Seasons are temporary. But, at Paris Fashion Week, we’re reminded that pick-and-drop braids are forever. It’s true that smaller braids last longer, and on the front row, they survived the test of time. However, it wasn’t without some natural frizz. In fact, that’s exactly what made the leave-out heavy protective style even more of a statement.
At Rabanne’s FW26 show, singer Ravyn Lenae had her natural roots growing out of her signature ginger pick-and-drop braids. They were medium-length and only half-way braided, which meant the ends were left out and effortlessly tucked away into her tailored blazer. But, even that wasn’t enough to tame the inevitable flyaways. Instead of being an eye-sore, it added texture, personality, and a well-lived style to her look.
For Industry star Myha’la, she channeled a similar mood at Courrèges. Paired with pin-thin brows and blurred liner, her braids were pulled back into a bun with loose ends that made the updo much more casual and natural. Like Lenae, her braids were also leave-out heavy pick-and-drops. There were small strands of braiding hair fed into the top of her braids to almost blur the actual plait, which in turn, made her braids look more lived-in and dimensional.
One of the most well-known wearers of this braid style, Zoe Kravitz, obviously attended Yves Saint Laurent in them. There, she had her hair pulled back, but not without a few loose whisps at her root and on her forehead. She paired the style with a sheer turtleneck, a pair of brown trousers, and a fur jacket in hand (which was en masse on the runway).
For all three women, hair was statement enough to pair with light makeup (think: the occasional blurred liner and a completely naked-looking lip). Case in point: the more effortless the hair, the chic-er it is.