You’ve got an A-line cut, or a bob, or pink tips, but could you pull off one of these dos? We love these 10 traditional African hairstyles from tribal women. We kind of wish we could rock them in America. Here are 10 tribal hairstyles we wish we could pull off.
1. Dreads
This is an obvious one: wouldn’t it be incredible to never have to brush your hair again? And dreads look so cool when they’re pulled up and twisted into a bun.
2. Trinket braids
In the Ethiopian Daasanach tribe, women often braid various trinkets from wooden beads to bottle caps onto their headwraps. Wouldn’t it be awesome to choose your favorite items and put them on a headwrap? This one gives the illusion of a bob cut.
3. Buzz cut
In several African tribes, women have buzzed or shaved heads. Let’s face it: you have to have stunning features to pull this look off, and these women do! They never have to touch up on their layers again.
4. Braided bob
If a bob cut plus bangs isn’t the cutest combination in the world, when you do the whole thing in braids, it looks somehow edgy and youthful at the same time, and we love it. This woman is from the Kolcho tribe in Ethiopia.
5. Full-head wraps
If you wear a head wrap one day, everybody comments on it and commends you for your bohemian look. Of course, if you wore one every day people might question what you were hiding under there. But head wraps can be so gorgeous and they do give you a get-out-of-jail-free pass on a bad hair day!
6. Clay-covered dreads
In several tribes of the Namib Desert, women wrap their dreads in red clay. We think it has a futuristic “Matrix” look, and that red hue is stunning.
7. Frontal headbands
In the Afar tribe of the East African countries of Djibouti, Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, women wear elaborate woven headbands that usually drape down the center of their faces. This gives them such a regal, mysterious look
8. Partial mohawk
Admit it: you’ve fantasized about cutting a mohawk just to let people know you’re a bad*ss. African women in many tribes get to wear one without being called a tomboy — it’s just the norm!
9. Beaded braids
With beaded braids, you could coordinate your hair with your outfit every day. And the swish-swish sound when you turn your head is kind of seductive.
10. Dread headband
These young girls from the Ethiopian Kara tribe laid dreads across the top of their heads, halfway back, giving the illusion of a permanent headband, which makes their facial features really pop.
