The basic technique is the three-strand braid, but there are also many other, more complicated, braiding styles. At the end of the braid, the hair is usually tied off with a ribbon, rubber band or hair fastener.
 Braid styles
- A single braid is at the back of the head.
- In classic braids, there are two braids of equal size on either side of the head. They can hang down or be pinned up in a chignon.
- A combination braid is made of two braids that come together and join into a single braid at the back.
- A French braid starts with small sections of hair at the crown of a person's head, and intermittently, more hair is added to each section as the braid progresses down the head. This can be done in a single braid or in various other styles.
- A Dutch braid is similar to a French braid, except that the hair sections are crossed under each other, instead of over.
- A lace braid is similar to a French braid, except that new sections of hair are added only to one side of the braid.
- A twist braid is a twisted type of braid.
- A crown braid sits circular on top of the head like a crown.
- The hair can also be braided into a bun.
 Braids in spanking art
Braids, especially classic braids, can come with "little girl" and "cuteness" connotations and are therefore popular in girl spanking art and in roleplay and ageplay. When adult women act as schoolgirls, one can often see them wearing these type of braids to make them look younger and more cute and innocent.
 Leather braiding
The tails of some types of whip, e.g. stockwhips or bullwhips, are also braided to give them a greater strength, volume, weight, and a certain stiffness while preserving elasticity. There are different braiding patterns used.
 See also
Silvia Saint (Czech porn actress) wearing short classic braids.
- Dreamweaver Braiding - many braiding styles and example photos.
- Illustration of a girl with classic braids by Norman Rockwell.