What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Movement

[vtoodler]

What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Movement?

Nowadays, it's very hip to wear natural hair.

And I've seen so many bw who wear natural styles and do so beautifully.

What sparked the current popularity of natural hair, and do you think that LHCF played a part in it?


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[Nonie]

Re: What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Trend

vtoodler, you're mighty late.

When I joined LHCF, the board was mostly relaxed. And since then the ratio of naturals gradually increased such that at one time it seemed there were more natural heads than relaxed. Now it seems that people are going either way. I think it's just like fashion. Trends come and go and return.

Maybe someone folks admire goes natural and they emulate the style, or it could just be people learn more about managing natural hair so give it a go. Maybe people just want a change of style. I don't really think there's some deep reason or one universal reason for it. A lot of longtime naturals who inspired me in my early days are now relaxed so there's no movement in one direction, IMO.

And no, I don't think LHCF played a part in it. There are more forums than just LHCF where natural hair is featured, Nappturality being queen of them, not to mention blogs and videos and books all showcasing natural hair and giving tips of how to care for it.

It could also be that you are noticing the natural styles more now because you are now interested in them. It's like when you learn a new word, soon after it seems as if everyone is suddenly using it...but really it's just that you now recognize it and so catch it, while previously it just flew over your head.

 

[greenandchic]

Re: What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Trend

Nowadays, it's very trendy to wear natural hair.

And I've seen so many bw who sport natural styles.

What sparked this current trend, and do you think that LHCF played a part in it?


.

I've never seen natural hair as a "trend" per se. I do remember natural hair showing up online back in 2002 (if not before) with nappturality.com, forums and online journals - before blogs and Youtube.

In terms of the overall current trend, I think its Youtube, CurlyNikki (a blog that gets a lot of media attention) and naturallycurly.com that gets a lot of new recruits.

 

[The Girl]

Re: What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Trend

...economic trends=cheaper to do 'less'/do it yourself

 

[FoxxyLocs]

Having the internet, YouTube, blogs, etc. makes it so much easier to be natural now. You don't have to figure everything out on your own or rely on misinformation. I know I personally had been thinking about going natural for years before I actually did it. What held me back was a lack of information.

 

[grownwomanaz]

Re: What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Trend

The internet ushered in real-time sharing of information/knowledge. I don't think its a trend. I think there has been a shift in the way we see our hair and coupled with the vast amount of information available now, I think this is our new norm or it is becoming that way.

 

[luckiestdestiny]

Re: What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Trend

I didn't know it was a trend. When I started I just wanted to get the relaxed hair OFF. I had a thyroid condition and I didn't want anything else destroying my hair. Now I just like it this way and happened to find a fun site with great recommendations for hair products.

I hope it's more of a ...this is the way my hair grows out of my head thing than a trend. Was relaxed hair ever a trend or more like another option for styling hair?

 

[cocomama]

Re: What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Trend

As I mentioned on my blog, I believe that our black men indirectly influenced the black women to go natural. My husband influenced me as well. He in seven years grew the most envious locks around. I remember when he first started growing them, some of his family members didn't seem to like the ideal. A few years went by and the disdain quickly turned into envy. His family members started asking him how did he grow his hair so long. The only difference is that instead of high school girls, these were grown women. I watched in amazement as this man's hair grew way down his back with little effort. Even before he started locking, his hair was on a rapid growth by just washing and braiding it. More than anyone, he influence me the most. He always encouraged me through those awkward stages that occur doing the natural hair growth stages.


Lastly, black women are also becoming educated about ingredients in all products not just relaxers. That's why almost every major haircare line is coming out with "natural" hair products. Some are trying to deceive the consumers, but this isn't as easy now that we are online constantly swapping off information. As well as reviewing every product that comes out. This is keeping the hair companies on their toes, because we are becoming one research machine online that's over a million strong.

http://gumbohair.blogspot.com/2012/06/natural-hair-revolution-wont-be.html

 

[vtoodler]

cocomama


Thanks. That was a very informative blog post.

 

[shermeezy]

Re: What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Trend

cocomama

Yes, thank you. Love the blog post. Especially the part about having the 'dream'. I had the dream and woke up in truly heartbroken. I was so relieved when I felt my hair and my thickness was still there. That's when I knew that despite my lack of styling talent, bad hair days and overall laziness with my hair, that I was very happy to be natural.

 

[gennatay]

I believe social media had a lot to so with the natural hair trend. Right around the time Twitter became popular. The information became readily available and it was an easy attention getter for some.

 

[kandake]

Re: What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Trend

As others have mentioned, I believe social media spurred the natural hair movement. Particularly Youtube. Women were able to see how others were styling there hair. Before that, I think many people were clueless/ignorant about haircare and styling options related to natural hair.

 

[gn1g]

Re: What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Trend

Andre Walker, Oprah's hair stylist, wrote a book on it titled Why Black Women are Loosing Their Hair.

chemicals and perms on the body and in the blood stream are not good for us.

