Amy Winehouse had her beehive, Ariana Grande has her ponytail. Beyoncé has the Louvre, probably the Colosseum, and the September issue, but also the world’s most omnipotent braid. It whips, it dances, it improvises, it hypnotizes, and most recently it made a glorious appearance on the OTR II tour, pleasing fans far and wide (i.e. from Twitter all the way to Instagram.)
Hairstylist Neal Farinah, the man responsible for attaching the waist-length braid atop Bey’s head, made sure to document the plaited marvel’s every move in Philadelphia amidst wardrobe changes, a slight earring snag, and the occasional Bey smack. At one point during the show, the Braid even managed to shorten itself a foot or so backstage, just to switch things up.
Uncanny! While everyone is out here getting bobs because it’s hot outside, consider Bey’s more utilitarian route of a singular, ridiculously long braid. It comes equipped with fanning powers, keeps sweaty hair out of your face and off your shoulders, and can also be used as a self-defense mechanism with enough neck power behind it. It also looks extra cool in slo-mo and with a reverse filter.
The defense rests.
