Reading through so many natural blogs, it is apparent that many naturals have become very biased when it comes to natural hair. Watching different women's journeys and just thinking of my own, i could never be biased towards natural hair (okay, maybe a little); My main concern is healthy hair.
Every once in a while, I won't lie, I do get the relaxer itch... just a small notion of what it would be like to relax my hair again... either chop it all off in the short little haircuts i used to get, or have long texturized hair like i used to have in high school. I would truly say that I was/am a style chameleon. I have always been known for changing my hair up all the time; Weaves to braids, to relaxers, to color, to texurizers, to bleached-out, to haircuts and hair growth, i can say i have defintely done it all... and usually on a bi-weekly basis too. I would say the same is true of my style, i love to switch up what i wear, my accessories, the eras... no one could say that i have a very specific style.
I guess the point i'm getting to is, as a TRUE style chameleon, if i were to switch up my style and decide to get a relaxer or texturizer, would i be shunned by the natural community? Even if my hair looked good and was healthy? Would i now be frowned upon, even though i know that in the long run i would always return to being natural? As a style chameleon, i feel like it would be true to my style to switch up my hair again and do something different... I mean i'm only in my early 20's and it seems a little bit too soon for me to settle into natural hair for the rest of my life so quickly... I know for sure that i want to grow my hair long and fully natural first.. we'll see what happens from there... Trust me, i've been trying very hard to refrain from doing too much to my hair just for the sake of it's health and length
Do i think i may regret relaxing or texturizing if i ever do again? Maybe... I try not to take it too personal since hair always grows back :)
How has being natural affected those of you who constantly love to switch up your hair and style? Do you ever think of going back to old hair practices and processes?
Your hair is beautiful and i feel that your chameleon style is reflected perfectly in the numerous hairstyles i've seen u rock on this site! Straightened (pressed) hair is always a style option for a natural but do u really think permanantly straight relaxed hair would be a good idea for a chameleon?
ReplyDeleteGood question, and i totally get your point :) The main reason i would want to ever relax my hair again would be to wear those really short, cropped, halle berry type hair cuts you can only rock on straight or loosely curled hair. Ive been natural, or should i say texturized but pretty much natural with that haircut and it was very hard for me to keep it straight and looking good, so i finally relaxed it and i think it was one of the best decisions i've ever made because those short, relaxed haircuts have been some of the most flattering hairstyles ive ever had. I understand what you mean in the sense that i will have the most versatility if i wear my hair natural because i will have that option too, but if i relaxed i'd just style my short relaxed hair in different ways, and if i grew tired of it, i'd chop it or transition and start over. If that was the haircut and look i wanted, it would have to be relaxed or it just wouldn't be the same, i would just be getting a short natural haircut...
ReplyDeleteI dont plan on doing any of this anytime soon as i am trying to grow my hair long, healthy, and fully natural currently, but just thoughts for the future...
Do you say nay?
While you know I'm staunchly team natural and love how creative you are with your natural hair, I know a few naturals who got relaxer to maintain the short haircut. Once you stop "being your hair" I think it puts a different spin on going back to a relaxer. I personally don't see myself getting one because I feel my hair the way it is expresses me to the fullest =) but you will get backlash from the natural hair police lol
ReplyDeleteI hear you, and i don't necassarily say nay but i think that in regards to your hair reflecting your personal style, as a natural you have been successful in showcasing the versatility of your hair and making it work with your overall look. I just dont see why you would want to go back and limit yourself with a short relaxed crop, especially you being as creative with your hair as you are. I agree with curly film chick... there would be some naturals shaking their heads and pointing their fingers at you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ladies for the input, and very interesting indeed...
ReplyDeleteAs for me, i will definitely be natural for a very long time but just can't imagine myself being natural for the rest of my life... i would feel the need to switch it up somewhere down the line i feel like, just knowing myself, and especially knowing how much i loved those short relaxed cropped cuts.
I'm pretty sure that there would be plenty naturals SMH'ing and pointing fingers, but im okay with that, seeing as how i've never been one to care about what the next person thinks about what i do with myself because i'm me and have to live with me day to day...
As for the natural nay sayers, is it right to discriminate if a fellow natural makes a hair change? Is it not just as bad as those who descriminate against naturals or women who go/are going natural?
Hair always grows back, natural.
And I am SP, not natural hair.