 

[geejay]

Re: What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Trend

The internet. Without the information available on forums, youtube, etc. I would NEVER have figured out how to care for and style loose natural hair.

 

[bhndbrwneyes]

Re: What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Trend

The economy is what prompted me to go natural. Honestly! I joined this forum to learn how to take care of my relaxed hair. I hadn't the slightest clue on healthy hair care for relaxed hair and I really didn't have any interest in natural hair because I never thought it would look good on me plus some of the comments I hear about natural hair (ie: girls are lazy, nappy-headed, too ethnic, etc). Plus I didn't think I could get the desired look I wanted because I wasn't "mixed", I had no idea about hair types and waiting for all your relaxer to grow out, etc.

I came to realize that I don't want to have to relax my hair every few months and try to stretch probably knowing I'd fall right back into my same old habits with using heat and my hair becoming horribly damage and all while paying $100 every few months to get it that way. So after reading this forum, many articles on the net, viewing Youtube videos, going to product websites, etc I decided that if I'm going to spend just as much time and money into my hair as I would if I were relaxed, I might as well attempt to go natural so I can have healthy hair while doing it.

 

[mscocoface]

Re: What Spurred the Current Natural Hair Trend

This was a lifestyle change versus a trend for many. I was tired of not having hair and like others researched to death anything and everything dealing with natural hair. For about 5- 7 years I just did weaves full and half. I was introduced to a lady one day that had waist length natural hair and that was it.

She learned through the lady who many say started this. I forget her name but she is now or was a painter in I think Minneapolis. She once had her own hair product line.

I just knew there had to be a way to take care of my own hair without the chemicals which for me caused too much pain, trauma and drama. I know now that there is a way to take care of chemically treated hair but I do not choose nor am I interested in that lifestyle.

I am a walking billboard for natural hair and I don't mind sharing and talking about. As with the lady who really taught me I believe in the each one teach one theory.

 

[homegirljiggy]

I first when relaxed because I wanted to be "grown" going off to college it was a rite of passage as a black woman (some author wrote about this phenomenon in her study of black women.

I went back natural because of the educational movement/ concept that black womens' hair was being used a control mechanism by society to label, control, isolate, humiliate, and degrade us. (this is what spurred the movement in most of the ladies my age while in college 2004-2009. Also social media kept it growing, especially youtube, facebook, and hair forums)

I stay natural because at the end of the day, I love big beautiful hair! and I still kinda believe some parts of the conspiracy theory.... but shhhhhh

 

[RegaLady]

I think the internet coupled with women wanting real, long and healthy hair. The economy also played a part in it.

I think we are in the age of consiousness meaning technology is making it easier to find information and become healthier. We want to be healthier, so natural hair seems to fall in line with that.

 

[India*32]

Thanks to LHCF featured You Tuber, "SisterWithRealHair," big reveal on May 2012 had beautiful straight long hair. Reminding me of Mulan's character. I showed her video to (2) women with natural styled hair. They had preconceived notions about her. I went to barber for bc to experiment and loving my natural journey the 2nd time around. I'm more knowledgeable and embracing my natural locs.

 

[StarScream35]

I would say the abuse and neglect black women received at the hands of stylists. Just because we are black doesn't mean we don't value or hair or our time or wanna sit around and gossip for hours. Sitting at a salon all day when you have an appt is outright disrespectful and cruel. Then to get to the chair and have stylists trip on you when you try to tell them what NOT to do to your hair. No ma'am and no sir..........no more! Having the internet to guide was also helpful.

ETA

My story went like this. I was tired of stylists cutting my hair and not listening to me. I was sick of the time spent in the salon even though I had an appt so I said what the heck, I'll relax myself. I ended up tex-laxing by accident and really liking it. Then I decided to just jump into becoming natural altogether. So I transitioned and never put another relaxer or tex-laxer in my hair ever again. Best decison I have ever made.

 

[dyh080]

It is a fad just as it was in the 1960s-1970s. Back then, people thought it was here to stay, especially since it was attached to the Black pride, Black power movement. Heck, there were even songs about Black power....for example James Brown's "I'm Black and I'm Proud".

The natural hair movement was much more stronger than today, yet look what happened.

This current fad is weak at best. Even the definition of natural has changed to include straightened hair. Back then, you were either straightened or natural.

Today, hardly no so-called natural is worn without (1) heat straightening, (2) curl defining (3) stretching (4) twisting or any other feat to change the appearance of the kinks.

Already, after a few years, so called naturals are reverting to chemicals at an alarming rate.

So, no.....this is a fad for most people,not all, MOST.

 

[SimplyLive]

The proliferation of YouTube natural hair tutorials along with natural hair blogs like BGLH

 

[SimplyLive]

It is a fad just as it was in the 1960s-1970s. Back then, people thought it was here to stay, especially since it was attached to the Black pride, Black power movement. Heck, there were even songs about Black power....for example James Brown's "I'm Black and I'm Proud".

