Is it my imagination, or are French braids showing up everywhere?  Are we experiencing a comeback?  I spent 3,823 hours between the ages of 9 - 13 in braids, and another 1,531 braiding the hair of girls I also cranked out poorly-woven friendship bracelets for.

I usually try and avoid repeating fashion choices I made pre-puberty, so I wrote this off with a dismissive, "No way, Jose"  until Sarah Michelle Gellar showed up to a recent premier looking so fabulous in - shock! - braids that I had to give this another round of think-it-out.

Then Hayden Panettiere shows up looking so crisp and clean in her braids that it pushed me back into, "Talked into it" territory.  This style especially looks effortless but put-together, even though the entire look could probably be created with a can of Aquanet and a couple of Goody rubber bands.

Conversely, Molly Sims did up the undone version (i.e., the sleep in it and wear it the next day version),  and looked great doing it.

Ok, ladies, you've talked me into it.  So long as no one gets too retro and starts sporting the single braid trailing down the spine of her back, I'm good with this trend coming back.  In fact, now that my blow-dryer and I have agreed to see other products for the summer, you can bet I'll be doing a few braids of my own.

If your French braid fingers are rusty, brush up with this tutorial.

Photos courtesy of jamd.com, getty images and dcwblogs.com