The braid-y bunch

Like ‘em or hate ‘em but you can’t ignore ‘em, especially if you follow pop culture. We are talking about the Kardashians. From their interestingly named new clan members to their everyday feuds, to even their hairstyles – what the Ks do makes nonsense news. Fresh of her new baby, mommy Kim decided what all new moms do – get a hair change. Problem? She debuted her hair as ‘Bo Derek braids’.And yet again, she broke the internet which blamed her of cultural appropriation. FYI, cornrows (what Kim called “Bo braids”) are a mark of African ethnicity and a style that’s immensely identifiable with the African race – so much so it could apply for a GI!
Knots for you
Thanks to the fracas, the braids are back in focus. But they have been popular for some time, says makeup artist and hairstylist Clint Fernandes. “With retro and hip-hop style making a comeback, the braids are in but in a more glam grunge way and not trashy dreadlocks way,” he adds. He calls it an age-specific style – that is you may not spot it on a middle-aged office-goer.
His advice? If you are doing the braid, go all grunge, bohemian, rasta on it – there are no half measures. If you want to rock the trend without going all out, go for partial braids. What Fernandes suggests are 2-3 braids that start in the front and go all the way back or few braids starting from the ear lobe for an asymmetrical hairstyle. Use ribbons. But get a professional. “Cornrows are not rocket science but they can be tedious,” he says.

Here come the braids (right to left): Zoe Kravitz and Alicia Keys
As for the cultural appropriation, Bo Derek tweeted in reply to the KimK fracas: “Hey! It’s just a hairstyle that I wore in the movie “10” @KimKardashian calls it the Bo Derek because she copied my pattern of braids. I copied it from Ann-Margret’s backup singer from her Vegas Sho. And we all copied Queen Nofretari. I hope Her Royal Highness is flattered.” Whether it’s splitting hairs over a hairstyle or getting all knotted up over a braid, a hairstyle, in today’s times, can be quite hairy. But Fernandes is not too worried about it creating controversy here in India, as he says, “We are a lot more relaxed on this front.”
History of The style
The cornrows are traditionally known as Fulani braids, after the Fulani women of East and West Africa. Braids and cornrows have been worn in African and Caribbean countries. Recently, people not from that ethnicity have been wearing it, calling them “boxer braids”. KimK was attacked because she failed to recognise the styles’ history and origins.