These stars have an idea for box braids for every length and aesthetic

When it comes to protective hairstyles, box braids may be the most popular – there’s a reason why their look has been so consistent over the decades. Extremely versatile and undoubtedly striking, the look lends itself to a wide range of colors, lengths, textures and braiding styles. Go classic with carefully defined squares – so fresh for summer – or take a more relaxed approach with a knotless set evenly distributed over defined quarters. Whatever your personal style, there is a celebrity braid idea that will surely suit it.

Part of the appeal of box braids is both their protective nature and the many different ways they can be styled. You can take a page from Keke Palmer or Zendaya’s book and opt for a substantial, shiny set of jumbo braids, or you can keep it beachy and understated by playing with curly ends like Tessa Thompson. Braids work well with dazzling, bold colors — like Regina King’s royal purple ensemble — as well as dainty but eye-catching accessories like those always seen on Issa Rae.

Just below, get inspired for the season ahead by browsing our selection of A-list approved box braids.

Keke Palmer

One of the coolest directions you can take with braids is extreme length – that’s the beauty of braid extensions. For the movie premiere, Palmer decided to go all out with an extra-long set of jumbo box braids that almost reached her knees.

Tia Mowry

At the other end of the spectrum, a brief look at appearance is equally striking. Mowry opted for a classic bob with her established box tresses, grazing the shoulders for a animated, highly versatile look.

Gabriela Unia

Part updo, part casual look. One of Union’s coolest looks is undoubtedly this hybrid bun, which combines her long, shiny box tresses into an elegant bun. For added movement and shape, she left two loose braids on either side of her face – a little nod to Y2K’s beloved style.

Lupita Nyong’o

Nyong’o cosmetics are extremely artistic, and her approach to box braids is a prime example of this. There’s a lot going on in this look – classic braids on top swept to the left in a deep side, a edged undercut, a vast twisted braid made up of many smaller pieces, and a hint of silver cuffs throughout.

Zendaya

Jumbo box braids always make a statement – why else would Zendaya choose the style for so many essential red carpet moments? Hers are particularly stout and shiny, with laser-precise parts and flawless edges.

Regina King

King is one of the most beloved beauty icons of her generation, so of course she’s played with box braids a few times throughout her career. That said, her arrival to speak on the panel with a semi-up kit purple braids continue to amaze fans and remain one of the coolest hair moments of all time.

Tessa Thompson

Beautifully blending textures, Thompson’s box braids start out powerful and stout, then blossom into loose French curls from the shoulders down. This style is both elegant and casual, a perfect combination of two beloved styles.

Michelle obama

It was impossible to ignore the moments of unreal beauty that Obama captured at each stop of her book tour in the winter of 2022. She loved her tresses so much that she kept them for a special event at the American Symphony, pulling part of them up into a voluminous half-ponytail.

Issa Rae

An accomplished naturalist, Rae’s protective hairstyles are always unmatched – and full of hidden details. Not only is her box-braided ponytail so long and full of shining blonde highlights, but she wrapped some of them with pieces of fine copper wire for a shiny, metallic accent.

Beyonce

Knotless braids just don’t look better than Beyoncé’s honey blonde ensemble. By arranging the braids evenly, without creating very obvious squares, she manages to make a complicated style – which undoubtedly took many hours to weave – look downright casual.