Summer is here, and it’s the perfect season for short braided hairstyles. Getting all of the layers off is already cooler, but braids for short hair will help keep strands away from your face, and will keep you feeling cool and looking super chic.
Many people think that braids don’t work when the hair is too short, but we’re here to prove you wrong! This summer, we can see braids on all kinds of short hair, including on long bobs and short bobs, not to mention on pixie haircuts and even short undercut hairstyles!
Whether you opt for French braids, Dutch braids, cornrows, fish braids, or just twisted braided styles, we’ve got some ideas for you. Some braided hairstyles for short hair are more sporty while others are ultra-feminine, and there are also some edgy braids for short hair that sit somewhere in between. No matter your mood or the occasion, you are sure to find some excellent inspiration here for all kinds of short hair braids.
One super cute way of dealing with a fringe is by crafting floral braids for short hair. This look was created by simply twisting and pinning two messy braids, and it pairs wonderfully with this layered, multi-color hairstyle.
Talk about a cute and sporty way of doing braided hairstyles for short hair! The two box braids start at the front of the hair, and come out in a V-shape that really highlights the top bun, while allowing the rest of the hair to sit in luxurious layers.
Embrace the punk edge of short braided hairstyles, by getting side cornrows. They give you that cool look of a shaved side of the head, without the actual shaving. It is a great way of spicing up a bob haircut.
This is an ephemeral way of styling braids for short hair, since part of the beauty comes from the looseness of the French braid. It adds an organic touch to an otherwise more severe hairstyle, and with a bit of hairspray you might even be able to keep it in place for more than an hour.
Pastel pink hair begs for fun hairstyles, like these short hair braids. Two cornrows gather a lot of hair together, bringing it into two adorable braids that are perfect for poolside occasions.
Pins are a great way of adding a touch of interest to your short braids. These two side-cornrows actually come straight down and behind the ear, which is already a unique look that perfectly compliments the messy graduated bob.
Thick Dutch braids for short hair are a great way of interjecting your look with a lot of romance. This braid starts at the temple and goes along the sides to add beauty and texture.
Rocking a short, loose side braid and a top bun with a short bob is a great way of feeling casual and playful, especially when you’re trying to celebrate awesome rainbow hair.
The pull-through style is great for short braided hairstyles, because it gives an incredible amount of lush volume to the hair. In this style, we see it as a semi updo on a long bob that is simply enchanting.
Showing off unique hair colors becomes super easy with box braided hairstyles for short hair. The two box braids, which are essentially just very tight cornrows, help to show off the galaxy colors while also lending a sporty feel to the look.
Pixie haircuts are not usually associated with short braids, but these days with one of the most popular haircuts being shaved sides and a longer top, you can actually do some braiding! These two cornrows are a way of making pixie haircuts extra feminine but still casual or sporty.
Here we see a take on braided hairstyles for short hair that is super elegant and sleek, simply because this sophisticated asymmetrical bob is straightened. The side cornrows lend a bit of an edge, while also taking some hair away from the face.
A dusting of glitter instantly turns short braided hairstyles into something whimsical and magical! Here we see a top French braid that ends in a cute top knot.
There is so much going on with this fun twist on short braids that I don’t know what my favorite part is! Perhaps it’s the dark roots on this blue dyed look, or it might be the way the lovely French braid sneaks down the side of the head.
Dutch short hair braids can do a magnificent job of revealing these kinds of layered hair dye creations, where the inner part of the hair is one color and the outer part is a different one. This style was achieved with a thick, horizontal Dutch braid that surrounds the crown of the head.
Browns, oranges, and green hair colors give the image of a lush forest in autumn. The short braids are unique, as we rarely see such tiny French braids, and it is certainly rare to see them start behind the bangs, but it’s fun especially as the whole look ends in a top knot.
This is a really playful spin on the very traditional look of Dutch braids, thanks to bright galaxy colors and the shaved back of the head. Otherwise, these are just two large Dutch braids at the side of the head, which are beautiful but also traditional.
This is a very unique take on braids for short hair, as the cornrows start on an angle near the temple, and come down diagonally behind the ear, perfectly showing off a unique and fiery way of doing colormelts on curly long bobs.
This is one of those messy braided hairstyles for short hair that are perfect for chill summer days. A small Dutch braid on each side perfectly complements this asymmetrical pixie haircut.
By taking hair from different parts of the crown, you can create lushly textured and unique braids for short hair that work especially well with longer bobs, and complement unique pearl hair colors perfectly.
Dutch braids are absolutely perfect for creating faux hawks, especially if you already have the sides of your head cropped a little shorter. It’s one of those short braided hairstyles that look simultaneously punk but also soft.
Even with short hair, braids can make you feel like a princess! Having a Dutch braid wrap around your head like a crown, with curls cascading below is a quick way to feeling pretty and royal.
This is another sporty take on short braided hairstyles, as the three cornrows help keep hair away from the face, and end in a cute little ponytail. Just a bit of hair is left down, but it doesn’t get in the way!
