“More Than A Style”
By.: RILEY, SHANTASIA

In the 1700s men powdered their wigs and women powdered their real hair so that their hair would not smell bad. In the late 1700’s hairstyles continued the “rise” to high fashion. Some people had as much as three feet of hair on their heads. At that time the fashion was to dress hair with materials such as: feathers, flowers, pearls, and fabrics. In the past, hair was seen as not just as one’s part of the body, but rather, as something that represented one’s wealth.  Imagine the starving French peasants with dirty and unkempt hair versus Maria Antoinette’s high-stylized, jeweled hair.         

Hair is not only a reflection of wealth, but also of culture. In ancient Egypt, people cut their hair because of the heat. In ancient Greece the women had long hair pulled to the back into a “chignon” and dyed their hair red with henna. Over the years, from 3000 B.C. to today, hairstyles have changed in many ways reflecting not only the times but also the cultures.  This leads to the ever popular question: “What’s up with that black girl’s hairstyle?” So, here is the “short cut” answer to the hair question.  Think of it as “Black Hair 101.”

There are many types of hair such as: straight, curly, wavy, coarse, thick, and thin. African American women’s hair mostly is coarse and thick and as a result requires hair products and hair accessories to make a creation. The entire process itself literally takes a good portion of the day.  For example, if a girl wants her hair straight she would want to get a perm so that the root of the hair would be straightened out.  Afterward, products such as: pro style (gel), pump it up (sprits), hair mousse, oil sheen, hair pens, and rubber bands to style. This sounds pretty easy right?  How difficult or how long can it be?

To make up a hair style African American women can either use their natural hair or put extensions in to expand the length or to make it shorter. A hairstyle could take up to 3 hours or longer to complete.  The processes differ. For example, you have to gel it up into whatever style, than dry the hair, than spritz the hair with products so that it will stay in place, then you style. A “long term hair” style can take up to 6 hours.  So, a “hair day” will literary take all day or a good part of the day.  But similar to the French, Egyptians, Asians, and other cultures, it’s more than a “hair style” it is a statement of one’s community and one’s identity.  The community is built around the hair. (Part II:  The Hair Community)