Stop fighting with your locks to do boxer braids! Start by marking out the sections of hair that you want to braid by putting in a clear centre parting. Use a comb to help you to mark out the parting from the centre of your forehead, taking it down to the nape of the neck to separate your hair into two equal parts.
Boxer braids are two Dutch braids or Reverse French braids. They are both stylish and chic, and easy once you get the hang of them. Comb your hair to remove any knots or tangles. Next, part your hair down the center. Gather three thin sections from your hairline, like beginning a regular French or Dutch braid. This is just like Dutch braiding or Reverse French braiding. Instead of crossing the strands over the middle one, you'll be crossing them under. This creates a cool 3D look. Continue to braid all the way down. You can angle the braid closer to your face or farther away, just depending on preference!
One look I’m loving right now is these boxer braids for short hair. This look is so cute on little girls (my daughter loves these braids in her hair). But they also can look great on adults as well, with a few tweaks. One tip to note if you want a more mature braid look, be sure to fluff your braid strands. I find that the looser, fatter braids look more grown up than a tight braid. Grab a little pomade and rub it between your fingers. Take a section from your front hairline next to your part. We are doing a dutch braid today. In a dutch braid, the outer strands go under the middle section. This is the opposite of a french braid where you place the outer strands over the middle section. If you are a beginner to dutch brading, I have slowed down tutorials of this technique on YouTube. Keep your pomade close by as you braid. We want this braid close to your hairline so you can see it easily. Braid all your hair from the front to the back. Finishing with the hair at the nape of your neck. I like to finish my hair in a bun.
Step 1: Start with second day hair. You can do this on freshly washed hair of course, I just prefer to do it on day two (or three) - the hair doesn’t slip as easily and why not get an extra day out of your wash? Brush through your hair really well!
Step 2: Part your hair in the middle (or however you prefer). Step 5: Ok, so think of a dutch braid as an inside out french braid! - Start like you’re going to do a traditional french braid but instead of adding hair and crossing over the strands, you’re going to take them and cross under. This creates a cool 3D look. Continue to braid all the way down. You can angle the braid closer to your face or farther away, just depending on preference! I like to think of one side of my hair as a section and then stay kind of in the middle of that, but it’s totally preference. Typically, I pull braids apart to make them bigger and messier, but for this I like to keep them nice and tight.
Step 6: Do the same thing on the left side. The only tricky part here is to make sure that the second side matches the first. A few things you can do to make sure they’re as similar as possible - Start with the same amount of hair in front and make sure you angle it as similar to the first side as possible!
Step 7: All done babes! Now you’re ready to conquer the world. After all, who the run the world? GIRLS. I love my shorter hair, but I’ve had to re-learn how to do a few looks I used to do when my hair was longer. One look I’m loving right now is these boxer braids for short hair. This look is so cute on little girls (my daughter loves these braids in her hair). But they also can look great on adults as well, with a few tweaks. One tip to note if you want a more mature braid look, be sure to fluff your braid strands. I find that the looser, fatter braids look more grown up than a tight braid. Grab a little pomade and rub it between your fingers. Take a section from your front hairline next to your part. We are doing a dutch braid today. In a dutch braid, the outer strands go under the middle section. This is the opposite of a french braid where you place the outer strands over the middle section. If you are a beginner to dutch braiding, I have slowed down tutorials of this technique on YouTube. Keep your pomade close by as you braid. We want this braid close to your hairline so you can see it easily. Braid all your hair from the front to the back. Finishing with the hair at the nape of your neck. I like to finish my hair in a bun.
To finish, you can stretch the stitches of the braid to add more fun and interest, or pull the outer loops to loosen for a boho vibe. You can also wrap a hair scarf around the braids for an extra touch. Boxer braids are easy to adjust for different looks, from a sleek formal style to a casual, ready-for-fun ensemble. If you want a sub-variant, you can gather the completed boxer braids and coil them into a bun or twist them into a rope and secure with pins for a chic updo.
For quick reference, here is a compact recap of the essential steps: brush hair, part center, gather three thin strands from each side, cross under the middle strand, continue adding hair and crossing under until the nape, repeat on the other side, finish with a traditional braid or style as desired.
The Boxer’s braid hairstyle! Boxer braids, easy to do Step by Step for Beginners.
Boxer braids are two Dutch braids or Reverse French braids. They are both stylish and chic, and easy once you get the hang of them. You can even style them in different ways to suit the occasion.
In short, boxer braids are versatile, beginner-friendly, and can be adapted to short or long hair, with options to loosen for a grown-up look or tighten for a sleeker finish. They work well with accessories like ribbons or scarves and can be shaped into buns, ponytails, or crowns depending on mood and event.
- Brush and part hair down the center.
- On each side, gather three hairline strands no thicker than 1/2 inch.
- Cross the left and right strands under the middle one.
- As you braid, add thin hair sections to each side and continue under the middle.
- Continue to the nape of the neck, then finish with a regular braid if desired.
- Repeat on the other side and style as you like (bun, ponytail, or crown).
Boxer braids can be adapted for a more mature look by fluffing the strands and ensuring the braids sit close to the hairline. For beginners, slow-down tutorials are available on YouTube, and using pomade helps with grip and finish. This technique is a reliable way to create texture and interest while keeping hair controlled and stylish.