Eye Candy

Today I went to the Gardens Mall in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.  I was grinning from ear to ear... literally (I must have looked like a crazy person) when I saw all these beautiful natural haired women in Cache.  I mean all the sales associates were natural haired women.  One had kinky hair that she wore in a kick-ass chunky afro (fearless!), another had a head full of tight curls that hung down toward her shoulder, and still another had her hair flat twisted in front and a bun in the back (so classy).  All different hair textures and curl patterns but all stunning.  I didn't know where to focus my eyes when yet another naturalista walked in, a customer, also rocking a fro.  I was trying not to be creepy and stare.  I really wanted to ask to take their picture but that might have been intrusive (read: creepy) and they were all pretty busy.  But it made me realize this "natural hair movement" is going strong.  Hell, I"m hoping there is a bit of a natural movement all around.  Not just hair, but our bodies, our faces, nails, eyelashes, what have you.  I'm all about taking care of what gave you!  Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against enhancing your beauty but that's not the same as drastically (and sometimes permanently) changing what you have to fit some "ideal".
I think it's awesome because we as black women are the only women who have this kind of hair and for so long we were ashamed of it (myself included).  But seeing these women wearing it so proudly, unabashed, in the workplace, on a date, just plain put and about being confident and fabulous... it has made me feel great.  It is just an affirmation of our beauty: something that society has threatened to put into extinction.  I love that this hair I have is unique to black women.  I feel a part of something.  As many struggles as I have with my hair I would never dream of going back for this very reason.
Anyway, that's all.  Just had to get that out there. 

PS: I have had these extensions in all of 2 days (see  my previous post: Havana Twists) and I"m already missing my own hair.  Oh and when I asked my boyfriend if he likes my new do, his response?  "It's... different.  So I like it but I like your real hair better and the different styles you do with it.  Your real hair is more fun to play in".  Aww... that's good to hear :)

Is There a Natural Hair Movement?

An inspirational naturalista, Solange, newly chopped

Over the past year or so, I've been hearing a lot about a natural hair movement.  At the time that I went natural, I certainly was not joining a movement.  No one I knew personally was natural and no one was really talking about it.  I felt like I was definitely going against the grain and was so nervous about how people would see me.
I got questions like: "Are you extremely religious?" or "Did you have a bad break-up or something?" as if to say being staunchly religious or going through some crisis involving a man was the only reason someone would cut their hair off and start over again natural.  I say this to point out that up until recently, there was nothing anyone would mistake for a "natural hair movement".  So whenever I read someone referring to a movement, I mostly just rolled my eyes and kept it moving.  But I'm starting to notice a pattern myself.
Going natural isn't just for the afro-centric extremist or some other exceptional group of people.  It's for everyone.  I've seen a lot of just normal everyday black women rocking their natural hair and it makes me smile.  At my job, there are 5 black women, 4 of which are natural (including myself).  Just the other day, I was admiring how we are all natural but so different in our styles.  I was rocking my go-to protective style for work, a twist updo, one of the ladies was wearing a puff, the other a twist out and the last one also a wash-and-go.  I feel like it's now normal and not an exception anymore to be natural.
Well, I was never sure how I felt about this so called movement because truthfully I like diversity.  I like that my look is a little bit different and that someone else may have straight hair, and another person may have long extensions or whatever.  I dont' feel like everyone has to conform.  But guess what?  It's just an affirmation of our beauty as black women that we can proudly go about with our real natural hair and have it be not only OK, but beautiful... and still quite diverse.  So, I'm embracing the "movement" and encouraging everyone to be themselves whatever that means for you.  Diversity is good but self-acceptance?  Even better!