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Friday 18 November 2011

Black Hair - The Weave effect - going Brown & Blonde

My first weave was about 12 years ago. It was the period I call 1st weight-loss, I had lost 40lbs and decided to to try a different look. For some reason I cannot remember, I decided to get 2 different shades of darkish brown (nos 2 and 4). Although I was full of trepidation, the subtle streaking worked. The hair and I got a lot of compliments.

So next time, I went much bolder with the colours. Picking out two shades of brown and gold, I decided to dive into the new look head-on, and instead of letting it just fall long and straight, I had it tonged into bouncy curls. As soon as I stepped out of the salon, a black guy across the road wolf-whistled! I was startled. Walked a few metres and another black guy sidled up to me, said 'hello sexy' and asked for my number. I fended off a couple of other black guys in the next five minutes. I am female enough to have smiled. : )

A few months after this, I had a date with an ex boyfriend from Uni. Background: we had met up a few years after Uni, gone on a couple of church-type dates, then things just fizzled out. Guess it didn't help, it was pre 1st weight-loss period and I was 50lbs heavier than when he knew me in Uni. Anyway, we got talking again, and he suggested we meet up for a meal. I didn't think to mention to him I had lost about 40lbs. Brown and blonde glistening curls, purple overcoat, 40lbs lighter, contacts instead of glasses and he didn't recognise me. He was picking me up at the station and it was very satisfying to see him give me an admiring look but walk past me, look puzzled at a couple of other girls, and then whip out his phone to call me to ask if I was running late. I laughed and asked him to look again behind him. He looked around, saw me, his eyes bugged out and he did a double-take. For the next 10 minutes, he stuttered about how much I had changed and then proposed to me at dinner. No kidding. Such can be the power of the weave.

When I am brown & blonde, I have guys stop me in shops, on the street, at the petrol station (ok, that one surprised me) etc to chat me up/and ask for my number. Now you gotta understand, I am quite ordinary with average looks - I scrub up okay but that's all. When I have an afro, guys smile at me, when I have single braids, they smile and a few come over, when I have a brown weave streaked with blonde, drawn by the power of the weave, I get requests for my phone number and offers of dinner/drinks/movies etc. Almost enough to make a gal want to permanently attach the hair to her head!

Some black guys love to talk about how much they dislike weaves - well, many guys might feel that in their heads but their eyes have obviously not received the memo! LOL.

I'll be clear - I am not advocating weaves as the notion of beauty and am pretty bemused about the new craze for Brazilian & Asian weaves. I absolutely love black hair in all its looks - the ultra-low buzz-cut, the short natural, large Afro, intricate cornrows, single braids, sexy locs, quick pigtails, relaxed & bone-straight etc. My motto is, if it works for your face and shape of your head, go for it.

However, when it comes to hair, I am equal opportunities all the way. My hair's 100% natural - no chemicals near it for 3 or 4 years. This year, I've worn my hair in different looks - a natural Afro, Locs, chunky pigtails, afro-puffs, single braids, cornrows, and in a weave. I can't speak for anyone but it's not about not loving my natural hair or wanting to have European hair or believing that's the standard of beauty. I like natural, I like relaxed, I like weaves, I like locs. I just simply get bored with a hairstyle after a while and want to shake things up.

I love having the freedom of being able to have all these looks.

xx

2 comments:

MissHaneefa said...

I can TOTALLY sympathize with you.

I have short natural hair and I put in a weave yesterday for a change and everyone is going crazy! Too funny...

Noir said...

LOL. I sometimes think there's way too much debate in the black community about hair choices. I love the freedom black hair gives me to try new choices.

Totally not surprised about the interest you are getting - continue rockin' & enjoying all the different looks. : )