These snatched edges and intricate braided designs seen on the 51st NAACP Image awards red carpet are inspiring our next protective style, writes Nokubonga Thusi.

The hair game at the recent NAACP Image awards was up to a whole other level as stars such as Jill Scott and Storm Reid showed that braided hairstyles need not be boring.

Every winter season, our luscious Afros get tucked away under wigs or braids as a way to protect locks from the elements and prevent breakage from the drier air, excessive combing or styling.

Jill Scott

The Golden singer brought the fun with her criss-cross cornrow braids paired with long bubble pigtails. Scott didn't stop there and went full tilt with bold hair accessories such as wooden beads at the ends of face-framing braids and golden hoops cascading down the pigtails.

Copy the look: The addition of accessories will make your braids to pop this season. Make sure braids are free of flyaways and look sleek so that accessories can standout by using an edge tamer and gel to lay down edges.

Storm Reid

For just a wrinkle in time, we went to hair heaven with Reid's super feminine way of styling box braids.

Adding a lighter hue with blond hair extension highlights, braids were styled into a side swept ponytail, complete with a French braid across the front of the head mimicking a head band.

Copy the look: Trying different colours other than the standard colour B2 when it comes to box braids is a perfect way to keep you in love with braids.

Switch it up and go for brighter, lighter colours such as blond, red or even purple in winter and stay away from the darker, "winter-appropriate" shades.

Chloe Bailey

Calling all dreadlocked queens, Chloe just changed the game. We have all seen twists, but we're not sure we have seen twisted dreads that looked this good.

The star, known for her dreads, chose to lock her dreads in a twisted style and sweep them to the one side to show off statement earrings and give an edgy faux undercut look to her do.

Copy the look: Whether you have dreads already or want to rock them for a season with faux loc extensions, get your hair stylist to lock your dreads in a twisted style to give locs an elegant feel and subtle details that make a huge statement.

Use a lock and twist gel to neaten up your dreads by twisting any loose dreads at the root and palm rolling any flyaway hair growth along the dread shaft.