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In terms of iconic hairstyles, Lara Croft’s braid will go down in history as one of the most notable. The female protagonist of the video game franchise, Tomb Raider, was as famous for her braid as her butt-kicking (and boobs).
Flitting between high and low, loose and tight, bits and no bits – the braid, or pony, was a constant for Croft. Then IRL (or Hollywood’s humanly version of real-life), Angelina Jolie brought the Croft braid into 3D existence in 2001’s Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. Jolie’s adaptation was as busty and brawny as her 2D character, and of course, she sported the braid – this time with two well-placed ‘bits’ that most likely fell out in the throes of battle. Thin, slicked and stringy, the two pieces of hair (fondly referred to by some ’80s babies as cockroach feelers) strategically popped out over her pillowy face and complimented the braid, which was quiffed, high and derriere-skimming. A catalyst for the revival of the braid in popular culture, Jolie’s version was mimicked for years to come by both gaming fans and beauty junkies.
Now, as Alicia Vikander steps into the boots of Croft and assumes the role for the latest reboot of Tomb Raider, the braid is rehashed once more. In the film, out in cinemas today, Vikander sports several iterations; from a chunkier low plait to a lofty ponytail with wild ends (again, a beauty nod to combat), Vikander’s Croft is equally iconic.
But it’s away from the cinema which truly sparked our interest, namely Vikander’s playful homage to the Croft braid on the red carpet. As the Tomb Raider press junket rolls ahead with full steam, the media appearances have no doubt been plentiful, and with each red carpet ramble comes a new adaption of the braid. At the Warner Bros. Pictures Premiere at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, Vikander opted for hair out, glossy and gently waved through the mid-lengths, it was then pulled and braided to one side in slightly messy twists. Part romantic, part bad-girl, it was perfect.
The same braid sensibility was applied at the European Premiere in the London’s West End, this time more explicitly within the Croft narrative. Slicked back and sculptural, the incredible braid was nothing short of a hair masterpiece; knotted, twisted and tied to perfection, it was an artful, modern take on the classic Croft braid.
Then at the Tomb Raider photo call in Berlin, Vikander’s nod to the fictional character’s hairstyle was slightly more subtle, this time sporting a kind of half braid. Hair was tightly braided and twisted to one side, whilst the rest was left out and kinked gently.
From power plating to tousled twists, the braid, in all its varied incarnations is back. Thanks Miss Croft.
