chop chop!

Last week, I went for a haircut.

I searched for a stylist who could cut curly hair.

I debated, I pondered, and I finally picked one. 

And I am happy. Which is a big deal, because historically, I feel great the day of a haircut and awfully frustrated the next day.

Without further ado:: 

Before

After:

Not much length removed, but layers added and bangs helped.

And even better, the day after: 

Now the real test: can I survive a whole week of an event while staying a curly??

patience pays off

August is over, and with the end of August, the end of my 'Curly Girl' experiment. The verdict?

I like it! 

The 4+ weeks of no straightening, rare blow drying, no shampoo (just conditioner!), and pure acceptance seem to have actually increased my hair's curliness. 

So here we are in week one:

And here we are in week four (thanks for the picture, JenniMarie!)

I plan to continue with the curls (at the very least because I lent my favorite straightener to a friend for the month!). I'm considering finding a stylist who specializes in curly hair for a trim. There may be the occasional 'straight hair day' in the future, but overall, I think I like this new look as much as I like my straight hair look!

the care and keeping of curls

There are as many variations of curl care as there are variations of curls. It's quite overwhelming, to be honest. Where does one start? Should one even start the process, especially as a professional woman?

For those attached to books, the library won't yield much. The Curly Girl book provides some useful tips and a great deal of encouragement for those hesitant to embrace their natural state.

The author also has a website that provides video tutorials and further information for curly girls.

Then there's NaturallyCurly.com, a veritable utopia of ideas and suggestions for those with unruly hair.

And then there are myriads of other folk with suggestions on how to care for curly tresses.

Where to start?

A Pictorial Hair History

Ringlets are cute when you're a kid...and when they're short. (age 2)

You can see a bit of a wave, and definitely some unruliness in the bangs...to think, this was my 'family photo session best hair.' (age 10/11)

Yes, definitely had been fighting the curl in this picture: notice the pollyanna style, a recurring theme in this curly girl's desire for control. (age 14)

During my youth, I visited multiple salons seeking "The Perfect, No-Hassle Cut." Obviously, we had trouble finding it.

So, sick of it all, I went for the bob... (age 17)

Deciding the bob didn't quite work for me, I devoted myself to the art of the straightener, even accomplishing this lovely work with bangs during an East Coast spring. (age barely 19)

Despite that one success, my ambitions of gorgeous hair dissolved with every humidity increase (and during Alabama summers, there are plenty of those!). I grew out my bangs, hoping that would cut precious time out of my morning routine. (age 19.5)

The completely fringe-less, long unlayered look was simple...when dreadlocks were in style (age 21)

Maybe sideswept bangs were the answer to the 'big forehead' dilemma! (age 21 and finally starting to accept my curl)

Of course, my hair HAD to be straight for the most important day of my life to that point: college graduation. Unfortunately, I hadn't looked at the rain forecast for the day...I still regret that morning's decision to straighten instead of embrace the curl. (age 22)

And finally, here we are now, almost 3 weeks into the Curly Experiment:

I still like the straight hair look, but I'm growing accustomed to the breeziness and simplicity of curls that seem to be enjoying their freedom.

And I'm determined never to let a hairdresser touch my hair again without proof that he or she is trained in styling curls!

experimentable

A friend sent me a really useful 'beauty blog' a couple weeks back entitled "The Beauty Department." It's a nifty little resource, because the owners are all well-versed in the beauty industry. Despite my dislike for said industry, I respect these ladies because they provide many DIY ideas, tips, and of course, hairstyles. Just the other day, they posted about a hairstyle they had done for some teen star, and since my curls were looking for an excuse to be pulled up this morning (ie, they weren't curling like I wanted!), I gave it a try.

That last picture looks a bit like I got a bob, eh?!

Not quite, but I'll confess, chopping my hair short is something I have been considering. I'm a little hesitant based on past experience...and on Friday, you'll finally be able to see why.

An insecure challenge

Due to technical difficulties (ahem, the 'rents went on vacay and didn't send me the pictures I requested!), my embarrassing high school hair photos have been postponed. Please, try to contain your sobbing. They'll be here soon...pending parental return from a holiday in the big N.O.

So today instead, we'll talk about why 'going curly' is intimidating. Those of you with straight hair, or even just slightly wavy hair, might laugh. Those of you with true curly hair will nod and sigh in agreement.

The main reason that I don't like my curls is because curly hair does not exist in popular culture.

I'm talking true curly hair--kinky, spiraled, uncontrolled, frizzy, ringlet curly hair.

That stuff they do with curling irons doesn't count.

Consider this popular magazine and its cover girl's long, luxurious straight hair:

Or Elle magazine's "Best Hair in America 2011" winner:

Or these two ads from magazines I found in my bedroom:

When America thinks 'beautiful, professional, photogenic woman,' we default to straight hair. A Google search for "how to have straight hair" brings up 21.3 million results. A search for "how to have curly hair" reveals 20.6 million answers. That's almost 1,000,000 more webpages devoted to straightening hair than to curling it.

Now, before you ditch me as a curlyhead with a nasty case of straight-jealousy, I issue you a challenge.

Spend the next week really examining pictures of women in common media,

whether TV shows, movies, advertisements, or magazines.

Count how many truly curly girls you find

(and remember that curling-ironed hair doesn't count!).

It's ok to have straight hair. It's ok to love straight hair.

It's not ok to love straight hair so much that other types feel the need to conform.

A confession

I'm a curly girl.

Yup, that's my confession. That beautiful straight-hair shown on my profile picture?

It's a fake.

This is my real hair:

Why is this a confession? Because I've been hiding or modifying my curls for the past 13+ years.

And I've decided it's time to stop.

See, a co-worker convinced me to read this book last month:

It was inspiring. In the world of Curly Girl, a little unruliness, a little frizz, a little unpredictability and lack of control are ok. In fact, those things are accepted, cherished, and even celebrated!

Halfway through the book, I made a decision. A 'hasty vow,' of the sorts the Bible warns against. I would spend the whole month of August without altering my curls--I would nourish, cherish, and learn to live with them.

August has arrived. So with a trepidation, I trimmed up my hair and started the experiment.

In honor of this latest experiment, I'm going to start a bit of a mini-series on my blog. Tune in every Friday for the "Curly Chronicles." Next week: a discussion of some deep secrets from the past (as in, yes, there might be embarrassing photos of high school age m-wah...eek!).