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Hair weaving techniques have been around for thousands of years, so it’s no surprise that the weave hairstyles we know today look so timeless. Read on to learn what weave hairstyles are and things to know before getting one yourself.
What Is a Weave Hairstyle?
Many other guides to the weave hairstyle only gloss over what the weave is, so we’re here to provide the full scoop. The weave is so named because you weave hair extensions into your natural hair.
Although hair extensions can be used in other ways, most of the time, they’re used for weave styles. If you’re not used to the idea of getting extensions, then it may seem odd, but weave hairstyles have tons of benefits.
The most obvious benefit is that they’re easy to get and maintain, and they don’t do any damage to your hair. That means you can experiment with all kinds of styles without putting your natural locks at risk.
You can have all kinds of colors, textures, and lengths without having to do a single thing to your actual hair. But the weave hairstyle isn’t for everyone. Read on to see whether you think you can rock one.
Read Next: How Much Do Hair Extensions Cost?
20 Examples of the Weave Hairstyle
Extensions aren’t for everyone, but if you’re open to the idea and willing to see what’s out there, then read on to see our picks for 20 of the best weave hairstyles you can get today.
Long Wavy Weave
Obviously, extensions make your hair longer, and many weave hairstyles are quite long because of this. Here’s one that uses long and wavy extensions to create a texture-rich hairstyle with tons of volume.
This kind of texture can be difficult to achieve without extensions, so this is really only possible with a weave hairstyle. If you’re looking for a hairstyle like this, then the hair extension will be your new best friend.
Shoulder Length Weave
Hair extensions can also be used to provide a more modest increase in length. Here, for example, the hair falls right to shoulder blade level, and it has a similarly twisty texture to the style above.
That’s another great thing about extensions––they’re available in so many types, and you can easily change up the exact texture of your hair by going with a different type.
Blonde Extensions
As I mentioned above, you can also use extensions to get a different color in your hair without having to dye it. Here’s one look that uses blonde extensions on top of naturally brown hair for a striking two-toned hairstyle.
The extensions add color, texture, and length for a triple threat to your style. This proves just how versatile extensions can be (and how natural they can look).
Wavy Extensions
This approach to the weave hairstyle features wavy extensions that add just the right amount of texture to the hair. As shown here, you can use more than one type of extension, too.
It’s common for women to use extensions that match their natural hair color and then add another color on top of that (like the blonde parts in this style). If you want to get a little more adventurous, you could even go for more than two colors.
Red on Black
Here’s a classic use of extensions that brings a ton of color to the hair. The red extensions are laid over top of the naturally black/brown hair for a bold result.
While most weave hairstyles are naturally rather long, this one is on the shorter side, and as a result, shorter extensions are used. This hairstyle is all about that pop of color, and the hair’s short length adds to that effect.
Curly Weave
Weave hairstyles can produce curls just as easily as they can produce waves. Getting curly extensions will give you this kind of look, where the hair is extremely kinked and worn long, well past the shoulder blades.
This is yet another hairstyle that’s harder to achieve naturally, and using hair extensions allows you to bypass that process and make sure your hair doesn’t get damaged by any styling.
Loose Curls
Want more natural-looking curls? You can get those with extensions! Getting extensions with loose curls is a breeze, and the result is a voluminous style with loads of texture.
You can opt for a different color for a two-toned style that puts the extensions in the spotlight or can match your natural color for an imperceptible look.
Choppy Waves
Some styles of wavy hair are hard to achieve, especially more dramatic looks that require the waves to be more pronounced. This is yet another problem that extensions can solve for you.
Extensions can be styled with all kinds of waviness, so you can pick exactly the flavor of wavy that’s right for you. Don’t like it? You can always change it up with different extensions!
Straight Length
Sometimes, you just want longer hair, and extensions can provide that as well. If your hair is naturally straight, then extensions become even easier to use, as they’re essentially “plug and play.”
They immediately add length without you having to do anything. The result is simple yet stylish, and if you ever want to revert back to having shorter hair, then the extensions can be easily removed.
