I am a girl who, like many others with naturally curly hair, has jumped on the bandwagon of the wash-and-go Afro. I've recently been loving my curl pattern and, more importantly, I’ve been loving the way I feel every time I rock this style. There’s something empowering and self-assuring about wearing your hair naturally, even if you have to manipulate it a little to create different curls.
Natural hair is a trend that has recently garnered a lot of attention, especially within the black community. For the wearer of this newly accepted hairstyle, it can mean a much simpler and healthier hair routine, or more importantly, a general self-acceptance.
For a long time, our society has strictly followed a narrow-minded definition on what beauty is. And as a result of this, many women felt it necessary to change in order to appeal to society’s preconceived view of this beauty. Now, there has been a shift in perception, and it has become popular for girls, and even guys, with naturally curly hair to embrace their curl pattern.
“I love the bounce and volume it naturally has and the different textured curls,” said AJ Sagar, a rising sophomore at TCNJ.
One of the greatest aspects to the natural hair trend is, in fact, its versatility, which is probably why it seems to be a trend that is taking over the world. While studying abroad in London, I’ve spotted natives and foreigners alike rocking their curls, which of course reminded me of the large population of TCNJ students who also do the same. Girls can be seen with a wild Afro, twist-outs, Bantu knots, beautiful ombrés… the list goes on. But like I said, this is more than just another fad.
TCNJ graduate and style blogger Ashley Hutchinson said, “I chose to go natural because I wanted healthy hair and to show the beauty of my natural hair. Wearing my natural hair is symbolic to my self-acceptance because it’s a part of me that I have grown to love.”
Self-acceptance is totally redefining today's standards of beauty. Regardless if this au-naturel style is here to stay, it's refreshing to know that people everywhere are embracing this self-love look!
