- Jully Black
Actress, producer, singer, and songwriter Jully Black likes to wear her braids very long (waist length). Sometimes the braids are in colourful shades like gold, and bronze, and are sometimes curly at the tips for a stylish effect. Faux golden locks are another braid style Black is known for.
- Tracy Moore
Citytv journalist and host of lifestyle magazine Cityline, Tracy Moore, prefers her braids in big sized back cornrows. At other times she styles them in portions that require parting the root of the hair into several stylish rows and patterns.
- Trey Anthony
Trey Anthony loves her braids in an updo sideways bun, sometimes front or back. At other times she simply lets them down and covers them stylishly with a hat on top while exposing their long tips. Anthony is a British-born Canadian actor, producer, and playwright, known for her TV series and award-winning play Da Kink in My Hair.
4. Nelly Furtado
Renowned singer Nelly Furtado rocks her braids in two pigtails and sometimes in cornrows, and like Black, she seems to like her braids in shades of gold. She has been known to wear her braids in black and curly twists as well.
5. Lilly Singh
The famed multiple award winning Youtuber with well over 14 million subscribers, wears her braids in a long ponytail side-braided pattern, or two splits weaved into back plaits, often referred to as French-braiding.
6. Deborah Cox
Deborah Cox’s braids style is big, bold box braids with a mix of bright colours at the tip of the braids. The Toronto-born and raised actress, singer, songwriter, and record producer has also been known to rock her braids in bright grey.
7. Amanda Parris
Amanda Parris is a producer and arts reporter on CBC. When not wearing her natural hair in a big afro, puffy, or short and curly updos; she wears big bold box braids. Parris’ braids are often curly and in pops of colours too. She also likes to wear faux curly locks.
8. Simone Wright
Wright is a dancer and activist, who works tirelessly to bring awareness to Canada’s black history in the fashion industry, she also speaks about black identity in Canada through her organization Parting The Roots. Wright wears her braids in stylishly weaved cornrows composed of several patterns around the corners of the head.
- Shay Mitchell
Shay Mitchell has worn her braids in a giant bold single ponytail, multiple silky strands of silky twists, patterned cornrows, and other styles that combined leftover natural strands of hair covering the sides of her face. The actress and model likes to accessorize her braids with a variety of hair clips, and braids pins.
10. Anachnid
The Montreal based electronic musician styles her braids in portions of four or more with colourful threads, which gives it a playful feel while making a fashion statement. Kiki Harper whose stage name is Anachnid, won the 43rd Félix Awards in 2021 as the Indigenous Artist of the Year.
11. Kaya Marriott
Marriott is a writer, reader, and natural hair and lifestyle blogger. Marriott’s braids are both playful and original. Often in twists, with hints of colour infusion to the usual neutral tones of black and brown. She styles her braids in side-by-side buns, while letting the rest of the braids fall back, revealing her silky twists in full glory.
12. Ngozi Paul
Multi-talented writer, director, producer, screen, and stage actress, Ngozi Paul, best known for her comedic drama Da Kink in My Hair on Global TV likes her braids long and down with different shades in the tips for flavour and pizzazz. At other times, she styles them into updos and buns, and several braids plaited patterns. The latter involves weaving together strands of braids on the root of the original braids itself.
13. Pamphinette Buisa
For this popular athlete and rugby player, wearing braids is more of a cultural identity than a fashion statement. Pam, as she’s fondly called, styles her braids in funky curly strands and updos, single-slim straight braids, as well as stylishly patterned cornrows.
14. Olivia R Rodrigo
When not wearing her natural brunette hair in its original form; actress, singer, and songwriter Olivia Rodrigo prefers styling her hair in different styles and shapes, either in buns, big puffy long braids, or plaited pigtails.
15. Crystal Emmanuel
The 2017 IAAF World championship Olympic finalist and national record holder athlete Crystal Emmanuel enjoys wearing braids. Emmanuel rocks her braids in a variety of styles including long, short, big-patterned box braids, slim twists packed in buns, and often accessorized with clips, bows, and bands around the head.
16. Jenn Jack
Jack took up braiding while grieving the loss of her mother. For this Indigenous Cheslatta Carrier First Nations woman, braiding is as much spiritual as it is stylish. Her braids are often styled in bold plaited patterns with equally bold infusions of colour added to match her personality. Jack’s braiding brought her considerable fame as people travel as far as seven hours to have their hair braided by her.
17. Aaliyah Edwards
In 2019 at 16 years old, Edwards debuted for the Canadian Women’s basketball team at a tournament in Belgium, establishing herself as the youngest member of the team. This energetic player loves to wear her braids very long and in bright bold colours to match her energy. At other times, her colourful braids are worn as a form of honour to the late American professional basketball player, Kobe Bryant.
18. Nikita Dragun
Nikita Nguyen or Dragun as she’s professionally known is a model, make-up artist, and Youtuber. Dragun’s braids choice is bold grey box braids stylishly tucked to the side of one shoulder away from the face.
Chinenye Emezie | Assistant Editor
