15 Braided Mohawk Styles and How to Do Them

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A braided mohawk gives you the bold shape of a classic mohawk, often without shaving your head. Braids or cornrows on the sides lead up to a raised strip of braids, twists or curls down the center.

The mohawk hairstyle takes its name from the Mohawk people, one of the Haudenosaunee nations, though the shaved style is historically associated with several Native American nations. It became a punk symbol in the 1970s and ’80s, and the braided version is now a popular protective style.

How to Do Braided Mohawk Braids

Start with clean, conditioned, detangled hair. Slightly stretched or second-day hair is easier to braid.
Part a strip down the center of your head for the mohawk.
Braid cornrows on each side, angling them up toward the center strip.
Braid or twist the center section, or gather it into curls, a ponytail or a bun on top.
Add braiding hair if you want extra length and volume.

Braided Mohawk Styles to Try

1. Punk Rock Braided Mohawk

Punk braided mohawk with white accent braids

Braids gathered into a mohawk with white accent braids and a little color spray for a rocker look.

2. Flipped Blonde Mohawk

Bleached blonde flipped mohawk with side braids

Bleached blonde hair flipped over on top, with braids along the sides for detail.

3. Braided Mohawk Without Shaving

Braids along the sides create the mohawk shape, so you get the look without shaving.

4. Fishtail Mohawk with Shaved Sides

Shaved sides with an intricate fishtail braid running down the center.

5. Braided Mohawks with Shaved Sides

Three braided mohawk looks with shaved sides

Shaved sides keep it sharp. Go short with red on top, or longer with a bigger braid.

6. Icy Blonde Mohawk

Icy platinum blonde makes a braided mohawk look futuristic.

7. Twisted Mohawk Ponytail

Twists that start thin at the sides and build toward a mohawk ponytail on top.

8. Braided Mohawk Updo

An elegant protective updo that sweeps braids into a mohawk shape.

9. Clean-Line Braided Mohawk

Perfectly straight cornrows leading to the center, for anyone who loves clean lines.

10. Cornrow Mohawk with Curls

Medium cornrows on the sides and back with loose curls left on top.

11. Natural Hair Mohawk with Curls

Angled cornrows with your natural curls gathered into a mohawk. Add a curl cream for definition.

12. Braided Mohawk with Extensions

Braided mohawk with close braids and extensions

Close braids with extensions add length and thickness without coloring your own hair.

13. Fully Braided Mohawk

Braids woven up toward the center from every side, then styled on top.

14. Patterned Braided Mohawk

Creative parts and patterns take a braided mohawk up a notch.

15. Double Braid Mohawk

Mohawk made of two connected braids with shaved sides

Two big braids joined into one at the nape, with shaved sides.

FAQs

How long do mohawk braids last?

Cornrow mohawks usually last two to four weeks; styles with braided extensions can last four to six weeks.

Do you have to shave your head for a mohawk braid?

No. Tight cornrows on the sides give the mohawk shape without shaving.

Do mohawk braids damage hair?

Not if the side cornrows aren’t too tight. Protect your edges and sleep in a silk or satin scarf.

Final Thoughts

A braided mohawk is bold, protective and endlessly customizable. For more ideas, see our African braid hairstyles and braided ponytails.