Tessa Thompson’s Braids Have Reignited My Love for Protective Styles
From Couture Week to Wimbledon, this hairstyle does it all.
Tessa Thompson is everything I’m trying to channel this summer. On July 11, the actress was photographed arriving at day 12 of Wimbledon, the illustrious annual tennis tournament held in London. A vision in black and white, everything from her chic strapless dress to her bow heels perfectly captured the kind of look I’m going for in this hot summer weather. The cherry on top? Her gorgeous goddess braids.
As is customary for the style, Thompson's hair was braided into traditional knotless box braids, with strands of loose, curly extensions woven throughout the length of each plait. She skipped any hair accessories or clips, letting an oversized pair of sunglasses and a gorgeous burgundy lip tint provide the pops of color in her ensemble.
Tessa Thompson arrives at day twelve of Wimbledon.
Goddess braids are the ultimate workhorse hairstyle—they're just as fitting for the office as they are for vacation. Thompson is a perfect case study in the style’s versatility: she wore the look to a slew of fashion week shows before jetting off to Wimbledon for a quick date with her partner, Brandon Green.
One of my favorite things about braids is that once they're installed, you can still pull off all the trending hairstyles of the moment. Bobs, lobs, buns—you name it, there’s a way to make it work with this protective style. I’m back in braids for the first time in a few months, and my maintenance routine has officially kicked into high gear to protect both the health of my scalp and the strands underneath. If you’re thinking about trying a style like Thompson’s, keep reading for the best products to help extend its longevity.
Mousse is your best friend when it comes to maintaining braids, especially after you wash them and don't want the plaits to appear too fuzzy.
If I get goddess braids that have a lot more of the curly extensions than a typical version of the style, I make sure they don't get matted by using a paddle brush like this one and brushing them out daily.
One of my favorite ways to dress up my braids is to add fun accessories like this gorgeous claw clip.
I won't be getting that gorgeous blotted lip that Thompson was wearing out of my head for the foreseeable future, and this lipstick gives a super similar vibe.
That enviable glow on Thompson's body can be channeled by using one of my favorite body oils on the planet from Natura Bissé.
