Photo Credit: @dreamdry 

Achieve the perfect plait at these hip NYC Braid Bars

By Sarah Emily Gilbert

Braids are the foolproof hairstyle for any situation. Hair’s a day old? Braid it. Is the weather hot and humid? Braid it. Going on a date? Braid it. Okay, so you get the idea – braids are the best, but they’re not always the easiest to master.

While braids are having a moment in the fashion world, they can be complicated to achieve on your own. Luckily, “Braid Bars” are popping up all over New York City. As their name suggests, Braid Bars are places where women can quickly and easily get their hair braided before hitting the town. From walk-ins to scheduled appointments, Braid Bars offer a myriad of options and styles to accommodate every woman for any situation. Below, Urban Agenda outlines some of the best places to get the perfect plait in NYC.

Photo Credit: @julia_casella | @birchbox 

Birchbox SoHo

Website: https://www.birchbox.com/stores/appointments/soho

Location: 433 West Broadway

Aside from being able to try-on all your favorite beauty product samples, women can get their hair braided at Birchbox’s NYC flagship store in SoHo. For $30 dollars, Birchbox experts can give clients a trendy plait like a fishtail or crown braid in just 30 minutes. Although hair can be dirty or clean for braiding (dirty hair works best), it should always be dry before coming to your appointment or walk-in.

Photo Credit: @leletny | @dreamdry 

Dreamdry

Website: http://dreamdry.com/services/

Location: 35 West 21^st Street & 315 West 57^th Street

If your hair needs some TLC before its braided, Dreamdry is your place. This trendy dry bar co-founded by Rachel Zoe offers the “Blowout and Braid” option where clients can get Dreamdry’s signature blowout complete with any of their unique barids, each with their own name like “Juliette” or “Audrey.”

John Barrett

Website: https://johnbarrett.com/services/

Location: 754, 5^th Avenue

Get a famous “Barrett Braid” from famed stylist John Barrett. His chic salon on 5^th Avenue offers four different braid services. Clients can chose from general braiding, shampooing and braiding, shampooing, blow-drying, and braiding, and braiding with clip-in hair extensions. Although Barrett Braids aren’t cheap (starting at $50 for a general braid), they’re well worth the extra penny.

Photo Credit: @beautybyjenniferr | @thedrybar

Drybar

Website: http://www.thedrybar.com/locations/

Location: 19 East 39^th Street (and various other NYC locations)

Drybar is known for their ability to make women look flawless without ever cutting or coloring hair. Instead, they rely exclusively on their blowouts. Fortunately, they also do braids – and gorgeous ones at that. Add a braid as the final touch to any of their signature blowouts for just an extra $10.