Cornrows right at the top of the hair are a definite trend for short hairstyles, as they do a great job of showing off fun hair colors, and they are a great sporty way of keeping hair out of the face.
Even with a super short pixie, you can find creative ways to achieve short braids. Here we see an ultra-feminine take with a delicate braid woven into the bangs to beautifully frame the face.
If you’re a fan of the Eurovision, you’re probably all about double buns, so you can mimic this year’s winner with a twist by adding four French braids – two starting at the nape of the neck, and two starting at the temple.
Pull over braids are a great way of achieving intense volume, perfect for braiding the top of the hair into a faux hawk, when the sides of your head are shaved. Two messy Dutch braids accentuate this creation beautifully.
Low-slung buns give instant class to any hairstyle, including short braided hairstyles. Here, two Dutch braids begin at the temples, encompassing all of the hair and ending in a darling bun at the nape of the neck.
Show off whichever flag you love, with a mixture of clever French braids and even more clever hair painting. The super clean sectioning on these five French braids shows off the colors of the trans pride flag perfectly!
This is another take on a Dutch braid that surrounds the head, for that perfect princess look. This time it comes all the way around the forehead, which is especially festive.
Curly bobs are the perfect opportunity for short hair braids, because the short braids give wonderful texture and they blend in beautifully, for a look that is bohemian and romantic.
When a pixie haircut is super short, you can still create short braids that will be adorable. The thick Dutch braid here gives texture and pulls the fringe away from the face, even if it’s fairly small.
Inspired by the runway, graphic cornrows are a great way of rocking braids for short hair. Creating sharp edges with tight cornrows will keep things interesting and will also help show off a unique colormelt.
Sometimes pixie haircuts can start to feel a little masculine, so a great way to jazz them up and add a girlish touch is by adding a Dutch braid that looks like a headband. It’s one of the prettiest ways of doing braids for short hair.
Combining multiple types of braids is a great way of rocking short braided hairstyles. Here, the hair was first twisted and then pulled into a Dutch braid, for a unique and textured look that gives a lot of volume.
Making a loose Dutch braid can be a great way of giving the hair a lot of texture, making for fun short braided hairstyles. Here, a tiny Dutch braid ends up being twisted under a layer of hair, so it just peeks out to create interest in this lovely bob.
This wrap-around braid gives a sophisticated edge to a short bob, and is definitely one of the most interesting braided hairstyles for short hair that we’ve seen. It works beautifully with the cotton candy colormelt.
There is something about this silver take on short hair braids that really reminds me of Elsa from Frozen, but in a pixie version. The lush twisted braid lends a royal and feminine touch to the adorable pixie haircut, and the color keeps the look icy.
This is another example of how cornrows can be used to create faux hawk braided hairstyles for short hair. The model has a curly long bob that was turned into a cool faux hawk with the help of two super tight cornrows on each side of the head.
This is another take on short braided hairstyles that combine Dutch braids with double buns. Two braids start at the front, and end at the nape of the neck as two low-slung buns, while loose tendrils of hair frame the face and keep this look on the romantic side of things.
Cornrows are usually one of the more sporty and masculine braided hairstyles for short hair, especially when done on a pixie haircut with shaved sides. However, weaving some flowers into the braids adds a touch of femininity as well as whimsy.
Normally, Dutch braids for short hair tend to end up along the crown, or at least at the traditional place where one would put a headband. Instead, here it sits right above the forehead for a slightly more unique look.
If you have an undercut, you can still use short braids to give an extra accent. Here, the tiny French braid accentuates the shaved side and gives a fun twist to the normally expected cornrow.
I really love this take on cornrow short braids that give the illusion that the side of the head is shaved. Here it was achieved with four braids that are on the looser side, with a big tail at the end, for a slightly punk effect.
These kinds of short braids are hard to create, but their unique effect is well worth the effort! This is a 4-strand take on Dutch braids that looks like a woven carpet, and makes this sleek bob much more interesting.
There is something about lush braid crowns that feels so perfect for spring and summer, especially when it brings out such a unique green colormelt! This is a great take on braids for short hair if you’re looking for something more festive.
A little bit of teasing goes a long way to accentuate braided hairstyles for short hair. Graduated bobs can be very severe, so the messy headband braid certainly helps lighten the mood.
You need thick hair to get a fishtail to work for short braided hairstyles, but when it does it is well worth the effort, since it is one of the coolest braids around! It certainly gives a cool twist to this layered bob.
Messy waves already have so much texture, so short braids don’t offer too much of a contrast but instead blend in perfectly. This is another take on a French braid as an accent to a shaved side.
If you have one of those ultra gorgeous straight bobs, it probably hasn’t occurred to you that just by teasing the top a bit and adding a single cornrow you can end up with a very edgy look, like in this take on braided hairstyles for short hair.
If you want to keep it simple yet flirty, adding a little braid just at the center of the head and slightly below a bit of hair can be a great way to do it. It adds a bohemian touch to any short hairstyle.
Photos via Instagram