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| The Half-fro! |
I realised that in
the 3 years I've had this blog, my hair's never been mentioned. Which isn't such a big deal until you
consider the fact that I've not had my hair chemically straightened (relaxed) for over 10 years. And it seems
like every natural girl has a website/blog/etc.
I never really felt like "the internet" accepted my natural hair. It's not cute and curly (for you hair-typers like pretty much any natural girl on television or a 3b/c). It's not afro disco-riffic. (Sometimes you see this natural girl on television, this is the hair people assume your average black girl has) nor is it naturally straight.
It's super duper thick type 4 (as for a letter the consensus is 4a/b) , has nearly no curl pattern, except during those brief moments when it's wet but as it dries the curls go away. Honestly if you know what kanekolon is, imagine a bit more texture and thickness and that's my hair. Maybe that's why regular box braids look so awesome on me.
I never really felt like "the internet" accepted my natural hair. It's not cute and curly (for you hair-typers like pretty much any natural girl on television or a 3b/c). It's not afro disco-riffic. (Sometimes you see this natural girl on television, this is the hair people assume your average black girl has) nor is it naturally straight.
It's super duper thick type 4 (as for a letter the consensus is 4a/b) , has nearly no curl pattern, except during those brief moments when it's wet but as it dries the curls go away. Honestly if you know what kanekolon is, imagine a bit more texture and thickness and that's my hair. Maybe that's why regular box braids look so awesome on me.
It's really soft though and I love it. There's alot of it too, I call it "ninja hair" It appears about chin length most of the time but the back is about "bra-strap length" and the front is around shoulder length. Major shrinkage. I trim it but I'm trying to grow the back to waist length.
My reasons for "going natural" weren't holistic. I just wanted long hair, I lost my nearly waist long hair to a bad perm when I was 13 and said "I rather have long nappy hair than short straight hair". Also a few chemistry classes made me realise perms weren't for me. I didn't have a big chop, I was 13, southern, and really my long hair was the one thing I liked about myself. If you've seen a picture of me at 13 you could understand this. Ms. Melissa, who braided my hair through my freshmen year of college, would cut a little more each time until there was nothing left but natural hair.
To this day I've never worn my hair out in an afro even if I did it would be more of a half-fro. Half the time it's in braids (with weave, it makes it last longer) or even when it's "loose" I keep it in twists, buns, chignon, ponytails, and french braids. Why?
Because I don't like "big hair" (on me).
Part of this career-oriented, through college I worked in kitchens. Now I'm breaking into the world of engineering/construction. Still having lots of thick hair and not liking "big hair" is no reason to perm one's hair. If you like it relaxed and you know what you're doing, that's cool. My childhood friend (forever!) has relaxed hair and it always looks good. But she knows what she's doing, I however did not. Nor did my mother who alternated between natural hair (she has a gorgeous afro, straight out of the 70's) and a body wave. My sister has the most adorable kinky coils. Mom's genetics tried their best but the "Shepard" won out.
I wrote this post for the girls who do fit any of the "standards" they put out there. It doesn't matter, go natural for whatever reason you want. Wear braids, wigs, shave it off, grow it out, do you thing and I'll do mine.
Because I don't like "big hair" (on me).
Part of this career-oriented, through college I worked in kitchens. Now I'm breaking into the world of engineering/construction. Still having lots of thick hair and not liking "big hair" is no reason to perm one's hair. If you like it relaxed and you know what you're doing, that's cool. My childhood friend (forever!) has relaxed hair and it always looks good. But she knows what she's doing, I however did not. Nor did my mother who alternated between natural hair (she has a gorgeous afro, straight out of the 70's) and a body wave. My sister has the most adorable kinky coils. Mom's genetics tried their best but the "Shepard" won out.
I wrote this post for the girls who do fit any of the "standards" they put out there. It doesn't matter, go natural for whatever reason you want. Wear braids, wigs, shave it off, grow it out, do you thing and I'll do mine.