Love it or Hate It?

I'm not usually a big fan of chocolate girls and blond hair. Something about it just looks OFF to me.

Many times, it's not the hair, but our skin tones. The blond color, depending upon your complexion, does nothing for most of our rich hues. There are always exceptions, of course.

There are only a few celebs who I think can really rock blond. Beyonce comes to mind and, while Mary J. Blige always, always rocks blond, I am not a big fan of it on her most of the time and never have been.

My opposition is mainly because it looks all wrong -- not because of any supposed cultural sensitivity. Black hair comes in many different colors -- from sandy brown to blond to red. My problem is this: Most of the time, the color we see on Black girls is that messy, shiny looking platinum blond weave/wig hair that looks doll hair.

So not a good look.

Natural and Blond?

I see a good amount of girls rocking blond-dipped locks. Still, many naturals prefer to steer far away from it because it's extra drying -- the extreme color strips more moisture from our naturally darkly-hued hair than other colors.

Honey blond? Usually that works well, but again, it's all about the application. A little bit works wonders. Blond highlights are one thing; a whole head might be something else  (I've even thought about blond highlights in the front of my hair).

But, never say never, because these chocolate girls are working their blond. And guess what? I love it.

This pic is absolutely gorgeous. I love the depth of the color. It absolutely works with her copper-colored skin tone, and it's spot on. I think this model would look totally different with her natural black/dark brown hair.

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And this model is working platinum blond in her TWA. The shirt goes perfectly with her hair and the contrast of the platinum blond and her cocoa colored complexion is AMAZING! Can I tell you I love it!

Source, via lecoil.tumblr.com

What about you? Would you go blond? Are you a fan or do you hate it? If you went blond, what color would you choose?

HairTroversy: Hair Extensions on Children

Zahara, the adopted daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, gets no hair love.

Jolie was criticized by a black stylist, DaRico Johnson, when she put braided extensions in Zahara's hair.

Now, my general rule is that kids (especially little ones) are off limits for bad criticism online and on blogs; no one should have their child subjected to that mess, especially when it's about their bodies or, in this case, their hair!

This is what Johnson was quoted as saying:

“If Angelina wants Zahara to be in touch with her roots and have her hair braided then she can do that with the child’s own hair and she doesn’t need to add extensions."

“She is far too young for that and Angelina is creating insecurity in the little girl that what she has is not good enough. Growing up with siblings who have long flowing hair, Zahara may grow to feel that her own natural hair is not pretty enough, and that without the fake hair she is not beautiful. She should be made to embrace who she is.”

*blank stare*

Really?

Johnson is looking for his 15 minutes of fame, and I guess he just got it. He couldn't be more wrong: Her hair is age appropriate -- she doesn't have weave to her ass. It's just extensions, and I've seen this look with extensions and without extensions on countless Black girls -- including my own, when they were Zahara's age.

What's the problem? If anything, he could argue that you have to be careful putting extensions in her hair, because her hair appears to be fine and the weight of the extensions could break her natural hair off. If he'd made that argument, that would be OK. I never put extensions in my daughters' hair for that reason, when they were Zahara's age.

Why Black Folks Have A Problem with Zahara's Hair

As long as Zahara still wears her God given hair, I don't see a problem with some extensions occasionally. I get his point about the "long flowing hair" but I think he's overreacting.

But, let me say this for the record: Black folks have a problem with Zahara's hair, and the fact that Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt (or whomever they choose to hire as a stylist) are white and they're  maintaining it. As my grandfather would say, they can't win for losing.

When pictures of Zahara's hair showed up online, Black people were the first one to dog Angelina Jolie out, criticizing her hair skills. Called her hair a dry, crunchy mess, and called Angelina and Brad out for adopting an African girl and not knowing how to maintain her hair. Folks still gave them the side eye when Angelina and Brad said they use Carol's Daughter products on Zahara's hair.

Are We Unfair?

Lemme be real for a minute, boo boo.

I've seen plenty of little Black girls with eaten up, jacked up edges and napes from bad perms, ratty fake ponytails and raggedy extensions that were not age appropriate, and horribly broken off hair right here in these United States. And I'm assuming their Momma and Daddy were Black, so what's the point?

Just because you're Black doesn't mean you're an expert in hair care. Brad and Angelina are White and they have different hair. Give them a damn break! I'm sure that none of the Black people who criticized Zahara for dry hair, ever had dry hair a day in their lives.

Zahara's a kid. No child's hair will be camera ready or perfect on every occassion. Black folks in general can be very judgmental when it comes to kids and their hair. I'm not saying your kid will go out all the time looking a hot mess, but kids play, get dirty, roll around in the dirt. Every strand on their head won't be perfectly in place at all times -- far from it.

I wish folks would put down the shea butter, coconut oil and YouTube tutorials for a minute and remember that for many of us, learning our natural hair was a process. Most of us hadn't seen our natural tresses since we were girls or at least pre-teens. And so we weren't experts out the gate. We had to relearn our hair care and hair rituals  -- shampooing, conditioning, moisturizing, maintenance.

Hell, some of us are still learning.

