Marley braids can be ranked in the top 5 trendiest hairstyles among black women. With the crochet hair having an almost natural texture and feel, women started wearing them in different styles and colors.
Long or short, thick or thin, braided or loose looks are easily achievable at a moderately affordable price. And Marley braids are no exception in this equation. They are one protective style that will last about six up to eight weeks if you took care of it, after an installation that usually takes a few hours.
Popular Marley Braids
Here are 28 Marley braids of different styles and colors to give you an idea on which style to choose before the actual work begins.
#1: Twist Bob with Curled Ends
The more the twists and the shorter the hair, the more voluminous your hair will look. This is one style that will appear more vibrant than ones without twists.
#2: Marley Braid Topknot
Although Marley braids are a style on their own, styling them even more also works. Like this top knot, it doesn’t require much time to acquire yet it’ll make your hair look neat and suitable for an outing. Not to mention it’s an easy DIY hairstyle.
#3: Side-Swept Twists with a Rolled Front
Faux Hawks can be easily achieved by creating cornrows on one side and letting the rest of your Marley braids flow to the other. It’s not hard to acquire yet it’s a remarkably outstanding look.
#4: Long Twists with Loose Curled Ends
With varying lengths and thicknesses of each strand, you’ll get a distinct style each time. This protective hairstyle isn’t hard to achieve, will last six to eight weeks and will be suitable for many events depending on the style. So you can say it’s totally worth it!
#5: Black, Purple and Blue Ombre Braids
It’s not a wonder how much of a role colors play in terms of hair presentation. But that’s not something new. What’s new though is using more than one distinct strong color at the same time. Like in the image above, the black, blue and purple create an outstanding effect.
#6: Textured Pompadour with a Fedora
This is one way to style your short hair. With the sides of your hair tightly tied and your top hair poof-ed up, you’ll get one unique faux hawk. Add a fedora for a more outstanding style.
#7: Long Loose Rope Twists
Using pencil sized Marley braids, you can achieve this head-turning look by braiding your twists into a bigger braid to the side of your head. Don’t use all the twists; let some loose for such an outstanding look.
#8: Cuffed Box Braids with a Purple Streak
Pencil-sized braids are one of the most common Marley braid styles. You can wear them on a daily basis or style them a bit further for a more special occasion. Add some hair beads and colored strands to personalize your look.
#9: Bordeaux Ombre
One way to make your hair more unique is by including different hair color extensions and beads. Like this one here, combine some Bordeaux extensions with your dark hair and you’ll end up with a beautiful ombre effect.
#10: Blonde and Brown Rope Twists
Try including some different hair color strands in your braids, for a change of mood. Depending on your skin tone, different colors will give off a different vibe. So, if your skin is a bit dark, try going for bright colors for a head turning look.
#11: Gray Waves
What’s good about hair extensions is that you can choose the color, length and the style afterward without any limitations. Even letting your hair loose will still look good if you choose the right color and style.
#12: Long Dark Two-Strand Twists
With your thick, dark Marley twists, take a few front strands and tie them to the back to keep hair out of your face. With a bright summer dress, you can kick off an even brighter day.
#13: Flat Twists into a Low Side Bun
Create flat twists and direct them towards one side of your head and then tie the free strands into a knot. This is a feminine style that will bring out the child in you.
#14: Purple Ombre Rope Twists
Installing different hair color extensions and fusing them together through braids will create a beautiful ombre effect. Tie them into a ponytail for a more notable look.
#15: Burgundy-Accented Twists with Curled Ends
Creating a huge twist out of smaller ones can be achieved with Marley twists. Start off with small twists on the side and let them get bigger as they get closer to the top of your head.
#16: Jumbo Twists
Jumbo twists too have become more and more common. Though they’re a bit harder to style than thin ones, they’re one protective style to go for.
#17: Blue Marley Braid Topknot
With your pencil sized Marley braids, you can get your hair styled further by adding blue hair extensions and tying your top hair into a top knot while letting the rest fall freely.
#18: Twist Faux Hawk with Cornrowed Sides
Create some cornrows on the sides of your head for a Faux Hawk. You can choose to let the rest of your hair loose or tie it into a ponytail.
#19: Thick Twists with Burgundy Accents and a Hat
Another example of Marley braids with a fedora except with thicker twists. The small details in the look make a huge difference, like the two magenta twists and the fedora worn by this girl.
#20: Fine Box Braids with Blonde Highlights
Stereotypical blonde highlights on straight hair are overdone; an excellent versatile option would be blonde highlights on Marley braids! This would bring some texture and pop of color as well. You wouldn’t need to style it any other way as it would look great even simply down.
#21: Braids in a High Ponytail
Ponytails are a great way to lift your entire face. Having a combination of tight braids that are pulled up in a pony is unique and feminine looking.
You could also wrap your braids around the hair tie to create a more chic and clean look; it seems to add more dimension to the entire hairstyle. This hairstyle is dressy and casual, which is why it is something you should try out.
#22: Pulled-Back Box Braids with a Braided Wrap
This Marley braid hairstyle is again a feminine, princess-like hairstyle; the long strands pulled back and secured look great for a casual look. The hairstyle is neat yet has a unique aura to it. If you do not have a lot of time on your hands yet want to look cute and presentable, this hairstyle could be a great option.
#23: Honey-Blonde Braids with Side Cornrows
Ombre hairstyle has gained popularity worldwide, the idea of keeping your roots natural and having them blended into either a blonde or a brown allows you to have dimension.
If you are worried about a specific color not going well with your skin tone, opting for the dark or honey blonde hairstyle would be a good road to take.
#24: Half-Up Box Braids with Curled Ends
Half-up hairstyles are always a great way to spice up a regular hairstyle. They are sophisticated and instantly make you look groomed and well kept. The best thing about them is that they are quick to do and add significant volume as well.
#25: Box Braids in a Crown Ponytail
If you have tried all types of parts, the center part, and the side part, etc. and all these hairstyles are feeling repetitive, you should give the high crown pony a go!
This way, the hair on your crown is pulled back and secured, giving it a unique look and appeal. This Marley braids style brings a great change for everyday casual hairstyles.
#26: Low Box-Braid Ponytail
If you feel as though high and tight ponytails can often give you a headache if they are worn too long, this hairstyle is a perfect alternative to opt for. If you do opt for this most unique of the Marley hair braid styles, you can choose how loosely you tie the low pony.
This hairstyle can be adjusted according to preference, which is why it is something you should try out.
#27: Cuffed Rope Twists
One of the positive effects of these black twist braids is they can be both thick and thin. Here, the braids are thicker in size, giving the entire hairstyle a good amount of oomph. If you get bored just simply leaving your hair down, you can add in gold accents or small shells to make them look more distinct and playful.
#28: Tight Stitch Braids
If you are a woman of bold taste, these braids that are tight towards the scalp and thick towards the bottom are an ideal hairstyle. Even though this hairstyle is out of the box, it is bold and exceedingly attractive, which is why you should go for it.
These affordable and easily achievable Marley braids don’t take much time to style. If you think you’re going to want to style your hair further after braiding them, then opt for thin braids, for you’ll have a wider variety of hairstyle options to choose from later on. Make sure to take good care of them so they’d last, and don’t let the braids put much stress on your scalp while styling them.
