Monday, May 31, 2010
There is nothing more beautiful than a confident woman that knows her worth as an individual; not as an image of beauty based on some one or some thing that she is not. Add to that modifier the word natural. It brings forth a whole new meaning. There is nothing more beautiful than a natural woman that knows her worth as an individual. When the adjective natural is added, the connotation changes, completely.
Most natural women have endured societal scrutiny for being natural, whether it be from family, friends, colleagues or complete strangers. We get the questions, the looks, the sneers, and the snickers. In most cases, it makes us stronger, more convicted and more comfortable in our own skin as we persist on our natural journey. In some cases, it can break us and we succumb to societal pressure, altering our hair to fit in.
But what makes natural hair so taboo to some? Most of us are coily and content; we enjoy the versatility of having natural hair. It is liberating not to be restricted by our styles. We can dance in the rain without a care, literally. That is the beauty of being natural. So why is it that our friends and family treat our going natural as such a bad thing?
For all the “old pros” that are reconsidering their natural tresses, think about your initial reason for going natural. Has it changed? Or have you become bored with your hair? Thanks to the internet, a natural community is at our fingertips. There are so many websites, blogs, tutorials, etc. that make having natural hair easier to style, maintain, grow; you name it- it’s out there. Every woman has the need to evolve and progress, explore your resources. Experiment with your hair, you can breath new life into your style in a matter of minutes. Recall how invigorating it was when the journey really hit you. When your natural hair made you feel beautiful. Inject that moment into every negative thought, every condescending comment, and every contemplation. Be quickened by that feeling. And if you still think that your want to stray from the natural, guess what? It’s your prerogative. Do what makes you happy. If you regret that decision, a new natural journey is always awaiting you with open arms.
For all the new naturals out there, think about why you wanted to go natural. What inspired you? Hold on to that inspiration every time someone says to you, “but your hair was so pretty, before…” Just because they have the audacity to judge you, does not mean that you have to explain yourself. This is where we coily girls get our confidence. The more people badger us about how “different” our hair is after we transition, the easier it is to see the false image of beauty that society has set forth. Moreover, it sets us apart as individuals.
Isn’t it wonderful to know that no one else in the universe is exactly like you? Why does society try so hard to make us all the same? Be an individual; embrace your self in all of your natural glory. No guises, just you. Beautiful you. Be encouraged, we’ve all been there. Hang on to your inspiration. There is nothing more beautiful than a natural woman that knows her worth as an individual.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
So, my new kick had been a chunky twist out using the flat twist method. With only one problem, I am horrible at flat twisting. I've never known how to french braid or do cornrows, so this has truly been an adventure for me. The first attempt took about an hour to finish 7 twists. Attempt number 2, 45 minutes and finally attempt number three about 20 minutes. So, as I finally get the hang of it, what I find is that I don't love the look that the flat twists give, I just love the chunkyness, so I have been putting my hair in giant two strand twists, which takes all of 10 minutes. Then I twist the TSS into a bantu knot and sleep on them. When I get up in the morning, I un-twist the bantu knot and let the TSS down as well. The result- chunky, curly, run my finger from root to tip hair. It's really close to the Corrine Bailey Rae style, as close as I've gotten at least.
And then I watched youtube and decided that I should put my hair into a protective style for a few weeks to give it a break. BIG MISTAKE!!! I discovered genie locs (yarn braids) and there were several tutorials. So what does Mrs. Do-it- yourself do? I went to the store and bought some yarn and did it myself. It took a while for me to get the hang of it, I had NEVER attempted to add any kind of supplemental hair save a track that I wrapped around into a ponytail when I was in undergrad. It was by far the most strenuous thing I have every done. It took three days to complete, but I was smart enough to do the front and sides so that I could pull it back into a low ponytail to camo the hair that had yet to be done. The majority of the time spent on the third day was re-braiding, I had several that were too loose and had slipped, and some that just looked atrocious. I also realized how extremely soft my hair is. There are some regions of my hair that will not hold this yarn, no matter how hard I try. In those places, I have just TSS'ed that hair and it is blending, for now. I love locs, just love my curls more. I think that this is a fantastic way to get the look without the commitment!! We'll see how long this lasts...
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