While not always braided, the hair was pulled back very tight into a single tail, wrapped around a piece of leather and tied down with a ribbon. The hair was often greased and powdered in a fashion similar to powdered wigs, or tarred in the case of sailors.
This describes a hairstyle that involved pulling back the hair tightly into a single ponytail, using a leather band as a base, and securing it with a ribbon. The style often included greasing and powdering the hair, similar to wigs, or applying tar for sailors.