The natural hair movement was much more stronger than today, yet look what happened.

This current fad is weak at best. Even the definition of natural has changed to include straightened hair. Back then, you were either straightened or natural.

Today, hardly no so-called natural is worn without (1) heat straightening, (2) curl defining (3) stretching (4) twisting or any other feat to change the appearance of the kinks.

Already, after a few years, so called naturals are reverting to chemicals at an alarming rate.

So, no.....this is a fad for most people,not all, MOST.

i utterly disagree with you. the natural hair trend today is completely different from the 60s/70s. i will give my thoughts later.

 

[DaiseeDay]

For me it was the Internet and realizing that my hair is not some unruly beast that absolutely HAS to be chemically processed. Like that didn't occur to me because getting a relaxer was just what I did and I hadn't seen my texture in forever. And when my hair was natural as a kid I never liked the way it was styled.

I knew I was tired of my relaxed hair and tired of the relaxer in and of itself too.

When I found the natural hair community I was like "duh". I think that's what has made it catch on, women see naturals in real life and it's like "well I can do that too".

From other naturals online I could see that there was a better way to take care of my hair besides the torture I went through as a kid.

I'm not gonna lie, a big part of it was realizing that I actually liked my natural texture.

 

[dyh080]

i utterly disagree with you. the natural hair trend today is completely different from the 60s/70s. i will give my thoughts later.

I agree. It IS completely different from the 60s/70s. That is what I just spent 5-10 minutes posting above.

 

[StarScream35]

It is a fad just as it was in the 1960s-1970s. Back then, people thought it was here to stay, especially since it was attached to the Black pride, Black power movement. Heck, there were even songs about Black power....for example James Brown's "I'm Black and I'm Proud".

The natural hair movement was much more stronger than today, yet look what happened.

This current fad is weak at best. Even the definition of natural has changed to include straightened hair. Back then, you were either straightened or natural.

Today, hardly no so-called natural is worn without (1) heat straightening, (2) curl defining (3) stretching (4) twisting or any other feat to change the appearance of the kinks.

Already, after a few years, so called naturals are reverting to chemicals at an alarming rate.

So, no.....this is a fad for most people,not all, MOST.

You make some great points and comparisons but I wonder if this one is here to stay. Given the amount of information naturals have learned as opposed to the 60's and 70's and our disdain for long salon wait times, this might be staying. However, you are right.....the definition of natural has definitely changed. People are putting texturizers in their hair to loosen the curl and straightening their hair with flat irons or blowouts. It seems there is still a need for "good" hair. My hair is tightly coiled and drives me nuts but I like it. Heck, I still use afro sheen because man oh man what it does! I don't see what the problem is or maybe I'm one of the few who really does know how to do my hair while every one else can't deal with coils like they thought they could? I dunno.............good points though.

 

[ghanagirl23]

Internet plays one of the big roles particularly Youtube. Many of my friends that have became natural always telling me oh you should go natural because I saw such and such video on youtube I'll pass lol I have nothing against natural hair I went natural for two years and I hated it

 

[glamazon386]

I think it came about because people are moving toward a more green, chemical free, healthier way of life. When I came to the board I was relaxed like most of the other members. The climate has shifted quite a bit since 2005. I think the internet has helped propel to movement though. When I started all these blogs, youtube channels, websites and forums didn't exist. There's a lot more resources now.

 

[glamazon386]

It is a fad just as it was in the 1960s-1970s. Back then, people thought it was here to stay, especially since it was attached to the Black pride, Black power movement. Heck, there were even songs about Black power....for example James Brown's "I'm Black and I'm Proud".

The natural hair movement was much more stronger than today, yet look what happened.

This current fad is weak at best. Even the definition of natural has changed to include straightened hair. Back then, you were either straightened or natural.

Today, hardly no so-called natural is worn without (1) heat straightening, (2) curl defining (3) stretching (4) twisting or any other feat to change the appearance of the kinks.

Already, after a few years, so called naturals are reverting to chemicals at an alarming rate.

So, no.....this is a fad for most people,not all, MOST.

I beg to differ. While there are some people who have gone natural because of the fad, I don't think that's the majority of people. I can't see people devoting as much time, energy and money as I see by people on boards like this one into something that's just a fad and will be here today and gone tomorrow. Maybe we're an anomaly.

For many people it is a lifestyle choice. I made the decision to improve the health of my hair. I'm almost 7 years in and there's no looking back. I haven't relaxed my hair regularly in 10 years. I wouldn't even know what to do with myself. I'm in for life. A relaxer isn't necessary for me, IMO. I can do all the same things with my natural hair that I could with my relaxed hair and then some. Why bother?

 

[RegaLady]

i utterly disagree with you. the natural hair trend today is completely different from the 60s/70s. i will give my thoughts later.

I think that the current movement is stronger because it allows us to do more within the natural hair scope now then the 60s/70s. There are becoming less reasons to relax.