Those who change their hairstyles all the time

[Giselle685]

How do you handle the "backlash" of changing your hair style often? ..in the workplace,school, in your general group of friends, and your every day acquaintanceship?

I wanted to see if some of you can share your experiences because while living in a town with barely any people of color.. I get nonstop questions that are rude or annoying.

Like the other time I changed my hair style from braids to weave, I was told I always change my hair.. has changing my hair style become offensive? lol All the questions just make me so uncomfortable!


I do change my hair when I get bored with a DIY style that I have done because those get old quick especially when its a botch job , and I am still trying to find something that I can use as consistent protective styling without breaking the bank or looking a mess.. Right now my natural hair is NOT at the length that I would like it to be, so I am not ashamed to say that I am not comfortable with it. My hair is just not long enough for a beautiful natural hair style.. in my own opinion. I am just waiting for it to get to a certain length. Something like where Glamazani is... I think that's her YouTube name.

Hope some of you can chime in so that I know I am not the only one

 

[Rae81]

I remember once I wore a braid out then wore my hair straight the next day and Somebody asked me how I did that and told me I do my hair to much

Sent from my HTC EVO 3D

 

[RegaLady]

I would change my hair ALOT when I was younger. Now, not so much.

At one of my old jobs, my manager asked me, "Why do you change your hair so often? I don't even know who you are?"erplexed

Many people are uncomfortable with change and they "get to know you" a certain way. Too much change and they get annoyed and confused.

My sister even told me she didn't think it was "normal" to change hairstyles so often. She said, "Most people have signature looks, with changes here and there." As I get older and more comfortable in myself as well as have more important things to worry about, I don't change my hair so often, but I don't like to be in a rut.

OP, you are experimenting. Have fun and enjoy your hair.

 

[MyInvisibleChyrsalis]

My old manager used to sing, "Chi-Chi-Chi-Chia" whenever I walked in because my hair would seemingly grow out of my scalp overnight. Yeah, I stopped changing my hair so much and stuck to a particular cut and color after that, lol.

 

[tru4reele]

I dont change my hair as often as people say I do. My white coworkers are always asking "What are you going to do next?" "You should do it like it was that one time..." "You are always changing your hair". People seem to like it and I dont get offended.

 

[OhTall1]

I haven't received any backlash.

Roller sets used to be my signature look. Now that I'm transitioning and my roots are puffy, I rotate between braid outs, flexirod sets, curl former sets (sometimes wide, sometimes narrow), roller sets and the occasional blow dry & flat iron. Just earlier today, a co-worker joked with me that he never knows which LaChaBla is going to show up at work. Others have said the same thing, but I know these people well enough to know that they aren't being negative or mean spirited.

 

[fairyhairy]

lol, i changed it so often people stopped noticing,

 

[melisandre]

For a while, I was changing my looking quite often -- every week or every other week. The people at my old job would comment, but it was mostly positive (a few comments were neutral: You changed your hair.). Eventually, I found a look / style that I really liked and stuck with it.

 

[Your Cheeziness]

I was recently cornered in the restroom at work and quizzed about my hairstyles. I told them that I consider my hair an accessory and I change it depending on how I feel.

 

[robot.]

I take what people say with a grain of salt. I wore my hair in twists one week and a twistout the next and both times, coworkers said "you changed your hair." It was always followed by a compliment, but to me it was the nature of being natural. I didn't see it as a change, but most white folk wear their hair the same everyday so maybe that's it.

 

[Kdiamond19]

I wear a new style very frequently since I mostly wig it or weave it. My co-workers are used to my frequent changes. I tend to stick with the same color just more so straight to curly to a Chinese bang to a side swoop etc. One of my co-workers just gives me a new name that she think coordinates with my new style for the week.

I'll be the first to admit I change my hair often, the most backlash I get from people is asking why I don't wear my hair out.

 

[Spiffy]

I used to get this, strangely from someone who copied my hairstyles.

I'd just say, "that's one of the many things I love about my hair, it's so versatile!"

