Viva Plaits!

Summer is all about playing dirty and washing up later on...by the beach. Okay maybe it's not, but either way the days are long and hot and at times there may feel as though there aren't enough hours in the day to thoroughly wash your hair. Braids are the summer solution! They're a perfect option for hair that may have a day or so's worth of grease and dirt and hold better with your natural oils. They're easy to do, cute and flirty and a perfect way to spruce up a simple outfit.

We've seen these side braids on the runway for Alexander Wang and Miu Miu's Summer 2010 collections as well as fashioned by our favorite celebrities; Kate Bosworth, Thandie Newton and Zoe Kravitz and many more. The key to look is to capture the bohemian essence by sporting a messy plait, but this style is not only limited to free-spirted loosely tressed ladies. Thandie sported her braid with a bow at the end and celebs like Fergie and Leona Lewis have worn their braid with a fishtail braid pattern.

So maybe you aren't the next Rapunzel and don't have long locks or access to extensions like celebrities do. Or maybe the side braid thing isn't bold enough for your eclectic personality,opt for these braided updo options: