Shaunie O'Neal and Christina Milian Debut Braided Hairstyles, Plus Our Favorite Celebrity Braided Hair Moments (PHOTOS)

Braids are back, baby! Well, let's be honest--they really didn't go anywhere. But with celebs like Solange Knowles, Beyonce, and even little Zahara Jolie-Pitt rocking pretty plaits, the style has definitely made a triumphant return to the spotlight.

"Basketball Wives" executive producer Shaunie O'Neal got into the hair-braiding spirit recently when she showed off a new box braid look via a Twitpic this week. The low maintenance hairstyle is perfect for hot nights in the club or humid days in the sun.

And speaking of the sun, Christina Milian was spotted catching some rays with her adorable daughter, Violet, both sporting freshly braided 'dos while in Jamaica. Christina tweeted a pic of the two in their matching Mommy-and-me cornrows accessorized with beads. Super cute!

Here's a look at Shaunie, Christina and Violet's braided 'dos--and check out the slideshow below for some of our favorite celebrities wearing braids over the years

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• 2012: Beyonce

• 2012: Shaunie O'Neal

• 2012: Christina Milan and daughter Violet

• 2012: Solange Knowles

• 2012: Zahara Jolie-Pitt

• 2012: Serena Williams and Venus William

  US Serena Williams (L) and Venus Williams celebrate on the podium after receiving their gold medal for winning the London 2012 Olympic Games women's doubles tennis tournament, at the All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, on August 5, 2012. AFP PHOTO / LEON NEAL (Photo credit should read LEON NEAL/AFP/GettyImages)

• 2012: Solange Knowles

• 2012: Chrisette Michele

  NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 25: Singer Chrisette Michele attends 'Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection' New York premiere at AMC Loews Lincoln Square on June 25, 2012 in New York City. (Photo by Gary Gershoff/WireImage)

• 2012: Beyonce

• 2011: Joy Bryant

  WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 27: Actress Joy Bryant arrives at the Vanity Fair Oscar party hosted by Graydon Carter held at Sunset Tower on February 27, 2011 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)

• 2011: Jill Scott

  OSLO, NORWAY - DECEMBER 11: Jill Scott attends the press conference ahead of the Nobel Peace Prize Concert at Oslo Spektrum on December 11, 2011 in Oslo, Norway. (Photo by Ragnar Singsaas/Getty Images)

• 2011: Patra

  NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 17: Singer Patra attends the Inspired in New York event honoring Emil Wilbekin at Tian at the Riverbank on August 17, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)

• 2010: Jada Pinkett Smith

  LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 27: Actress Jada Pinkett Smith arrives at the 2010 BET Awards held at the Shrine Auditorium on June 27, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

• 2003: Brandy

  LOS ANGELES - JUNE 3: (FILE PHOTO) Singer Brandy arrives at the premiere of '2 Fast 2 Furious' at the Universal Amphitheatre on June 3, 2003 in Los Angeles, California. Brandy's record company released a statement that the 24-year-old singer has split from her husband, Robert Smith, the father of her 1-year old daughter. Atlantic Records said, 'Brandy and her husband are splitting. They will remain friends and raise their daughter jointly.' (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

• 2002: Alicia Keys

  Alicia Keys in Concert during Alicia Keys in Concert - Northern California at Chronicle Pavilion in Concord, California, United States. (Photo by J. Shearer/WireImage)

• 2001: Beyonce

  Beyonce Knowles of the group Destiny's Child appears on the NBC Today show May 11, 2001 in Rockefeller Center in New York. (Photo by Chris Hondros/Getty Images)

• 2001: Brandy

  Brandy makes an appearance on Ray J's new video 'Wait A Minute' featuring Lil' Kim, his new single on Atlantic Records, in Los Angeles, Ca. 2/1/01. Ray J is the brother of singer Brandy and has been an actor/singer since he was 7 years old. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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Comments

[divalocity]

08:29 AM on 08/15/2012

Braids are only back for those who don't have a sense of their own style and need some celebrity to influence their choice of hairstyle and clothing. The rest of us set our own style and trends without waiting on some celebrity to do it for us. We rock whatever moves us on our own terms. "The streets are the real catwalks!"

[UmYeah]

09:17 AM on 08/10/2012

It never left...

