Say it with me: Y2K is everything right now. Shoulder bags, Juicy tracksuits, and low-rise jeans? Check, check, check. One of our fave Y2K popstar-inspired trends at the moment is one that Tiktokers and red carpet A-listers alike are loving – the bubble braid.
We’ve been seeing them everywhere- ‘Rising Star’ Brit Award winner Griff wore an ah-mazing oversized bubble braid for her live Brit performance, Gigi Hadid rocked (adorable) mini versions for her 24th birthday celebrations, and Priyanka Chopra looked insanely sleek and sophisticated with her red-carpet bubble braid at this year’s BAFTA Awards.
Honestly? Bubble braids might just be the perfect hairstyle – they’re great for disguising day two (or three) hair, they give us major Y2K vibes, and there’s a tonne of different ways to style them. The best thing though? They’re officially the easiest way to level-up your hair game, because they’re super simple to create.
To try the look yourself, start by tying your hair with an elastic into your fave ponytail (high, mid, or low depending on the look you’re going for). Tie another elastic a couple of inches down the ponytail, then tease the hair in the space between the elastics with your fingers until it reaches the shape you’re going for. Repeat until you have as many sections as you fancy, then tease each ‘bubble’ again until you have the shape you want. If you’re feeling experimental, you can try it with pigtails, sport some mini face-framing braids a la Gigi, or add some cute accessories – this trend is all about fun and playfulness, so anything goes.
If it seems like I’m slightly obsessed with bubble braids, it’s because I am. Need some inspo to try them yourself? We got you.
By Beth Ryan