Kaia Gerber’s Pigtail Braids Are a Sign of a Throwback '90s Hair Trend

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 15 August 2024

Kaia Gerber has had a busy few months. She’s gotten her new business, Library Science—a reading community with merch to boot—off the ground. She’s traveled to the Paris Olympics alongside mom, Cindy Crawford. The model even was crowned a Celine Pilates Princess—and debuted a fresh set of curtain bangs. That all said, she’s very deserving of an off-duty day.

But it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Gerber’s laidback style is still incredibly chic. The model was spotted getting out of a car on August 14 in peak Book Club Founder fashion: with a white tee, pajama pants, and It sneakers.

While there’s plenty to unpack about Gerber’s recipe to wearing pajamas outside, the beauty editor in me has to reserve a moment to discuss the model’s taut pigtail braids. The three-strand plaits are clearly reminiscent of the ‘90s, signaling a resurgence of a throwback hair trend.

Kaia Gerber wears a library science t shirt with sweatpants and a classic bag plus it sneakers — Kaia Gerber was seen running errands on August 14.

Pigtail braids, a favorite of Jennifer Aniston, Britney Spears, and even a young Kaia herself, reached peak popularity in the '90s. But their return to the hairstyling scene is somewhat to be expected. In Marie Claire’s roundup of the biggest 2024 hair trends, our experts predicted a renaissance of hairstyles from decades past.

Kaia Gerber walks in New York City wearing a t shirt bag and sweatpants — Gerber's pigtail braids fell past her shoulders.

While you might not be fully prepared to bring back a deep side part from your middle school days or commit to a baroque bob, pigtail braids are a fairly easy entry reference to the wayback machine.

Instead of opting for super tight-knit, over-the-ear plaits, opt for a looser braid tucked behind the ears with a slicked-back middle part. It’s a simple way to upgrade a pigtail braid for an easy hairstyle that’s nothing like the one you wore at sleepaway camp. Just look to Gerber for proof.

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Samantha Holender is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. She's constantly tracking the biggest nail and hair trends to pop up in the beauty space, going backstage during fashion weeks, tracking celebrity looks, and constantly talking to celebrity hair stylists, nail artists, and makeup artists. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.