[HONEST1981]

05:19 AM on 08/10/2012

Braids are beautiful.... but lets keep it classey..

[tenae]

04:27 AM on 08/10/2012

BRAIDS AINT NEVER GOING ANYWHERE

[imanormalalien]

03:13 PM on 08/09/2012

stupid post. braids never went anywhere.

[Dee Dee12]

01:56 AM on 10/05/2012

You got that right. Braids have never went out of style, and never will.

[wildcherry69]

08:38 AM on 08/09/2012

Braids are back? They never left. Who are writing these ridiculous articles. Must be someone who does not live among black folks. Just because you don't see celebrities wearing them does not mean they are out of style.

[divalocity]

08:32 AM on 08/15/2012

Ditto! That's just like Vogue and the rest of them acting like they just discovered denim jackets and denim vests. We've been rocking them forever! Stuff like this just makes me roll my eyes.

[Cornelius G]

01:49 AM on 08/09/2012

Urgghhh...In my opinion, braids (fake) are not attractive at all. There is nothing more appealing than a natural woman. Fake attachments are just that - fake.

[anita foster]

08:38 PM on 08/08/2012

Still weave!

[gorsgt]

07:52 PM on 08/08/2012

Remember Peaches and Herb? Peaches and her beads! Glodean, Barry's wife with her braid and beads. Susan Taylor former editor of essence mag. The only hair do I ever saw her wearing. How long have Mr.Wonder being wearing his? I know my old schoolers can bring up some good memories of braids. The seventies, braids one weekend, Afro the next weekend. My grandmother use to braid mines and my sister's hair in the sixties. Six big braids straight to the back, couldn't close our eyes(lol)) ears was jack up, all with"Royal Crown Hair Grease". Grew up, did my daughter the same way. Nope...braids have not went anywhere. " Original Gangsta Braider." lol...:)_:)

[Absolute]

02:31 PM on 08/08/2012

Thankfully this author knows and clearly states that braids never, ever left.

[dwill123]

01:01 PM on 08/08/2012

Where's Geroge Clinton??? Actually he's gotten rid of his.

BEFORE: http://bossip.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/georgeclintonmug.jpg

AFTER: http://seizethemomentnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/IMG_8720_George_Clinton_STM.jpg
(well at least some things have remained the same, thank goodness)

[Xgal08]

12:15 PM on 08/08/2012

I'll pass. I've tried them before but they cause hair breakage and pain.

[Absolute]

04:13 PM on 08/08/2012

I've never had any pain or breakage during or after braiding. In fact, like many women I experience less breakage and lots of new, healthy growth.

It really depends on the style of braids and the skill of the braider.

[Xgal08]

05:22 PM on 08/08/2012

Well, I have a very sensitive and tender scalp that is prone to alopecia. I joke that if you blow on my hair too hard, it will break. So, It really doesn't matter who braids it. It's not just braiding. I can't get it blown out, chemically or heat straightened. I only wash and condition my hair now. It grows and is healthy.

[Dee Dee12]

02:08 AM on 10/05/2012

You cannot have your hair tightly braided or it will damage your scalp. Try different styles like box braids, which I think is more healthier for your scalp. Grows out your hair like crazy. Don't let the stylist pull your hair so that bumps starts to show, your hair will definitely come out. You will end up without a hair line, and it will be so far back that you will end up wearing wigs. This had happened to a former co-worker, and she did not listen to our advice. She kept getting micro braids, and her hair came out. Now she has to wear wigs, but they look good on her. Use vitamin E oil on your scalp, it definitely grows your hair back quick.

[Micaela McGee]

11:14 AM on 08/08/2012

ugh.. I've never liked my hair braided. It took hours and it hurt because my hair was always braided so tight. And a lady once added weave to my braids which cut my real hair :-/ It's not for everyone.

[Aamiya David]

11:09 AM on 08/08/2012

Braids are a great transitional aid to gaining natural hair!

[Sharelle Milo]

10:36 AM on 08/08/2012

Don't braids come back every summer?

[Dee Dee12]

02:12 AM on 10/05/2012

No, where do you live, or are you just being funny? Everyone wears braids no matter where they live.

[Sharelle Milo]

07:01 AM on 10/05/2012

There are people who where braids year round; however, a lot of women in my area get braids at the beginning of the summer.  Some get them for practical reasons and other get them because more people have them in the summer.