6 Unique African Hairstyles From Different Parts Of Africa

Maasai Style

We love the short hair, big earrings look, and nowhere is that more popular than with the women of the Maasai. While many of the Maasai young men wear dreadlocks, the women cut their hair down super short, showing off their elegant facial structure.

Plenty of earrings and beads give a feminine, glamorous look.

This is definitely a style you can replicate wherever you live.

Headwraps

When it comes to headwraps, Africa has so many ideas you’ll be wearing a different headwrap everyday of your life! From the bright colors and fan-like appearance of Nigerian wraps, to the heavy cloth veils of the Tuareg people, there’s something for everyone.

This tradition has even been carried into the Caribbean. Though not prevalent in everyday life anymore, women used to wear peaked headwraps designed differently depending on their marital status.

Hair Jewelry, Beads And Bands

We never made this connection before! But the bright colored and beautiful beads, hair jewelry and bands we put in our hair, especially in children’s hair, have their origin in African roots.

Throughout the continent, women (and men, too) traditionally add shells, metal, beads, thread, jewelry and other decorations to their hair. This is not always just for beautification, though. Often these adornments mean something, the colors and patterns varying to show different things. Sometimes they represent someone’s job or status in the community, or someone’s marital status. So fascinating!

6 Unique Hairstyles From Different Parts Of Africa

This has been so exciting learning and discovering about hairstyles from various parts of Africa. Even though every area in Africa is different, there are certainly some similarities across the continent and the Diaspora. Maybe you’ll choose to rock an African-inspired look for your next style. Or who knows? Maybe you’ve already been rocking one and didn’t realize just where it came from.