Shout out to "outs"
jumbo cornrow braid-out
jumbo flat twist-out(flower, earrings-H&M)
jumbo individual braid-out (pulled back with black elastic headband)
I remember when I was a little girl, I would sit on the floor while my mom combed my hair. I loved the crinkle patterns left in my thick, black, bushy mane after my ponytails and braids were undone. These styles relaxed my otherwise tight curls and gave my hair movement. I would lock myself in the bathroom with my big hair and act out scenes from As The World Turns. I'd play the girlfriend of Brian Bloom's character, Dusty :). Totally telling my age right now! My acting was short lived as my mom would re-do the ponytails "hiding" my crown & glory.
As women of color, we're largely taught that our hair should be "tied down" in ponytails and braids as girls and pressed/permed as women. Don't get me wrong...I'm not anti-perm! I'm just elated that wearing our natural hair is becoming more and more accepted. I have been natural (on and off) for all of my adult life. I would cut off my perm and sport a TWA (teenie weenie afro), then let it grow out for a while, and after my afro got "too big" I would perm it again :/.
This go round I have been natural for 3 years. Thanks to YouTube and other hair blogs/vlogs, I've been able to navigate When The 'Fro Flops (My Soap Opera, lol)!!! The ironic thing is that most of my styles are achieved by braiding or twisting my hair (the way my mom used to) and then undoing it! Sure this process takes a little planning (product application, sectioning, etc...) since undone is actually done, but the results are well worth it! The naturalistas have coined the terms "braid-outs" and "twist-outs" for these styles. Braid-outs and twist-outs are also great for naturally straight and permed hair. For tutorials, search these terms on YouTube. Some of my fave vloggers are:
I look at her hair and dream :)
XoXo,
TiaLou