Traces of My Tresses

There has been a lot of talk about Black Hair these days. I'm not sure if it was all planned. I wonder did Tyra know about Chris Rock's Good Hair? Anywho, I think whether coincidence or not, these talks on Black Hair has been beneficial.

I wear my hair in locks, but I have had relaxers, weaves, braids, afros, mohawks, bonded hair on caps, sew ins, gel back ponytails, my hair colored -- plain and simple I have done it all. And I must admit that I truly love black hair because it is so versatile. We, black women are hella creative with our hair-- anything they can do we can do better.

Sway Magazine recently had an article entitled Crowing Glory where they interviewed 4 women about their hair. One woman had an TWA (teeny weeny afro), another has locks, another has an afro, and one wears her hair in long weaves. These women tell their hair story and speak about the politics of hair. Check out Kandyce's stories below.

Kandyce
has worn her hair straight with a weave for the last three years. Before that, she went short and natural. Although she switches between adding a weave and going without, she says she would never try wigs.

My hair is: "Beautiful. It is what accentuates my beauty."

My hair story: "Dealing with my hair has been difficult. When I was around 16, I used to dye my hair. Then one day it started breaking off. I had to cut it until I only had a short layer of hair on my head. It was the most horrible experience of my life. I couldn't leave my house without feeling like a boy. I didn't feel like a female. I didn't get any attention from boys. It was mainly people's perceptions of me that was difficult... I started to overcompensate for my lack of hair. I would always have to dress up, wear makeup or put on big earrings before I left my house. It was stressful; I couldn't have a casual day."

I love when my hair is: "Long. I think length is most important. The longer it is, the more feminine I feel. Long hair just shapes my face better. When it's long I feel more confident and pretty."

Let's get political: "Black women's hair is so controversial because it challenges the conventional ideals of beauty. People always say [when you straighten your hair or wear weaves] you want to be like white girls. My response to that? White girls wear weaves and dye their hair too! The majority of white girls with blond hair aren't natural blonds. The thing is, physical appearance is directly correlated to success. Statistics prove that attractive people do better in life and in their careers. Hair plays a central role in how you look. If you want to achieve a conventional standard of success you must subscribe to the conventional standards of beauty."

Tress tip: "Before washing my hair I use a stimulating scalp serum. After that I exfoliate my scalp. It really helps my natural hair grow and stay healthy."

Okay . . . I can appreciate her honesty. Check out the other girls here.