I've been doing Crown and Glory. It's been espically beneficial because it helps me strech without looking CRAZY!! Luckly, I have a lot of cousins and family friends who are willing to braid my hair for free (but I still give them some money or a gift), so I usually get mine's redone every 4-5 weeks.
I do regular box braids, usually with the ends loose. And I wash them weekly. In the past I've used different types of hair to change the look (plus, each person braids a different way). You can also do cornrows or goddess braids for a few weeks, to switch up the style, but don't leave them for too long.
Anyhow, during the winter, it's nice to do braids because it proects your hair from the coldness (I'm from Maryland
), plus when my hair is out I get bored and play with it or it randomly gets caught aganist my clothes or headrest of a car....and braids help stop these random, preventable breakage.
Hope this helps!!!