Ok everyone, so I wrote this next little piece right before the Chris Rock movie/documentary "Good Hair" came out. I guess sometime back in maybe around February, 2010. No, maybe before then...I'm not sure. But anyways, I would suppose it is slightly dated (especially since I've been having my weave now for over one and a half years now)...but hair talk is always relevant I'd think. So with that being said...enjoy.
itsrox
I have been wearing a weave for the
last five weeks or so, and I just love it. I love my short hair too. It’s all
about flexibility. If I wanna have a short, curly and spiky Halle Berry’esque
do, Taki (my wonderfully patient stylist) hooks it up. Do I want a Rihanna
bang? Super-straight Chinese-bob? Long and flowlicious down to my bra strap? A
couple frantic texts to my stylist and after she undoubtedly shakes her head in
a “what is this child going through today?” kinda way, she always answers my
texts with what I wanna hear:
Sure Roxanne, we’ll hook it up.
I love my stylist. (Shout out to Taki!)
Anyway, my weave. It seems to be such the topic lately.
With Chris Rock’s new movie “Good Hair” coming out, Oprah’s and Larry King’s recent exposure to “extensions”, and the ridiculous bandwagon that Tyra Banks has jumped on claiming that black women don’t love themselves and are bonded by their weaves (sigh, she SO gets on my nerves), it has given the white folks special license to just ask the most stupid and asinine questions around about my various and ever-changing looks.
It used to be, “Is that all your hair?” and “What does it feel like, can I touch it?”, to which they always got a curt NO and NO, along with a slight roll of the eyes.
Sheez.
But now that mainstream media has took it upon themselves to tell us black chicks that we don’t have to hate our natural selves so much, the white folks I run across done went crazy.
“You can’t grow your own hair out?”
“Is your hair too (uncomfortable silence)…thick…to be straightened?”
And my favorite:
“I bet you like your hair better that way” (that way being my Jennifer Aniston a la “Friends” weave I recently had.)
Sigh.
I hate that Tyra especially has decided for the rest of us that we are in bondage. Especially because she has been admittedly been wearing a weave/wig for as long as I can remember, however, just because she decided it wasn’t for her, all of a sudden, we have to follow suit? Naw sis, God ain’t put that one on my heart just yet. (And let me just tell you that she may be going natural on her talk show, but she sho’nuff weaving it out on America’s Next Top Model…I’ma let y’all marinate on that one.)
I change up mostly because I am more concerned with looking the way I feel best about myself. I can run down a list of thirty styles I have had in the last twenty years. And that has run the gamut from dookie braids, kinky twists, fake dreads, straw curls, cornrows, crimps, stack curls, press, perms, weave to my butt, super short, curly afro, claws, feathers, bobs, colors from platinum blonde to koolaid red…I have had it all. And throughout all those styles, I really just thought I was changing my look according to my mood. I had no idea that I was putting myself and the whole black race down because I chose to not walk around with my hair not in its back to the Motherland state. Not that there is anything wrong with the teeny-weeny-afro. I admire anyone who says “f*ck it”, cuts it all off, gets up in the morning and just GOES.
But if we don’t chose to be that way, then all a sudden I got this deeply-rooted detestation for my culture, my race, my skin…Lord have mercy.
Last night, I was watching Monique’s talk show (and not anymore with all that damn screaming and dramatic “…and BABY” that she has to say all the friggin’ time…but I digress) and I was getting so aggravated with the hair talk. This shit ain’t secret. We all know that Tran Nguyen who owns Beauty Town over in the strip mall who can’t speak English but can tell you which type of hair does what and can count your change back to you better than the teller at the bank is the one making the dough. We know that there is quality weave hair (Indian, Malaysian, Remy, etc.) and there is some mess that will grab on to your comb and refuse to let it go (Brandy’s brand, Hollywood, and other unknowns – if the hair is on sale two bags for $10, do NOT get this brand). We know that if we perm our hair it’s gonna be straight. If we lock our hair, it is in its most natural state. Steam and fog is the anti-Christ to a freshly done coif. Sex after a five-hour stay at the beauty salon is doable, but you better believe I’m about to become an engineer up in this bed, stacking and rolling pillows, neck-lifts, and strategic positions that ain’t gonna smash the entire side to look like the resulting hair from a cleared out bristle-brush.
I mean, what is the f*cking big discussion?
Um, no Larry King. You have not told me what I didn’t already know.
Thank you.
I just think that whatever you do to your hair, it should be between you and your scalp. I shouldn’t have to contemplate whatAmerica
I think not.
Nobody loves a new fresh hairdo more than I do. Every two weeks at the salon is like a mini-birthday party for me. I don’t care if I’m there one and a half hours or six. I get out that chair and I am ecstatic.
Sure Roxanne, we’ll hook it up.
I love my stylist. (Shout out to Taki!)
Anyway, my weave. It seems to be such the topic lately.
With Chris Rock’s new movie “Good Hair” coming out, Oprah’s and Larry King’s recent exposure to “extensions”, and the ridiculous bandwagon that Tyra Banks has jumped on claiming that black women don’t love themselves and are bonded by their weaves (sigh, she SO gets on my nerves), it has given the white folks special license to just ask the most stupid and asinine questions around about my various and ever-changing looks.
