With the release of Chris Rock’s ‘Good Hair’, the web and blogosphere have been inundated with posts and comments about OUR hair; whether it should be natural or processed, curly or straight, real or fake. I get it. Personally, I feel that a person should wear their hair the way they choose to. If a woman decides to wear her hair naturally, it doesn’t make her any better than if a woman decides to chemically treat her hair and vice versa. It’s a preference, whatever works for you. I can only discuss my hair journey, which has been riddled with many changes, styles, colors, etc.
Our hair can do so many things!
Last year, I decided to go natural. There wasn’t anything that facilitated this change, I just wanted something different. While growing out my relaxed ends, I decided to get a sew in weave in so that my hair could transition without being seen. I did this for six months and then fell off the bandwagon and got another relaxer. WOMP WOMP.
Fast forward to now. I am currently wearing my own hair which hasn’t been relaxed in sometime. I can’t believe the compliments I have been getting on my hair. Right now its in an in between stage. I got it cut rather short at the end of 2006 and wore it short for awhile, and now it is finally at a nice length, despite the weaves and bonding glue, and highlights, and everything. I had a few layers cut in it because it was just laying there without any body. I tuck my hair behind my ear so it appears that its cut in some sort of style but really the length is pretty much even except at the top of my head. It’s workable. And kind of cute. But more and more, I am looking at the pics of me with the long weave and I am starting to miss it.
What’s a girl to do?
So I posed a question to my Twitter crew, to weave or not to weave and for the most part, surprisingly, it was split down gender lines. The men on my timeline said they preferred no weaves, mostly because they could pull the track out during bedroom activities. The women in my timeline for the most part said I should be unbeweavable. I was surprised at this because there is a such a movement amongst women to wear OUR hair. And for the men, with the video chicks having weave down their backs, you would think this is what they want. But I guess that is not the case.
After years of wearing weaves and pieces in my hair, I still find myself longing for that crutch I’ve had so long in a weave. But I am also gaining independence rocking my own naturally grown tresses. What do you think?
My 'real' hair as it is now
Another look.
Your natural hair looks very pretty and healthy. You know I think you should keep it that way….but you do what feels right for you!
Thank you for the compliment. I think its more a mental thing for me than anything. It's what I've been doing for years, what I've been used to. Sometimes change is hard, especially when it has to do with your appearance. I thank you for your advice, as always! 🙂
I like your natural hair, but I also like your look with weave. I would play it up but not to wear it all the time.
I saw go with what works for you. Ive worn weaves for the last few years with no issues bedroom or otherwise LOL I am also natural but prefer to wear my hair straight except in the summer. For me it's a matter of preference and ease of style and I dont like to do wash n goes in the winter time.