Brunette Curls
Here’s another look that’s possible to achieve with the help of extensions. The long and flowing brown hair here can be grown out naturally, but as we’ve already seen, the extensions help you to dramatically cut back on the amount of time.
This saves you from months of growing your hair out (and having those awful periods where your hair is in between growth stages).
All About Volume
Extensions are often used to add extra length to the hair, but they can also add extra volume since they’re literally extra hair. With the right amount of extensions, you can get a voluminous style like this one.
The hair is wavy, but you can choose whatever texture you like. A professional stylist is key here, as he or she can help you choose the right type (and amount) of extensions for you.
Asymmetrical Wave
Asymmetrical hairstyles are popular for their unique look where one side is longer than or textured differently from the other. With extensions, you can create asymmetry in length, texture, or even both.
In this example, the extensions create a massive difference in length, with a wavy texture to round out the look. (You can also get a similar look by simply getting long extensions all around and pulling all your hair to the side.)
Rough Waves
Into big, choppy waves? Here’s a style for you. These extensions create long and broad waves, and they’re a little messier at the bottom for a tousled look that adds in some extra texture.
A middle part works best with this style, as it’s an easy and satisfying way to complete the symmetrical look. As with some of the other styles showcased here, this is a reliable and fashionable way to add length to your hair.
Thick Weave
Weave hairstyles can add many things to your hair, and among those is thickness. The right extensions can make your hair appear thicker, which means it also becomes a little more voluminous (although that’s more of a side effect).
This is great for women who’d like their hair to be just a bit fuller. Of course, you can change the length and texture depending on what you’re going for.
Pink Weave
It’s about time we looked at another color-centric option. This time, the style is long hot pink hair. While you could just dye your hair, the benefit of using extensions is that you don’t have to.
So it’s all about your goals and whether you’re willing to fully commit to a dyed look. You can either use extensions to try out a dye color or for a full-fledged style.
Curly Two-Tone
Extensions can also be used for a different kind of look where they’re woven into the natural hair in a more braid-like fashion. If the extensions used are of a different color than the natural hair, this styling results in something similar to what’s shown here: a two-toned style with lots of color and texture.
Frizzy Curls
Although frizzy hair is usually a bad thing, it can also create highly textured curls, as shown here. These medium, fairly loose curls are densely packed together for volume and texture.
This is one of the more voluminous styles, and it’s quite amazing to think that this can be achieved solely with the help of extensions.
Dirty Blonde
This weave hairstyle is pretty different from the ones we’ve seen so far. This is a dirty blonde style with a straight texture that accentuates the varying tones that are present in the hair.
This is also a weave hairstyle with bangs, which is quite unusual as most weave hairstyles omit the bangs to accentuate the weave. However, adding in a fringe can help to “ground” a style and add more dimension to it.
Waterfall Weave
This is by far the longest weave hairstyle on this list, so if you’re in search of long hair, you’ve come to the right place. This is a massive style in just about every sense of the word.
The hair is not only incredibly long, reaching all the way past the waist, but also voluminous. Extensions really help here, as this kind of length would normally take months or even years to grow out.
Gentle Waves
To top off our list, here’s a long and wavy weave hairstyle that has both volume and texture in spades. The hair has a gentle yet pronounced waviness to it, and there’s also a slight variance in color thanks to the extensions. It’s not quite two-toned––rather, the extensions are used to spice up the color palette just a little.
Weave Hairstyles: Things to Consider
Before you get a weave hairstyle, here are a few things to consider:
- Choose a professional stylist to work with. Getting a great weave hairstyle is a lot easier if you work with someone who knows their stuff.
- Make sure the extensions you choose are high quality. There are many low-quality extensions out there, so work with your stylist to ensure that you’re getting the good stuff.
- Try to match your current hairstyle. If you want to have extensions that match your natural hair color, they should really match perfectly. If they only match a little, the result can look bad. Again, working with a good stylist will help here.
So there you have it — our favorite hairstyles incorporating a weave. While the possibilities are endless, we’ve sought to provide you with a variety of options to help inspire your next look.
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