While braids themselves are endlessly versatile, there are those moments when you want a little extra oomph — celebrities certainly do. Hair accessories for braids are as aesthetically varied as the actual braids, and the industry’s biggest (and most stylish) stars aren’t afraid to play around and experiment with them all. No matter if it’s a casual summer day in the backyard with friends or fashion’s biggest night out, there’s a hair-accenting accessory for every occasion, style, and braid type out there.
If you gravitate towards bohemian, earthy looks, there are celebrity-approved hair beads, cuffs, wire wraps, and even pins with real flowers ready to adorn braids both simple and intricate. For a full-on glamorous effect, it doesn’t get any better than Janelle Monae’s designer pearl wraps and emblem-covered brooches and Zoë Kravitz’s prim Met Gala bow, both perfect for black-tie affairs and major events. In fact, these accessories are so transformative that they could be just the ticket if you’re feeling the urge for a makeover — they’re a lot easier to switch up that an all-out haircut.
Below, check out these celebrity-favorite braid accessories for any style, complete with everything you need to get the look at home.
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A few-second scroll on Tracee Ellis Ross’s Instagram grid is enough to open anyone up to the endless braid accessory possibilities. While it seems like the multi-hyphenate star has experimented with every embellishment under the sun, this silky scarf woven into her long, strong braid is so pretty peeking out from the hair’s loops — and it even matches her stormy blue eyeshadow.
Gabrielle Union’s is one of those who can seamlessly flit between aesthetics but her earthy, goddess-like looks always number among her best. Union’s experimented with plenty of braid rings, charms, and tubes over the years but these wooden accent beads are a shortcut to boho-chic.
While Kerry Washington is technically wearing long, glossy Senegalese twists here, the sentiment is the same — the gilded hoops, rings, and dangling freshwater pearl charms placed through her hair are an absolute dream. By leaving some of the rings more simply-designed than others, her accessories glisten and stand out even more.
Naturalista icon Issa Rae famously loves to dress up her assorted braid styles with eye-catching accents, and this delicate copper wire wrap is perfect for minimalists. The orange-toned shade stands out against her blonde highlights, catching the light just enough to add some dimension, color, and shine.
Simple doesn’t have to mean boring — just look at Zoë Kravitz’s prim tweed bow holding back her braided chignon. Especially when paired with those oversized, undeniably glamorous earrings, Kravitz’s look is pure sophistication.
Is there anything Janelle Monae can’t do? For a special Paris Fashion Week Chanel show, the multitalented entertainer adorned her own plaits with tiny diamond-headed pins, an ultra-luxe pearl wrap, and a full-sized Chanel brooch fastened right in the middle.
Few hair accessories are as breathtaking as flowers woven into a braid. No matter if they’re real, fake, or somewhere in between (think dried flowers!), adding blooms and greenery to hair — like Teyonah Parris’s delicate baby’s breath accents — are fairylike and so ethereal.
When in doubt, just add a crown — or a shimmery headband. Amandla Stenberg accented this double braid crown with a vintage-looking jeweled headband that adds a starlike twinkle effect that’s just irresistible for a big night.