 

[longhairdreaming]

My coworkers comment but mostly to tell me which styles they like better or ask how I did a particular style. I honestly don't think I change my hair that often though if I get tired of a style I'll throw on a wig mid-week. First time I wore my wig they thought I had my hair done over break lol. Everyone I work with is Egyptian or White and they're always facinated with my hair for various reasons. When I put in yarn braids my boss wondered if I used a machine to do my hair and just about died when I told her I braided it myself with yarn lol. I understand though 'cause everyone there(with exception of the Christians) veils so their hair is usually in a bun or ponytail under their shayla.

 

[ajoke]

White people wear the same haircut for a very long time, even years (except if they are celebrities), so that's what causes such comments. I do braids and weaves maybe once or twice a year, yet I get the same comments.

 

[SkySurfer]

lol, i changed it so often people stopped noticing,

This, I change my hair every 1-2 weeks lol

One the rare occasion I didn't change my hair weekly, I even had one guy say to me 'Skysurfer, I always know it's a different week because you change your hair, now I'm confused, I'm not sure if it's still last week.'

Mostly I get people saying to me they wish they could do their own hair, I tell them it's really not that hard lol.

 

[ChasingBliss]

Wow, I've always been known for not changing my hairstyle enough. I didnt know people go through it for actually being versatile. You just cant win with folks.

And at this

Many people are uncomfortable with change and they "get to know you" a certain way. Too much change and they get annoyed and confused.

Screw them for not being able to handle their emotions. I say if you feel happy being versatile...do you. I wish I could get comfortable with doing it more often.

 

[faithVA]

I have also gotten the comment about changing my hair so often. I don't consider it backlash or negaative. The comment itself is neutral. You did change your hair. Perhaps it was said in a condescending manner but maybe not.

It sounds like you may be sensitive about your hair a bit. Be ok with changing your hair and how you feel about your hair and most people will fall in line. People will always comment. That is the nature of people. But you can be ok with the comments and take them as they intended. If they person is rude then you will feel comfortable telling them so. If they aren't being rude you will have the necessary respohnse.

One of my coworkers joked that I was an old barber that you could push in the back and the hair just grew. I actually thought it was quite funny.

 

[Tiye]

I never received any backlash. But bottom line it's your head and as long as you stay in your company dress code I don't see what the problem is.

 

[Iluvsmuhgrass]

...Screw them for not being able to handle their emotions.

