51 Gorgeous Hairstyles For Black Girls (Ilustrated Guide)

Black women are often blessed with thick, voluminous locks. Due to the coarseness of black hair, you’re free to work your tresses into styles like dreadlocks, tight braids, and sleek topknots without fear of flyaways. Of course, black hair can be anything from naturally afro to smooth and straight to a mass of curls a la Whitney Houston. Whichever your hair’s natural inclination, head to your stylist safe in the knowledge there are countless hairstyles for black girls out there ready to glow up your look:

Our advice? Accentuate the natural flow of your hair. If your locks grow up and out, embrace it, honey. If your locks twirl and curl in a maze of mayhem, go ahead and organise it—but don’t feel the need to iron it into submission. As they say, if you can’t beat them, join them Having said that, you can always tease your locks into neat braids for a put-together and easy-to-style affair, or opt for a (professionally-applied, please) chemical straightener to make your mane a little more manageable.

If you seek to shock (in the best of ways) you can opt for a short, clipped cut—or even rock a bald ‘do in the footsteps of Willow Smith, Lupita Nyong’o, and Amber Rose. Not only will you save heaps of time in the morning, but your new cut is sure to make waves in the best of ways wherever you go, too.

For short-haired girls who dream of flowing locks, you’ve got heaps of choice, too: consider a luscious weave, knotless braids, or box braids to instantly (well, in a few hours) take your tresses from teeny to tumbling. Then, of course, there are dreadlocks. Not for the faint-hearted, dreadlocks guarantee the prize of ‘Most Edgy’ at any party or occasion. However, it’s not all free-love and hippies: no, dreadlocks have caused a storm at red carpet events in recent years. You can also spice things up with highlights for dark hair.

Need to stoke your imagination? You’re in the right place. Read on for our guide to the best hairstyles for black girls.