The term CORNROWS ALTERNATIVE can be broken down into four crossword solutions: AFRO (4 letters), PLAIT (5 letters), PLAITED (7 letters), and BRAIDS (6 letters). Cornrows are a traditional African hairstyle in which the hair is braided close to the scalp, usually in straight rows. An alternative to cornrows is an AFRO, which is a hairstyle characterized by a mass of tight curls. Plaits and BRAIDS are also alternatives to cornrows, with plaits being a single braid and BRAIDS being multiple interwoven strands of hair. The difference between plaits and PLAITED is that PLAITED refers to the act of braiding the hair.