There is arguably nothing better than a time-saving hairstyle. The feeling of having time to reclaim a few precious minutes of sleep or add another set of reps to your workout is seriously unparalleled.
While there are a few go-to styles that are quintessential time savers (like braids, faux locs, or the classic bun), a nostalgic hairstyle is making its rounds on social media and deserves a spot on your summer-hairstyle mood boards: weave cornrows. If you’re curious about the trend, we asked a professional hairstylist to break down everything you should know about the hairstyle ahead.
Experts Featured in This Article
Kadeisha Placide is the owner of Classic Beauty Studio in New York City’s Brooklyn borough.
What Are Cornrow Sew-Ins?
Cornrow sew-ins – sometimes simply referred to as cornrows with weave – were popular in the early 2000s (Beyoncé even wore a version of them), are praised for their versatility and extremely seamless look. “This is a style created with traditional feed-in cornrow braids in the front and a sew-in installation in the back for some added length and density,” hairstylist Kadeisha Placide tells PS. “It’s a very trendy style, and the combination gives the illusion of natural hair.”
There are a few reasons the style is making the rounds again, and the resurgence of the Y2K aesthetic is one of them. “We emulate beauty and fashion trends throughout history. Currently, the early-2000s beauty, fashion, and even music/dance trends are making a comeback,” Placide says. “Cornrow sew-ins, in particular, are a nostalgic hairstyle that also doubles as a wonderful protective style, especially for curly/textured-hair folks.”
Why Are Cornrow Sew-Ins Trending?
The style is trending because it combines two of the most popular protective hairstyles: braids and weaves. “In the summer, it’s always recommended to ditch the hot tools and commit to an easy-to-wear (and easy-to-maintain) protective style,” Placide says.
Additionally, because the front of the hair is braided, there is a more seamless progression as you get to the back of your head where the sew-in starts. You don’t have to worry about blending any leave out or a closure or lace-front lifting, making the style extremely low maintenance.
How to Do a Cornrow Sew-In at Home
Should you want to go to the salon, the easiest way to ask for the style is to ask for cornrows with a partial sew-in. However, if you want to do the hairstyle at home, Placide has a few tips.
“At home, you can achieve this by doing the traditional cornrow braiding technique in the front of your head only, making sure to pre-section your hair so that you know where to end the cornrow,” Placide says. “You could also add in some braiding extensions to give your cornrows more length and thickness. When it comes to the sew-in portion, it can be a bit harder to do this step at home, so I recommend people opt for a half wig to give the illusion of natural hair.”
Cornrow sew-ins are extremely trendy and an easy alternative to having to spend time on your hair every day. If you’d like to add a personal touch to the style, you can give the cornrows a designer flair by adding hearts, zigzags, or stitch braiding to jazz this style up as desired. Whether you want some time back in the morning or just want to try out one of summer’s buzziest hairstyles, you can’t go wrong with adding cornrow sew-ins to your list of looks to try. Keep scrolling for some cornrow sew-in hairstyle inspiration.
