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I used my blog-cation to relax and do some light behind the scenes BGLH work. I have a few exciting announcements about BGLH coming soon... so stay tuned! Also during my time off, I bought a new accessory! It's actually my first natural hair accessory aside from bobby pins and pony tail holders.
I found it at Urban Outfitters. It's a headband (or bandoo as we call it in Jamaica) with a bunch of feathers attached. I like it because it looks vintage. I decided to take some photos of me wearing. I was tired and doing battle with a blemish on my forehead, so these aren't super great, but you get the idea.
In the coming days, I'll think of ways to incorporate it into various hairstyles. As always I'll keep you posted.
During blogger week I was also keeping track of the comments we got.
Here's a sampling of my favorites:
First an extremely cute comment from Audrey Jazz. It was on Jc's post about the structure of hair:
"That was incredibly helpful, if not a bit "complex" for my tiny little brain. Lol.
It's nice to be able to read BGLH again. I haven't been able to because I gave birth last week!! I have one picture of my little prince up on my blog if you're interested."
Awww! So cute! And I'm glad BGLH is a priority even in childbirth, lol. Congratulations Audrey Jazz and welcome back!
This next comment was from LuvDeluxe on Shari's post about natural hair in entertainment:
"Okay, Halle's hair doesn't look good. It's not because it is natural, it is because she could have done better. Six months ago before I started reading this blog I would have thought it was tolorable but after seeing all the styles feature on this site alone...I guess I would say that I hold her to a higher standard now. If that makes any sense."
It makes PERFECT sense LuvDeluxe! And it is one of the highest compliments you could have paid to BGLH! One of the objectives of this blog is to show women the endless styling possibilities of a texture that is constantly referred to as "bad". The fact that you're realizing the possibilities makes me incredibly happy and excited! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Finally, a very thought-provoking comment from nonfictions again on the 'natural hair in entertainment' post.
"I think it's easier to compliment another race b/c they're not your "competition."
Plus, I also think that some women with relaxed hair automatically assume that all of us naturals think that they're "being white" and maybe that's why they're less likely to talk about hair with us."
Wow. Very, very, interesting. Do the non-black women who embrace our hair do so because we're not in the same category? This got me thinking.
I would love to hear your thoughts on everything and thanks for a great guest blogger week! I'm happy to be back!
17 comments:
Very cute headband! I think it would look good with an 'out' style such as a twist-out, braid-out, finger coil-out, you get the idea.
"I think it's easier to compliment another race b/c they're not your "competition."
In response to this though, I just want to ask, why *wouldn't* they think that we are competition. I ask because I think sometimes I get the vibe/outrightly know that *some* non-black women don't even see us as being on their level of beauty. When certain things happen that give them a reality check that you could actually be at least on similar planes of attractiveness despite the fact that your skin, hair etc. are completely different, it makes them pissed. Of course, I'm really only taking about some women but you know, I think that maybe those women *should* see us as competition just like any other women regardless as race because anything else is just elitist and racist behavior.
Just think about it: On the flip side, alot of black women (at least the ones I know) *do* see other race women as competition, and stiff competition at that, whether it be in looks, love or education. I think when we put ourselves out there and show how beautiful we are in *our* special and respective ways inside and out is when other women can see us as competition too because we are fierce women who *deserve* to be recognized more and in more positive ways. Just my two cents. (Personally I wish women weren't so vicious against each other but we know that's not realistic.)
I am white and have naturally curly hair. I "competed" (before I was married) with white girls who straitened their hair. I have had and still have white friends that straighten their hair. I prefer the way their hair looks when they wear it naturally curly. My preference for them to wear their hair curly has nothing to do with competition.
I have always loved natural hair (not permed or relaxed) on every race of people. I don't think race has anything to do with giving people compliments on their hair. Of course I am speaking for myself. I have had non-white friends who had naturally kinky hair and those that relaxed their hair. I always liked the way the natural hair looked better than the relaxed hair.
I wish everyone just wore their hair in its natural state. If its straight than leave it straight, if its curly or kinky than leave it curly or kinky : )
Love the headband, I buy headbands from Urban and Anthropologie all the time. For me, they work best with twist/braid styles b/c most of them aren't "strong" enough to lay down my hair.
They also sell cute bobby pins with little buttons/details on the ends that are great for a lil something extra!
Karua-You are so right! All women, regardless of race are equally beautiful. We are all in "competition" with each other. But as you stated, it's sad we all are so competitive. It would be nice if we all could just love ourselves the way we are and appreciate how our differences in appearance make the world a more interesting place.
The hair is super cute L. You are really working it out!
I saw that comment too on 'competition'. I agree with Karua - Women should not be so vicious against each other.