*raises hand*

The Real Problem

Why would we expect anything different from Angelina and Brad? Is it because they're white and they should be experts on black hair care since they chose to adoopt? If anything, folks really want to say: "This Black child should not be with these adopted parents."

That's what the real argument is really about, right? Can't win for losing. If Angelina goes and cuts off all of Zahara's hair, I'm sure folks would have something to say about that, too. Maybe Angelina and Brad are the parents of the year. Don't know and don't care.

But, please cut Zahara -- and her parents -- some slack (pun intended).

What do you think about hair extensions on children?

HairSpiration: We Love It!

I love this! This child's afro puffs are just ... puffalicious!

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What an awesome examples of a natural mom and daughter!

David Beckham Launches Bodywear for H&M

Continuning its successful tradition of marrying haute fashion designers with its chic, fashionable brand, Swiss retailer H&M in February will launch its latest retail partnership with soccer star David Beckham.

Beckham's "Bodywear" collection will drop in February, and will include men's briefs, boxers, vests, T-shirts, PJs, and long johns. If you want to grab it, the line will be available online (hurray!) and at the chain's 1,800 stores.

Bodywear will emphasize fit, comfort and style, but that doesn't mean that women can't snag a vest -- or two! This marks the latest in a string of buzzworthy partnerships for H&M -- Versace, Madonna and Stella McCartney fashions have lined the hip retailers' racks.

I don't usually cover men's fashion, but this development is interesting.


Beckham will join his wife, who also has an uber successful clothing line, as he makes his fashion mark. I can't think of a better person to launch an underwear line -- besides soccer, Beckham used to be an underwear model for Emporio Armani. And, yes, the 36-year-old will model his own  line!

David Beckham modeling his Bodywear line for H&M

And, let's face it, women want their men to be fashionable and most of the time, we have to be the ones to do it! They will wear underwear with holes in them until they fall off! Just like women love a good pair of underwear, so should men. Look good under your clothes, feel better about your clothes, no?

Shauntele: Classic Femme with a Twist

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I'm a sucker for strong feminine lines when it comes to fashion.

There's something utterly beautiful about what I call classic femme -- daring, yet darling at the same time.

Well, that's what I thought when I saw a young fashion designer, Shauntele, featured in a recent issue of Jet magazine. I instantly fell in love with her designs: Very feminine, yet very contemporary and edgy at the same time.  I could definitely rock this; her clothing is sexy, yet demure, while classic and definitely apropos for women of all ages. Her client list includes Ivanka Trump.

Shauntele -Outskirts of Paris, $550

Shauntele - Jane Shawl Dress $250

Young, black and talented.

What do you think of Shauntele?

Fashions for the New Year

There comes a time when we have to leave behind fashions and embrace new styles of the new year.

What fashions -- either styles or even designers -- will you leave behind?

My style is quirky; I like things that are a bit edgy, funky, yet feminine. Often, I don't know I like something until I see it, and I can't describe what I'll like beforehand. When I see it, I just know.

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This year, I'm going to profile my fashion journey on HairNista.com. Won't be leaving any particular things behind, but I'm definitely going to plow ahead by doing me!


I'll be bringing to you my hits and misses (hopefully a lot more hits), and letting you take a peek into my closet, filled with vintage, thrift store goodies and discount fashions.

New Year, New Hair?

The New Year brings about a renewed interest in goals, plans and life changes.

Same thing with our hair. Why should it be any different, right?

Maybe you ushered in a new do in 2012. Let's dish!

On older stylist once told me that radical hair changes usually mean we're going something in our personal lives. Kinda agree with that, kinda don't. When I think about the times I've radically changed my hair -- shaved it off -- it was because I desperately wanted something different.

Was tired of the same old, same old. Ironically, I was going through some major transitions at the time in my personal life -- moving from Detroit to Atlanta, or once I settled in Atlanta, I finally felt brave enough for that new, short do that I'd always wanted (I've had medium to long hair forever, but never a short cut).



Jill Scott at Monday's VH1 Divas Showcase

Now, do I think the person who does a BC means that they're going through something? Not necessarily. They just want change, and that "something" may be their desire to become natural, free themselves from the creamy crack, etc. What that older stylist told me was akin to saying, "you cray if you cut all your hair off."

Nah, I don't believe in that ish.

I think most of that advice applied to permed hair. We know that natural hair is highly versatile -- straight one day, curly the next, twist out the next day. And that's what I like most about natural hair.

No Regrets

It's only the second day in 2012. And this year, I'm all about living my life without regrets. If you want to cut your hair, cut it. It will grow back. If you want to dread it, do it. You can always start over.

Soul artist Jill Scott, known for switching up her hairstyles, rocked a shaved do on Monday at a VH1 event. Go Jill! Jill had gotten a bit of heat from the natural community for appearing to have had a permed short style. But, Jill set the record straight that while, she loves her hair, she isn't a hair role model. In other words, she's doing her!  And I'm lovin' that blue fur, girlie!

Must you do this? No, but if you want to, do you!

Let's make this the year that, if we want radical changes in our hair, we do it.