Braided Beauties: Essence Festival Goers Delivered Summer Braid Inspiration

It’s the dead of summer in New Orleans, but the weather isn’t the only thing at an all-time high. Braid inspiration is running deep at this year’s Essence Festival and, if you’re on the hunt for new summer styles, our festival’s BeautyCon stage is the right place to look.

One Nola native, for example, arrived in a slick back with a locs bent into an over-the-top flower shape. “I would love to say this is an everyday look,” she tells ESSENCE, but it’s one she reserved for festival. Another goer wore bubble braids adorned with roses and gold hoops. “I just wanted to do something that embodied our culture,” she says. “I wanted to stand out.”

Similarly, another goer referenced Ethiopian braid patterns, wearing the front braided horizontally with her natural curls left out in the back. Meanwhile, another channeled her inner child with braids as sweet as Strawberry Shortcake. Her strawberry boho braids emulated the red top character on her shirt, complete with berry-colored clips and pink bows.

Ahead, take a look at some of the Braided Beauties we spotted at the BeautyCon stage.