The implications of our hairstyles and the “hairstory” behind it

An inexpensive change that a woman can make to her physical appearance is dyeing, styling,… An inexpensive change that a woman can make to her physical appearance is dyeing, styling, subtracting or adding to her hair. Some may consider hair as just dead cells. But what statement does it make, if any at all, when a woman considers these alterations? What really does a hairstyle represent and specifically what does that mean for women with ethnic hair?

Let’s get into some “hairstory.” Ever since Madame C.J. Walker became the first self-made woman millionaire by producing hair products and straightening devices, girls with ethnic hair made significant moves to achieve a certain look at a terrifically painful price.

Later came relaxing products far and wide. You could hear all the young girls singing along with the hair relaxer’s “Just For Me” jingle loud enough that their mothers would hear and straighten that adolescent hair. But besides the fact that everyone wore their hair like that — which is a perfectly rational reason to do something at that age — what made the masses ascribe to a hairstyle that truly wasn’t their own?

I am a ’90s child, so that afro-power movement is slightly removed from my memory. But it is worth acknowledging the time period after the birth of hair-relaxer cream, when it was cool to be natural by choice and birthright.

Then there are the numerous ephemeral styles women find themselves in as a result of a break in a relationship, depression or another form of displacement. Our hair is a way to vent, but also to celebrate. Ask any woman how her day is going after a bi-weekly visit to the salon and you’ll feel the warm rays of sun radiating from her “great!” The way we wear our hair affects our mood and our perception of self.

When I think about the recent trials I have endured going natural — or giving up a relaxer — my strands have made me seriously consider what motivates my styles of choice. Any afro-wearing woman will tell you that it’s no easy task, but it’s a challenge many women take on. For some, going natural or altering their looks is merely driven by the curiosity of trying something new.

Others engage in wearing their hair the way it naturally grows or going from brunette to blonde because they are on a quest to separate themselves from a standard of beauty that isn’t theirs. And for a lot of people, it is a combination of the two.

In some instances, the decisions we make about our hair are conscious decisions. But a lot of times we don’t take into account how we are affected by what we see and the images we consume.

But turn on the television and tell me what the tresses of the modicum of sex appeal look like. Is it wavy, in thousands of braids, crimped or even dark in color? Honestly, a resounding “no” must be the answer to this question nine times out of 10. The women who are eye candy almost always have their hair straightened and breezing in the wind in a way that we as a society have classified as perfect.

In the end, we should always be aware of the implications of our decisions, even if our reasons are not vested in others’ classifications and beliefs. We should realize that all of us in some ways reinvent ourselves for different reasons. As long as it’s all in good fun, it’s cool to experiment. But our strands shouldn’t define us, and any given day, regardless of whether we have been touched by some stylist’s magic comb, should be great.

Email Rose at sba1@pitt.edu.