining your glossy get-up.
 
The perfect style for everything from festivals to wedding hair, oversized plaits even make great gym hair as they keep everything out of your face when you’re heavy lifting or doing a downward dog. And if you’re worried your hair is too fine, don’t be. Prep with volumizing products and once you’ve created your plait, loosen each section with a tail comb to give the illusion of fatter hair. An all-round success story, it’s the summer style for all occasions.

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