It used to be, “Is that all your hair?” and “What does it feel like, can I touch it?”, to which they always got a curt NO and NO, along with a slight roll of the eyes.
Sheez.
But now that mainstream media has took it upon themselves to tell us black chicks that we don’t have to hate our natural selves so much, the white folks I run across done went crazy.
“You can’t grow your own hair out?”
“Is your hair too (uncomfortable silence)…thick…to be straightened?”
And my favorite:
“I bet you like your hair better that way” (that way being my Jennifer Aniston a la “Friends” weave I recently had.)
Sigh.
I hate that Tyra especially has decided for the rest of us that we are in bondage. Especially because she has been admittedly been wearing a weave/wig for as long as I can remember, however, just because she decided it wasn’t for her, all of a sudden, we have to follow suit? Naw sis, God ain’t put that one on my heart just yet. (And let me just tell you that she may be going natural on her talk show, but she sho’nuff weaving it out on America’s Next Top Model…I’ma let y’all marinate on that one.)
I change up mostly because I am more concerned with looking the way I feel best about myself. I can run down a list of thirty styles I have had in the last twenty years. And that has run the gamut from dookie braids, kinky twists, fake dreads, straw curls, cornrows, crimps, stack curls, press, perms, weave to my butt, super short, curly afro, claws, feathers, bobs, colors from platinum blonde to koolaid red…I have had it all. And throughout all those styles, I really just thought I was changing my look according to my mood. I had no idea that I was putting myself and the whole black race down because I chose to not walk around with my hair not in its back to the Motherland state. Not that there is anything wrong with the teeny-weeny-afro. I admire anyone who says “f*ck it”, cuts it all off, gets up in the morning and just GOES.
But if we don’t chose to be that way, then all a sudden I got this deeply-rooted detestation for my culture, my race, my skin…Lord have mercy.
Last night, I was watching Monique’s talk show (and not anymore with all that damn screaming and dramatic “…and BABY” that she has to say all the friggin’ time…but I digress) and I was getting so aggravated with the hair talk. This shit ain’t secret. We all know that Tran Nguyen who owns Beauty Town over in the strip mall who can’t speak English but can tell you which type of hair does what and can count your change back to you better than the teller at the bank is the one making the dough. We know that there is quality weave hair (Indian, Malaysian, Remy, etc.) and there is some mess that will grab on to your comb and refuse to let it go (Brandy’s brand, Hollywood, and other unknowns – if the hair is on sale two bags for $10, do NOT get this brand). We know that if we perm our hair it’s gonna be straight. If we lock our hair, it is in its most natural state. Steam and fog is the anti-Christ to a freshly done coif. Sex after a five-hour stay at the beauty salon is doable, but you better believe I’m about to become an engineer up in this bed, stacking and rolling pillows, neck-lifts, and strategic positions that ain’t gonna smash the entire side to look like the resulting hair from a cleared out bristle-brush.
I mean, what is the f*cking big discussion?
Um, no Larry King. You have not told me what I didn’t already know.
Thank you.
I just think that whatever you do to your hair, it should be between you and your scalp. I shouldn’t have to contemplate what
I think not.
Nobody loves a new fresh hairdo more than I do. Every two weeks at the salon is like a mini-birthday party for me. I don’t care if I’m there one and a half hours or six. I get out that chair and I am ecstatic.
I don’t know about you, but I love ME and MY HAIR. Honestly, one doesn’t have much to do with the other.
You can grow it out, fine. You ain't got no edges,
great. Your hair is brillo-pad tough, alright. Your weave is silky-straight,
whatever. You like the braids, cool. They got something out there for ALL of you. Hey, if you like it, I
love it. Let’s just stop all this foolishness y’all.
It is just hair.
It is just hair.
Rox, I don't have a problem with weaves. I think women of color, any women for that matter, should wear their hair however they may like. What I do have a problem with, is that the women who don't have the means to get their weaves professionally done aren't taking care of their natural hair. TaTa,NayNay and them aren't going to install your weaves properly so that you don't look like Mr. T if and when you decide to wear your real hair. I think hair care should be the focus no matter how you choose tame your mane!
ReplyDeleteI don't have a problem with whatever an individual decides looks good on them I do have a problem with random white women saying" your is pretty is that a weave"? I want to reply bitch OS that your hair but I just give a look that says I'm done talking to your dumb ass.
ReplyDeletei want to share my testimony on how i gain my nature hair back in just three weeks: i had very thick curly hair.i straightened my hair 2 yr ago.they after some time started 2 fall out.i also having dandruff problem all d time, before i used shampoo called antidruf containing ketoconazole and tugain 2%(minoxidil) have stopped using chemical one year ago.but still i am loosing a lots of hair everyday and my hair has become so thin. when a friend of my visit me and i explain how i lose my hair every day, she told me she was having the same problem 3 months ago and he contacted DR OPINGO online, i please with grace and she gave me DR OPINGO email, i email him immediately and explain about my hair to him, he told me not to worry that he is going to help me out.After DR OPINGO have prepared the spell cream i use for good three weeks my hair grow fast and was very thick, all my girl friends love and cherish my hair thank you DR you can contact his email at: (alterofcandletemple02@gmail.com) his cream will make your hair grow faster and thicker.
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