Natural Hair in Transition
For many years I have worn this natural hair of mine in various loose styles. I’ve worn my hair in everything from the Wash N Go to the Fro Hawks to Twist Outs. I have sometimes humble bragged about being not just a girl with natural hair but being specifically: a No Heat, No Comb, Loose Hair natural. Meaning that neither heat nor comb had touched my hair in years and that I wore it loose and free most of the time. This went on for 10 years and I am proud to have represented my “Loose Natural” click very well. However, my natural hair was in transition and it was time to make a change.
Undercut
One thing that I have always been lucky with is edges. Yeah, I said it. My edges have always stood strong as I have taken care to make sure that nothing ever pulled on them. No tightness to them whatsoever.
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Imagine my surprise when I woke up one morning and decided to cut them off! I had always wanted an “undercut” (when you shave the back of your head only) But getting one made me want to cut off more so I shaved my sides too. Drastic right?!
Crochet Braids
Ok well I’m not done yet because what about Crochet Braids? My rl sister was like…
You see I hadn’t had my hair braided in like 25 years. Why? You ask. I don’t know. I used to wear braids sometimes back in the day. Crochet braiding was new to me. I had seen a lot of great styles around town and every time I would ask, “what are those called?” the response was always, “Crochet”. So decided to try it. I ordered some brownish gold pre twisted hair and started the process which is corn rows to the back first.
What confused me about the whole crochet braiding process is the fact that there is actually no crocheting involved. The process is called, “Latch Hook” and you use a Latch Hooking tool and to install the hair by hooking it to the corn rows.
I loved having Crochet Braids. You could not tell me nothing!
What I didn’t like about them is the tightness of the corn rows and the heaviness of the hair. When you have been a loose natural for as long as I have, any additional hair is HEAVY. I also did not like how the crochet hair slid back on each corn row the longer that I wore them. I tried the style a few times before ditching it.
Box Braids, Knotless Braids
One day when leaving the grocery store I passed by a bustling African Braid shop. I stopped in out of curiosity. I saw three ladies working on one head. The place was packed with both men and women getting various braided styles. The owner saw me looking around and asked me what I wanted to get done to my hair. I looked around and saw a woman getting these gloriously long, gorgeous, blonde braids. I asked what that style was called. Box braids. I loved the style but not the length.
As a 50+ Black woman I wondered how I would look with that. I told the lady that I would come back when I decided what I wanted. A week later I came back with freshly washed, conditioned and moisturized hair and asked for Box Braids.
Because my hair is very thin I went with the small “knotless” braids. Box Braids and Knotless braids are two different things and I liked the knotless look better.
The Verdict: I LOVE wearing braids. They are super versatile and can be dressed up or dressed down with ease. I like having long braids flowing behind me. It made me feel confident. When I want to I could pull them all to the side to reveal my shaved cut.
Oh yes, there is nothing bad that I can say about wearing braids. Getting them done is pricey. I paid $200. It takes time depending on the day you go. Sometimes there is more than one person braiding your hair and sometimes only one. It can take anywhere from 4-8 hours. The hair color and length is up to you. I’ve had them match the hair to my actual natural hair color. I have switched up from various browns, reds and blondes and sometimes combinations.
I am having so much fun wearing them too. The downfall for wearing braided styles for some people is maintenance. With no maintenance you can really mess. your. hair. up. You would think that the protective style itself would protect the hair enough. It isn’t enough. Braided styles allow you to wear your hair in the same style for extended periods but there is still maintenance involved. You have to continue to tend to your scalp and keep moisture in your hair. This is achieved through various oils, sprays, butters, etc. You also have to allow your hair to rest in between styles and let it rest often. By “rest” I mean be worn loose with frequent deep conditioning when the hair is not braided. It’s a whole process. I take my braids out every 6 weeks and let it rest for 2 weeks in between braiding. I spray my scalp daily with my own concoction that moisturizes, sanitizes and deodorizes my scalp. I’ve been wearing the braids for almost a year now and am happy to say that my edges are still intact. Well, except the ones that I shaved off. I think I am going to stick with this style for awhile.
How much does it cost to get your hair braided where you are?
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