I don't buy the 'competition' statement. I have been complimented regarding my hair, clothes, jewelry, etc... by mostly black women and can probably count on one hand the number of white women that have complimented me. I think that as women we tend to see all other women as competition, regardless of our/their race. I really don't think skin color and hair type have anything to do with it.
Yeah, I don't think the competition thing is necessarily true.
Sure, there will be some girls that don't think a certain person is competition, but I don't think this is widespread.
And as for natural hair accessories, I'm a big fan of wearing ribbons. I get mine from a craft store by the yard, then cut accordingly. You can just match them up with so many styles or have it be the main feature of an outfit. Very versatile. And they're not damaging to your hair or hurt, so I would highly recommend them.
I also wear headbands, but I think that those are a bit harder to pull off since you can easily get a "little girl" vibe from them. Just depends on how you wear them.
Once again, I have to COMPLETELY disagree on the Halle comment. Halle's hair looked beautiful. It was a perfectly STYLED curly fro. Why are we, on a natural hair blog at that, giving her a hard time about it?
Queenbuv3, thank you for commenting. I think black women have a tendency to think that our issues with natural hair are unique to us as a race and a lot of times we won't acknowledge that women of other races face the same or similar issues when it comes to accepting themselves just the way God made them. There are a lot of non-black women, mostly white and hispanic, who spend gobs of money and time trying to maintain that long, straight mane.
I just bought a feathered headband from them as well! It's really good to incorporate with curly fros and twist/braid outs. Brings out the flapper in me.
LOL my mom calls it bandoo too, (she's from Grenada)
i need to start buying more accessories for my hair as well
For...Anonymous, Wow, am I still getting comments about Halle? No one is trying to be mean or insensitive. This is a very courteous blog. I was simply stating my opinion. Never Did BGLH ask that we like every style that is displayed here or agree with any look simply because it is natural. The honest answers are what spark the most debate. I will have to look back and see if anyone else has questions/comments for me I would not like to be unkind and not respond. Oh; I have been natural over seven years. So I can relate to negitive comments. But I will be honest and say that There were comments even when I permed. Thank you for your thoughts.
My issue with the Halle comment is that it makes no sense. If I could understand what style you wanted her to adopt, maybe I'd get it, but I see a style that a lot of the readers here would compliment on another natural. I just don't get why it was unflattering on Halle. To me, it's no wonder more starlets don't go natural. If going natural means being subjected to criticism (that doesn't seem justified), why would I do it?
Anonymous... I see that you are very adamant about this so I would like to ask you to take your feelings of how you do not understand my position, & sympathize or see how it is similar to those who feel that anything is better than someone's natural hair. And just like those individuals who are subjected to that and still countinue to be themselves, I will also respectfully stand by my view. I never said her hair was bad. I said I did not think it looked good but 6 months ago I would have considered it average but not bad or ugly or etc... I beleive the word "good" was used in response to someone who may have said They thought the hair looked good or great. Thank you
LuxDeluxe: I wouldn't say that I'm adamant about the issue myself but I am also interested in what you think Halle's hair should have looked like to get a better rating. If you just don't want to explain then that's fine too though. But Anonymous did ask a worthy question. Isn't Halle's curly fro a style that many naturals would love to have in their arsenals to whip out for a few days? The curly fro is a very common style. So it is a little disconcerting to hear that many reading the linked website and maybe some naturals reading this site may not even like it then I'm confused. I mean I could see if it was a mo-hawk as that is considered a rebellious or at the least a funky style. But the curly fro and fro are kind of our (naturals') basic style. If there was a comparison I guess it could be akin to the white woman's straight hair left to hang naturally. Maybe the explanation is simply that because Halle is a celebrity she therefore is held to a straight hair standard so sporting anything other than that appears to *common* or *non-celebrity-like* or not *glamourous* to walk out of the house with so it receives negative comments. Not that LuvDeluxe said that at all but it's an idea about the logic behind many of the other comments posted on the website link.
i agree with alicia, try it with an out style.
preach karua!!
and thank you so much queenbuv3 for sharing your thoughts and experiences. they are so welcomed here as a perspective we aren't always privy to!
i think tracyata brings up great points and her well-worded explanation offers some mediation in the matter. it's normal to disagree on blogs. we all have opinions on what we like and what we don't. i think sometimes we naturals get supersensitive b/c natural hair gets a bum rap a lot of times, but sometimes there are just certain styles that we may not like. my personal opinion on halle's do: i took no issue with the texture, but i felt that the style buried halle's face. she looks better with short hair in my opinion. and that's my humble opinion lol!
sometimes we just have to agree to disagree. :)
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