The Baby Braids Ponytail Is The Updo You’re About To See Everywhere

With many a Y2K trend returning recently, the adorable and easy-to-copy baby braids look has once again become all the rage. Previously a signature look of the early aughts (with Britney Spears, herself, as a cosigner) the skinny little braids have now framed the faces of the most influential and stylish women of the 2020s. We’ve seen Ariana Grande swapping her signature high ponytail for the look, Bella Hadid trying them out under her beanie, and her friend Devon Lee Carlson styling them in slightly thicker braids. Now, after a few seasons of the trend’s ubiquity, baby braids have now reached the next phase of their evolution. The trend has taken on a new twist—being worn as part of a ponytail.

While in Paris for the city’s fashion week, Bella Hadid was spotted walking around town with a slicked back pony, with the tail sectioned into multiple baby braids. She secured the look a scrunchie pulling back her hair, and tiny elastic bands at the ends of her braids. Posting her new hairstyle on Instagram, she showed off the braids by leaning them over the face for the shot. While it might seem like an unusual look for the model, she clearly was sensing a burgeoning trend.

It’s not just Bella who’s a fan of sectioning her ponytail into tiny braids, Kendall Jenner and a number of influencers on Instagram and TikTok have already hopped on the look, showing off their take on the style. Creators on TikTok also swear by not putting a hair tie at the ends, keeping it extremely casual and undone. (You can try cinching the ends with a bit of pomade if your hair easily slips out of a style.) As long as you know how to do a three-strand braid, you can emulate the look, making it one of the most accessible trends to try this season.

While we have no doubt that face-framing baby braids will still be sticking around, the baby braids ponytail is bound to take off in a time when everyone’s looking for cool new ways to try out different up-dos. If you’re lacking in the hair length or thickness departments, you can always invest in extensions or a ponytail clip-in to help bulk up your strands for the multiple braids look. You can also take after Bella and personalize the style in countless ways, like by adding scrunchies, colorful clips, or elastics. Such a fun and versatile trend, we’re sure this new style will ensure baby braids continue their reign through the spring.