Hair braiding is the new must 'do for men

A few weeks ago, Randy Espinal, a financial services worker from Central Islip, decided to make a major hair change at K&D African Hair Braiding in Bay Shore. Sporting a conventional haircut he says, “I wanted locs, but my hair wasn’t long enough.” So, he opted for braided extensions that he plans to “wear in a man bun,” inspired he says by pro wrestler Roman Reigns.

“The entire experience was great and informative,” says Espinal, 48, adding that he’s happy with the results. “My wife loves it.”

Espinal isn't the only guy opting for a new 'do. Long Island hair braiders are reporting an increase in the volume of male customers at their salons and barber shops asking for designs that are elaborate. Some say that it’s about a new acceptance while others suggest that the draw has been driven and inspired by the recent NBA season when braids were everywhere (think Josh Hart’s "NY" branded coif).

For Julee Wilson, Cosmopolitan’s beauty editor-at-large, that’s good news. “I love to see it,” she says “Braids and locs on men going ‘mainstream’ is a demonstration of cultural reclamation, pride and undeniable style. It’s not a trend — it’s a statement.”

She adds: “Athletes have always been trendsetters ... from Allen Iverson’s iconic cornrows on the basketball court to Odell Beckham Jr. switching up his hair every season on the football field — these men are style icons. In many ways they make it OK, even aspirational to ... embrace braids since their fan bases span across all races and cultures.”

Over at K&D, which has been around since 1996, owner Nawa Kandee Coleman says, “This is actually a comeback.”

She, too, mentions the former Philadelphia 76er Iverson. “In 2000, his braids were very popular.” But, she explains, at one point “that fell off,” and men started moving toward “dark waves and Caesar cuts.”

Now, “it’s 100% back,” with the workmanship getting more intricate. “In the early 2000s you were just doing cornrows," Coleman says. "Now we’re doing braids, twists and locs and [the men] are looking in the mirror, watching your technique and are extremely excited. And they tip really well, too.”

When Trevor Noah calls, answer

Claudia-Ann Arthur, the owner of Claudified Hair Studio, at Roosevelt Field in Garden City, recalls when she got the call from former “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah’s assistant looking to set up an appointment for the popular comedian to get hair braided for the Met Ball a few years back. “I thought it was a prank at first,” Arthur says. But today, he is a regular. She notes that nowadays she’s seeing more male customers, some of whom are “corporate men who want to be well-groomed and professional,” while “younger guys are going for more playful styles.”

Why did Noah choose her? According to Arthur, it was part of her social-media handle, “the pain free braider” — a nickname given to her by clients — that enticed Noah. She says he asked during an appointment, “How are you so gentle?” and several clients interviewed for this story noted her light touch.

At Parce Cuts in Selden, Lucas Castano, the barbershop’s owner caters to a mostly Latino clientele and has worked on the likes of pop star Farruko and several members of the  U.S. men's soccer team. “The braiding game has changed a lot. It’s more acceptable,” Castano says. He, too, acknowledges that “a lot of people are inspired by artists and athletes,” but prides himself on going freestyle.

“Some people do bring pictures,” (like that of New York Knick Hart), he says. “Though I’m trying to make my customer happy, I’m a little hard-headed. There’s no need to walk around with the same braid that everybody else has. I like to be a little creative and I consider myself an artist, not just a hairstylist.”

He tried it, and liked it

Then there’s Sai Prakash Reddy Kasireddy, 26, of Hicksville, who wore braids to his graduation ceremony in 2024 and is hoping to get them again. “I’ve had an interest in braids for a long time and grew my hair for two years so I could have them.”

Since his childhood, he says, he’s been a big fan of Post Malone’s braided hairdo. The reaction from friends and family? “I got a lot of compliments,” he says. “They said it perfectly suits you.”

He did have one complaint: “The process was painful and so was taking them out.” That said, “I will definitely do it again.”

Longtime braider lovers

At only 17, Angel Diaz, of Coram, has been getting braids for three years done by Priscilla Marquez, who works at Parce Cuts. “I started to get braids because they look nice. It gives me a clean look and I feel very put together,” he says. The only thing about it that’s difficult, “is sitting still for an hour, maybe more. The actual braiding process honestly doesn’t hurt more than getting pinched.”

For Ray Blagman, 41, of Huntington, who works for the New York State Department of Health as a disease intervention specialist, braids are “a way to express myself. It’s more than just braids, it’s a form of art. People stop me on the street to ask about them.”

Blagman says he follows loads of braiders on social media from “all around the world,” and he’s “always looking for different styles and something new.” He’s started doing it in 2021 and now is a client at Claudified, though he formerly traveled to Brooklyn to braider Shaa Bladez, who worked on New York Knick Jalen Brunson’s two-strand twist. He’s happy with Arthur’s proximity and talent. “Claudia can do anything, and she helps me express my culture.”

Recently, fashion model Anarcius Jean, 26, of Uniondale, tried out the braiding services at Claudified before doing a fashion shoot. He typically gets his hair done every four weeks. “Everyone on the set was saying how clean they were, and they loved them.”