That cracked me up. I could soooo hear my niece saying this.

~~~~~

I've been told this before and I didn't take it as an insult at all. They were just amazed with the versatility of our hair. I can't say I blame them though, it amazes me too.

 

[diadall]

I am wearing braids for the summer.

I got them four years ago and when I took them out I had coworkers tell me they liked my real hair.

It ket me know they didn't like the braids.

None of the black women I work with change their hair.

 

[lushcoils]

The comments are so annoying. I've been changing my hair less because of it, though most of the comments aren't negative. I just don't understand why everyone has to make a big deal for simple things like when I go from a ponytail to wearing my hair down. I'm already planning what one style I want to wear this summer at my job so I don't get too many comments about changing my hair.

 

[Nonie]

I wear braids and twists 24/7 but any difference in how I wear them is viewed as a new hairstyle--which in actuality it is. *shrug*

But backlash? I've never experienced this.

I find most people at work (and my neighbors) are fascinated by the versatility of my hair. Many are disappointed I haven't straightened it or worn it in an afro yet. But when I wear my twist/braids in a braid-out, I get compliments. When I put them up after I've been wearing them down, I get compliments. When I finally let it down (still in twists or braids, mind you) after I've been wearing hats or wraps, folks exclaim at how they've never seen my hair down. (I think amnesia must be catching coz it sometimes is just a week since I had it down.)

Same hair, just a little tweak and it gets a lot of attention. I've never sensed any of it as negative...and if it is, then it's lost on me coz I adore my hair and when I leave home, you can bet your bottom dollar I am pretty happy with the way my hair looks. I do get surprised when a very lazy do like a twist and pin gets compliments though because while I look decent, I sometimes do that as a hurried "save" coz a braidout flopped.

 

[diadall]

Sometimes I wonder if we mistake people's interest in our hair as fascination. Meaning they are really having a SMH moment.

People just generally don't comment about hair to me.

 

[keepithealthy]

White people wear the same haircut for a very long time, even years (except if they are celebrities), so that's what causes such comments. I do braids and weaves maybe once or twice a year, yet I get the same comments.

We're I used to work at almost all of the white people had the same hairstyle for the 6 years I was there.

 

[Je Ne Sais Quoi]

I change my hair all the time (well much more before i chopped). straight, wash n go, twist out, puffed, twisted, buns, etc. WHO EFFIN CARES?? It's just that "some" people are not able to make it work so go with the same ol same ol. Sucks to be them

 

[Ogoma]

Whenever I get comments on my hair, I give them one of those quick smiles with a thank you and move it quickly back to work topics. They get the message pretty quickly and don't really bother me with hair talk. I alternate between wash and go, ponytail, or puff so rarely any major changes and they find that vastly different. My wash and go is looking different as it grows.

I do the same when I get compliments on my clothes, shoes, bags, etc. I don't want to spend work time discussing my outfit or look with my colleagues unless we are out to lunch or something.

Move the topic back to work quickly and they'll ask you less and less.

 

[ChasingBliss]

We're I used to work at almost all of the white people had the same hairstyle for the 6 years I was there.

Wow, this is so true. I never really noticed it before. But where I work most of them do keep the same haircut/style for a long time.

 

[BlueEra]

I change my hair a lot, and every so often it's something drastic. Most people think I'm "brave" for the things I do to my hair. I've gone from long hair to rocking a fade, to being bleach blonde, to a black natural TWA to a relaxed pixie cut within a matter of months. Most people are just waiting to see what I will do next.

 

[Nonie]

Sometimes I wonder if we mistake people's interest in our hair as fascination. Meaning they are really having a SMH moment.

People just generally don't comment about hair to me.

@diadall, I know I don't confuse the two . I've worn my hair in strange ways just to be funny and walked around with a straight face and my coworkers have looked in horror and some even said, "You're not serious?!" Then burst out laughing. But I knew what I was doing and I maintained I was serious. They were so amused to know that I wear my hair like that for a braidout. Wanted to know how my hubby can keep a straight face with my looking so crazy.

Then another time I went to work looking like Coolio. It looked good when I did the do but shrinkage made it look crazy. Even I was horrified at how crazy it looked when I happened to see it after the shrinkage but I was at work. What to do? So I held my head high and acted like it was planned. Anyway a coworker mocked me and said I looked like Pipi Longstocking. I beamed and told her that's exactly the look I was going for, without missing a beat. She stopped her mocking and the smile faded then she tilted her head sideways the way dogs do as if wondering if she missed the memo on what's hip these days. It was so funny coz it looked like she just discovered the joke was on her. I've shared that story before.

So yeah, I would know the difference. Did I mention my hubby has had a SMH moment when I wore my tarantula do? Others loved it as much as I did. What's funny though is even SMH would not bother me if I were feeling like a million bucks.

If you wear your hair the same way all the time or if you're wearing styles that others are wearing then you'd blend in and no one would say anything. Plus I think some places are just so conservative that folks are not fond of discussing others' appearances. My black corworker was relaxed and wore her hair in a bun or down...and while I noticed the changes and complimented her, most people would only take note when I said something--I suppose because they were used to those looks.

ETA: Oh yeah, my crazy wraps. They get mixed reactions. There's a guy who will always tease me and ask if I just washed my hair if I do my froufrou wraps. One day I had a froufrou wrap that went wrong--but I'd heard that you're supposed to just let the head tie do its thang. My boss walked up to me with the most quizzical look and knitted brow...and then simply said, "OOOOOKKK!" It was casual Friday and I was aware it was not exactly how I meant it to be. So I just laughed along.

 

[itsallaboutattitude]

I've changed my hair so often that I've had people who are actually looking for me pass me in the hallway, because they don't recognize me.

Natural hair in cornrows one day. Tree braids, blonde and to my a s s the next. I sometimes change my hairstyles 3 - 5 times in a work week.

The funny thing is, I've been at my company for 16 years. I've been in my current department for about 4 -5 years. When I joined this department I had a low, low fade (shaved head). After 1 1/2, I decided to grow my hair out again. That means braided extensions and wigs when my hair got to that in between funky stage.

Now that my hair is long again, I've cut back on the added hair changes. But I am now doing flat twists, single twists, cornrowed styles, wash and go's, buns and every so often my old faithful short wig.

I now only get comments when I wear a short wig, "OMG you cut your hair?!"

"Don't you know me by now?" Is my response.