When do I claim APL?

[Sounique]

When I straighten my hair (I'm transitioning, 5 months post) it is APL. However if I just wash and go it falls slightly below my shoulders and is very full and poofy. I am starting to believe that I should claim SL because I never wear my hair straight. I prefer the curly look. Once I reach BSL or BSB (whatever you choose to call it), then maybe I'll be APL without having to flat iron it bone straight. So do you ladies think that true APL is when my hair falls at that length unaltered?

 

[MsBoinglicious]

you can claim both. APL is your real true length when measured. but since you wear it curly you would tell people you are SL unstretched and APL stretched.

 

[msa]

I can't even imagine waiting until my hair reaches APL in it's natural state. I'm almost positive that it's impossible for it to happen.

Anyway, as long as it's at APL when straightened then you should claim it.

 

[nikki2229]

ITA with boingboing.
I have the same issue. I am transtitioning but I keep my hair trimmed at or above APL to get closer to my goal of being natural. I don't claim APL on here because I hardly straighten my hair and I rarely take pics.

 

[winnettag]

you can claim both. APL is your real true length when measured. but since you wear it curly you would tell people you are SL unstretched and APL stretched.

I agree.
I have a straigtened goal and and a natural state goal, so I use both measurements.
Or you could tell people who know about natural black hair that it's APL, and you can tell people who know nothing about shrinkage that it's SL?

 

[Lovestyr]

If your hair is starighten and reaches APL i SAY DECLARE IT!!!!

 

[Sounique]

Thanks ladies! I appreciate your point of views. When I first joined the board I had no idea that I would opt to go natural. I have stretched my relaxers for 6 months, three times now and each time that I relaxed, I regretted it. I have been slowly cutting off my relaxed ends so it feels like I've been the same length forever! It seems like my hair is getting bigger instead of longer. I love it though!

I guess I am sl/apl, depending on how I wear my hair.

 

[Fhrizzball]

In either case then congrats!

 

[vnaps]

Thanks ladies! I appreciate your point of views. When I first joined the board I had no idea that I would opt to go natural. I have stretched my relaxers for 6 months, three times now and each time that I relaxed, I regretted it. I have been slowly cutting off my relaxed ends so it feels like I've been the same length forever! It seems like my hair is getting bigger instead of longer. I love it though!

I guess I am sl/apl, depending on how I wear my hair.

I am not natural but am texlaxed and have also been cutting my bone straight ends. i know i could have been close to apl but hated three textures so i did a major cut bout two weeks ago...am shoulder length with some middle bits no longer shoulder (regretted it a bit but am happy now).....my hair is also getting "bigger" and thats the way i like it lol....and i can still bun my hair

 

[BostonMaria]

You'll want to claim it straight because shrinkage will always be a factor. I've been shoulder length curly for about 10 months now. In those 10 months I went from APL to BSL to almost MBL. Do you see where I'm going with this? LOL

Many people do length checks by straightening and then going back to curly.

 

[Firstborn2]

I can't even imagine waiting until my hair reaches APL in it's natural state. I'm almost positive that it's impossible for it to happen.

Anyway, as long as it's at APL when straightened then you should claim it.

I agree, my natural hair grows out not down, so I say claim it anyway you can. My hair is armpit and even though I rarely straighten it I still claim it.