Box braids are a type of hair-braiding style that is predominantly popular among African people and the

African diaspora The African diaspora is the worldwide collection of communities descended from List of ethnic groups of Africa, people from Africa. The term most commonly refers to the descendants of the native West Africa, West and Central Africans who were ...

. This type of hairstyle is a " protective style" (a style which can be worn for a long period of time to let natural hair grow and protect the ends of the hair) and is "boxy", consisting of square-shaped hair divisions. Box braids are generally installed by using synthetic hair which helps to add thickness as well as helping the natural hair that is in the braid. Because they are not attached to the scalp like other similar styles such as cornrows, box braids can be styled in a number of different ways. The installation process of box braids can be lengthy, but once installed they can last for six to eight weeks. They are known for being easy to maintain.

History

Hair-braiding styles were used to help differentiate tribes, locations, and also possibly a symbol of wealth and power due to the amount of effort that went into styling braids. Box braids were not given a specific name until the 1990s when popularized by R&B musician

Janet Jackson Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966) is an American singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. She is noted for her innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows. Her sound and choreogr ...

, but have been used for years. This style of braiding comes from the Eembuvi braids of

Namibia Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country on the west coast of Southern Africa. Its borders include the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south; in the no ...

or the chin-length bob braids of the women of the

Nile Valley The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the longest river i ...

from over 3,000 years ago. In the Mbalantu tribe of Namibia, braiding was an important social practice. Older women would gather with their girls and teach them how to braid. Box braids are also commonly worn by the

Khoisan Khoisan ( ) or () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for the various Indigenous peoples of Africa, indigenous peoples of Southern Africa who traditionally speak non-Bantu languages, combining the Khoekhoen and the San people, Sān peo ...

people of South Africa and the

Afar people The Afar (), also known as the Danakil, Adali and Odali, are a Cushitic peoples, Cushitic ethnic group inhabiting the Horn of Africa. They primarily live in the Afar Region of Ethiopia and in northern Djibouti, as well as the entire southern co ...

in the horn of Africa. In

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

, braid styles and patterns have been used to distinguish tribal membership, marital status, age, wealth, religion and social ranking. In some countries of

, the braids were used for communication. In some Caribbean islands, braid patterns were used to map routes to escape slavery. Layers of finely chopped tree bark and oils can be used to support the hairstyle. Human hair was at one point wefted into fiber wig caps made of durable materials like wool and felt for reuse in traditional clothing as well as different rituals. Cowry shells, jewels, beads and other material items adorned box braids of older women alluding to their readiness to have daughters, emulation of wealth, high priesthood and any other classifications.

Cultural association and value

Hair was and is a very important and symbolic part of different African communities. Africans believed that hair could help with divine communication as it was the elevated part of one's body. Hair styling was entrusted only to close relatives, as it was explained that if a strand fell into the hands of an enemy, harm could come to the hair's owner. Members of royalty would often wear elaborate hairstyles as a symbol of their stature, and those in mourning, usually women, would pay some attention to their hair during the period of grieving. Hair was seen as a symbol of fertility, as thick, long tresses and neat, clean hair symbolised ability to bear healthy daughters. Elaborate patterns were done for special occasions like weddings, social ceremonies or war preparations. People belonging to a tribe could easily be identified by another tribe member with the help of a braid pattern or style.

Box braids in the US military

The U.S. Army has strong regulations and restrictions on hairstyles for both men and women. In 2014, the army updated its policies because the old regulations were too restrictive for African-American women. Army policy originally considered African American women's natural hair "not neat" and deemed protective hairstyles "unprofessional". In the newer regulations, "twists, cornrows and braids can be up to in diameter. The previous maximum was a diameter of approximately ". This gives more opportunity to wear protective styles. Box braids can be worn by members of the US Army as long as they show no more than of the scalp. The parting must be square or rectangular shape. The ends of the braids must be secured. Once the newly grown natural hair outside of the braid, also known as new growth, reaches , the style must be redone. Similar regulations apply for styles like dreadlocks, flat twists, and braids with natural hair. The hairstyles must not interfere with the wear of uniform or covers (uniform hats). Though synthetic hair for box braids exists in multiple colors, the military dictates that enlisted women must have box braids in natural hair colors without any additional jewelry like hairclips or beads.

Medium box braids

Medium box braids are a popular hairstyle within the African and African American communities. They involve parting the hair into individual square-shaped sections, and then each section is braided from the scalp to the ends. These braids are termed 'medium' due to their thickness, which is typically about the width of a pencil to that of a felt tip marker.

Characteristics

The medium size of these braids strikes a balance between the delicate appearance of smaller braids and the more pronounced look of jumbo braids. They are versatile in length, often extending just beyond the wearer's natural hair length, and can be styled in various ways including buns, ponytails, and more.

Styling and maintenance

As a protective hairstyle, medium box braids can safeguard the hair from environmental factors and styling stress. They require routine maintenance, including scalp hydration and proper cleansing, to maintain the health of the hair and scalp. These braids can be kept in for several weeks before they need to be redone.

Difficulties

Tight or heavy hairstyles, such as long box braids, can also cause an external-traction headache, previously called a ''ponytail headache''. Overly tight braids may cause traction alopecia. Looser braids have a lower risk than tight braids or other styles, such as cornrows and dreadlocks.

References

"The Ultimate Guide to Medium Box Braids".
Meechi. Retrieved 2023-12-13.

External links

* {{Commons category-inline, Box braids African-American hair Kinky hair Braid hairstyles