Marie Claire Marie Claire
  • Celebrity
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Culture
  • Power
  • Nice Talk
  • Fashion Month
  • More
    • Politics
    • Career & Money
    • Health & Fitness
    • Power Play
    • Travel
    • Promo Codes
    • Food & Cocktails
    • About Us
    • Subscribe
    • Sex & Love
  • Newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Marie Claire
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    Want to add more newsletters?

    Marie Claire Daily

    Delivered daily

    Marie Claire Daily

    Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Sent weekly on Saturday

    Marie Claire Self Checkout

    Exclusive access to expert shopping and styling advice from Nikki Ogunnaike, Marie Claire's editor-in-chief.

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Once a week

    Maire Claire Face Forward

    Insider tips and recommendations for skin, hair, makeup, nails and more from Hannah Baxter, Marie Claire's beauty director.

    Livingetc

    Once a week

    Livingetc

    Your shortcut to the now and the next in contemporary home decoration, from designing a fashion-forward kitchen to decoding color schemes, and the latest interiors trends.

    Homes & Gardens

    Delivered Daily

    Homes & Gardens

    The ultimate interior design resource from the world's leading experts - discover inspiring decorating ideas, color scheming know-how, garden inspiration and shopping expertise.


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Lived-in Handbags
    • Eyepatch-Gate
    • Life in Plastic
    • Brown Denim
    • Taylor Swift
    1. Beauty
    2. Hair

    Ciara Looks Vacation-Ready With the Perfect Set of Stitch Braids

    Not a single hair out of place.

    Danielle Jackson's avatar
    By Danielle Jackson
    Published 31 March 2026 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    a black woman with short, black hair photographed wearing black on a red carpet
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    Ciara is still proving that she's the ultimate hair chameleon. A few weeks ago, she attended the Vanity Fair Oscar Party wearing a sleek pixie cut wig with a side part and blunt bang, and shortly after that, she attended a gala in New York City wearing long, black mermaid waves. Now she's switching things up once again with braided style that I'm already considering asking my stylist for the next time I go on vacation.

    On Monday, the Level Up singer shared an Instagram video where she's seen lip syncing to one of her songs and showing off her new hair. The style features large, straight-back stitch braids with mini stitch braids that feed into each other placed in between. "When she get them fresh rows..she ain’t got time," she wrote in the caption.

    A post shared by Ciara (@ciara)

    With spring officially here and the weather beginning to heat up on the East coast, it seems like every celebrity is finally bringing back the protective vacation hairstyles they plan on wearing this season. Before Ciara showed off her stitch braids, Kerry Washington attended a press event in New York City for her new Apple TV+ series earlier this month wearing boho-style French braids with honey blonde extensions. Zazie Beetz was also seen on the press circuit recently wearing long, wavy box braids with burgundy-colored extensions courtesy of celebrity hairstylist Lacy Redway.

    Latest Videos FromMarie Claire
    Watch full video here:

    Protective styles like box braids and cornrows can be worn all year round, and when they're not installed too often or too tight, they can offer the perfect solution for anyone hoping to spend a few weeks wearing a different hairstyle that tucks their ends away and keeps manipulation to a minimum. If you're thinking of starting off spring with a protective style similar to Ciara's stitch braids, read ahead for some styling and maintenance tips.

    Ampro Shine 'n Jam Setting Mousse Honey Extra Hold 12oz/ 354ml

    Shine 'n Jam
    Setting Mousse Honey Extra Hold
    $6
    SHOP NOW

    A setting mousse will hold your braids in place for longer and reduce the amount of flyaways you might experience as your hair grows out.

    Dove Derma Scalp Dandruff Relief 3-In-1 Barrier Repair Serum With Prebiotic Glycerin, Niacinamide and Vitamin E for Dandruff-Prone, Flaky, Dry Scalp, 2 Fl Oz

    Dove
    Derma Scalp Dandruff Relief 3-In-1 Barrier Repair Serum
    $13
    SHOP NOW

    Sometimes braids and braiding hair can cause the scalp to become dry and irritated. If that's the case, a few drops of this serum will help with itchiness.

    Sheamoisture Instant Scalp Refresh Anti-Dandruff Spray With Salicylic Acid and Scalp Repair Technology Hydrates Dry Scalp, Removes Buildup and Controls Itch and Flakes 4 Fl Oz

    Shea Moisture
    Instant Scalp Refresh Anti-Dandruff Spray With Salicylic Acid
    $13
    SHOP NOW

    SheaMoisture's scalp spray also fights itchiness and dandruff, but it comes in a less-messy spray bottle.

    Kiss Products Colors U0026#38; Care Edge Fixer Gel - Maximum Hold U0026#160;- Sweet Peach - 1.01 Fl Oz: for Textured Hair, Contains Biotin

    KISS Products
    Edge Fixer Gel
    $4
    SHOP NOW

    Styling your baby hairs isn't always necessary, but if you choose to, use a strong product that won't cause breakage or damage.

    Annie International Double-Sided Edge Brush and Hair Brush - Black

    Annie International
    l Double-Sided Edge Brush and Hair Brush
    $2
    SHOP NOW

    Since your baby hairs are a lot more delicate, you should be using a soft tool (like this mini edge brush) to style them.

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
    Danielle Jackson
    Danielle Jackson
    Social Links Navigation
    Former Senior Beauty Writer

    Danielle Jackson is the former senior beauty writer at Marie Claire. She has nearly a decade of experience covering beauty, lifestyle, and entertainment and was previously the senior beauty editor at Women's Health, where she thoughtfully covered topics related to skincare, haircare, aesthetics, and wellness. Before that, she spent three years as an assistant beauty editor at PS, and in the years since, her work has appeared in titles like Vogue, InStyle, Glamour, and more. Danielle graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in English, and has lived in Brooklyn for almost ten years. When she's not writing, you can find her reading romance novels and talking about sunscreen. You can find her on Instagram @danielleknecole.

    Read more
    Nicole Kidman attends the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
    Hair Nicole Kidman’s Emmys Hair Has Me Ready to Retire the Slicked-Back Bun Low updos are officially fall's hottest hairstyle.
    By Siena Gagliano
    three woman in stylish outfits with sunglasses at NYFW
    Beauty All My Fall Hair Inspiration Can Be Found on the Streets of NYC New York Fashion Week is serving up piping hot glam.
    By Hannah Baxter
     
     
    two women with blow buns and low ponytails on a liquid golden background
    Hair The Reign of the Slick Back Bun Is Over Low, loose, and undone is the vibe for fall.
    By Hannah Baxter
    three woman in glamorous makeup and gowns in front of a blue and gold emmys step and repeat
    Beauty The Most Jaw-Dropping 2026 Emmys Live Red Carpet Beauty Looks Tune in for can't-miss hair, makeup, and manicure looks at film's biggest night.
    By Hannah Baxter
     
     
    Latest in Hair
    plum background with collage of hair products and two models
    Hair My 6 Favorite Brands for Fine Hair Still Feel Like a Beauty Industry Secret
    two women with blow buns and low ponytails on a liquid golden background
    Hair The Reign of the Slick Back Bun Is Over
     
     
    Nicole Kidman attends the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
    Hair Nicole Kidman’s Emmys Hair Has Me Ready to Retire the Slicked-Back Bun
    Lukita Maxwell at the 78th Emmy Awards held at Peacock Theater on September 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
    Hair Lukita Maxwell Just Made the Baby Bob Fall’s Most Tempting Haircut
     
     
    Latest in News
    Paris Hilton at The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards
    Celebrity Style Over-the-Knee Boots Returned the MTV VMAs Red Carpet, Just in Time for Fall
    Dakota Johnson speaks onstage during the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) at Peacock Theater on September 27, 2026 in Los Angeles, California.
    Celebrity Style Dakota Johnson Offers a Tasteful Take on the Naked Dress Trend at the 2026 VMAs
     
     
    Kacy Musgraves at The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards (VMAs) at the Peacock Theater on Thursday, September 24, 2026
    Celebrity Style Kacey Musgraves Honors Dolly Parton in a Rhinestone Cowgirl-Coded Dress at the MTV VMAs
    vmas red carpet dress ciara miller 2026
    Celebrity Style Bras Nearly Outnumbered Gowns on the VMAs Red Carpet
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Marie Claire
    RSS
    • About us
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Advertise Online
    • Newsletter
    • Terms and conditions
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • Careers
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.