African hair, with all its kinkiness and thickness is so in. Say bye to those hair treatment products.
This trend would have made Martin Luther King and his ilk who campaigned for black rights to smile from wherever they are. And it has nothing to do with civil rights and everything to do with fashion. You may not think anything of your kinky additions, or those Zulu knots or even Chameleone’s intricate plaits but they are all tributes to African heritage.
It includes but is not limited to natural hair. In a nutshell Afro centric is anything that celebrates the very characteristics of African hair that have caused us to maltreat it with straightening chemicals and tools (who remembers the hot comb?).
With the kinkiness and thickness, it is possible that the guy you see sporting that shaggy look is just trying to show his swag and has not thought whatsoever about staying true to his roots. And that the girl, in the cute perm rod fro is just thinking she wants to be in with the rest of her girls.
But even if the average person will not think about it, the popularity of these trends is a major style statement to the rest of the world. That African hair kinks and all can be chic.
And it doesn’t end at people adopting it. It is more interesting that we the same Africans that spent money and considerable effort (refer to those who used a hot comb) sometimes enduring pain are now spending money to have a more African look.
Compare maintaining dreadlocks to synthetic braids. Or maintaining an afro to ‘treat once a week’ relaxed hair. In both cases the former trumps the latter which only goes to say afro centric styles have come to their own. Ask John Legend and the ilk that drops serious dime to make their hair look kinky.
It is good that Afro centric spans a wide range that can satisfy both genders. The girls can pull off a fro as well as the dudes and the same goes for the ultimate afro centric style the dreadlocks.
From salon engineered styles that cost an arm and a leg to the do-it-yourself rub with a towel kinks for those not willing to spend on this trend, there’s something for every taste and pocket. While the trend is worth a shot, let’s remember this is not an excuse to harbour lice.
