Mohawks are the most popular punk hairstyles. These cuts, which are characterized by a high crown and sides shaved off, have been around since the early 2000s. The spiky hairstyle requires a lot of commitment.
If you don’t want to commit, there are other options. The same look can be achieved with a faux mohawk braided on extensions or your own natural hair. You can try this style in a variety of ways. We’ve collected our favorite celebrity-approved ideas below. Scroll down to see 10 braided-mohawk ideas.
Braided Pompadour mohawk
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If your hair is already braided, you can create a faux-hawk by twisting and pinning the ends to your top in a pompadour style updo. This sculptural style is gorgeous.
Cascading Braid Faux Hawk
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This braided mohawk, which Caprice Monae calls a “Wondabraid”, is one of Janelle Monae’s coolest braided styles. The style can be achieved by weaving smaller French braids, flat twists at the crown and braided extensions together to create a giant braid. For extra shine, spray a few spritzes with Bed Head’s Masterpiece Shiny Hairspray.
Golden Braided Faux Hawk
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What if you added some gold cuffs to a braided Mohawk? Now, we’re talking. Ester Dean, an actress and musician, made a half-bun with her knotless braids. She let the lengths fall down her back to show off her sleek haircut.
Full-Braid Faux Hawk
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Jennifer Morrison’s braided version of the faux hawk was our favorite. The 2013 Met Gala’s Punk: From Chaos To Couturetheme saw a lot of faux hawks on the red carpet, but it might have been Jennifer Morrison’s braided version. The messy look, complete with flyaways, dials down the intensity of a more sleek braid. The red lips add a touch of glam and ’80s inspiration to this grunge-inspired look.
Mohawk meets Braid
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Keke Palmer created a look that was a mix of a faux hawk and twisted braids. The roots are tamed to bring the style up (and it looks even more dramatic when paired with sides shaved). The loose braid that reads “I just woke like this” gives the style an effortless and modern edge.
Braided Pompadour Pony
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Jada’s long braids are on display in this “pompadour” ponytail. The actress created a unique style by pinning two sections of hair into loose topknots.
Fishtail Braid Mohawk
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Audrina Patridge’s faux-hawk has a beautiful height that doesn’t really result from the braid, but rather from a lot from teasing the crown. To create the messy, textured version of the fishtail, you’ll need to comb back your front hair section and pin it into a pompadour. The back section of your hair should be thrown up in a ponytail, and then braided into a messy fishtail. To finish off the look, loosen the braid and give it a unknotted feel.
Pulled-Back Mohawk Ponytail
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You can create a braided mohawk without any difficulty. Just pull your braids into a high-ponytail. To add volume, loosen up the braids at the crown.
Pinched Ponytail Mohawk
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Emily Blunt’s braided Mohawk is a combination of glamour and rocker chic. The slightly undone look of the pinned ponytail gives it texture and an edge.
Draped Braided Mohawk
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Alicia Keys’ braided styles are well-known. She usually wears box braids or cornrows but has also worn a braided fake hawk. Her sophisticated and sleek look is characterized by perfectly smooth sides, and a braided faux-hawk draped on top.
