Ever walked through campus and noticed women of all shades and sizes rocking lovely kinks and curly hair? It is definitely safe to say being natural is the new black. Now for those of you who may seem a little confused by the term “natural,” to sum it up, it is the epitome of beauty. The true definition of having natural hair means that in no way, shape, or form have chemical straighteners altered your hair. The natural look has been around for years but it is rapidly becoming the style for more and more college girls, especially amongst the Florida State community. With the salons in Tallahassee either costing too much or just being untrustworthy, many turn to doing their own hair without the use of any additional products or stylists.
Finding the time to embrace yourself is the beauty of being natural and it is quite fun according to the various girls around campus. The knots, the coils, the kinks, and the braids are all symbolic of strength and a representation of the roots from which every girl has derived. While this may not be the latest clothing style, it is still a growing trend. This style of being natural is African-American based, yet still no two girls’ hair looks the same. Depending on the curl pattern in your head, you fall under a specific category according to texture. While one girl may be a fine haired 2a, another may bounce into the kinky curled group of 3c. Google it one day and you’ll be amazed at all the difference in hair.
Some find that in their natural state, they are making the proclamation that they refuse to conform to society’s ideal look of long glamorous hair that celebrities and the oh-so-powerful media influence. Instead, they enjoy being comfortable in their own skin with no cares of what the next person may think. Their hair no longer becomes just something to style to go to class in Bellamy everyday, but even deeper than that, it is the natural expression of that girl you see. Every natural girl on campus has a story and it’s astounding all the various things you will hear as to what got them there or how long they have been on their natural journey. When asked what made each of them go natural, some of the responses I received ranged from, “it was spur of the moment,” “seeing others’ hair inspired me,” and the ever popular, “my perm did more damage than good.” You’ll even find a select few that have never had a perm and have been natural all of their lives — such as the author of this amazing piece. YouTube booms with tutorials and health tips for natural girls on the daily, so it is a phenomenon taking place all across the country.
I ran into a student the other day and we indulged in an amazing conversation of how long she had been natural and how it has affected her physical appearance and spirituality for the past two years. As we parted, her last words resonated: “My hair isn’t nappy, it’s just erupting with awesome.” With that being said, FSU’s natural girls rock!