Earlier this week

I love dreads so my faux dread look in the last pics tickled me, but just so people don't think I go around everyday looking "dusty" (as some people call some more free looking hair)- this was my school look on Thursday.

Here you get to see the whole look

This day was actually pretty rough, I had a writing assignment, a test and a presentation in the same day. I also wasn't feeling too great but at least I looked nice.

A closer look at the hair style (the last days of the twist out)

Texture shot (Sort of. My hair has been holding on to twist pattern, so the coils are a little exaggerated.)

Fooling with updos

In the last post, I bemoaned not having time to mess with my hair for the cute, conventional work friendly styles (i.e.: twists) but now I'm sucking it up. I am trying to master some quick updos that will hopefully last the week. The idea is to wash over the weekend, style, spritz/touch up during the week but not really have to fool with my hair in the heat of the work/school week.

On Friday, I tightened things up for a work version of the hair rolls I attempted on Thursday night.

Side view

Sideways front view

On Saturday, I tried to switch my rolls over to bantu knots, the result (that I'm currently wearing) is below...a few of the rolls still remain.

I had kind of a cruddy day*, so trying out this new style took my mind off things a bit. I think with a little more practice this look can be work (internship) ready, hopefully it's sleep friendly.

About today: I got in my first fender bender and ended up not accomplishing too much the rest of the afternoon. I just started driving for real this summer and I drove home (halfway across the state) alone for the first time over Labor Day weekend, so I was a bit in disbelief when I got rear-ended heading home after errands (in the midst of Game Day traffic). Oh well, goes with the theme of my week. Life goes on.

Back to Basics!

This is what the top of my head looks like right now:

It's the result of large twist out that I just rolled into naturally forming sections. I realize it may look unkempt to some but this is probably of one of the looks I've been happiest with as of late...and I just did it.

These rolled sections aren't going to hold because nothing is keeping them rolled up. My hair is slightly damp with a bit castor oil spritzed in and I didn't roll them particularly tight...but it was a quick and easy style.

A view from the side

Quick and easy is what I need right now, I have a lot going on...in fact that's why I haven't posted since August. I'm in my last year of college (junior/senior in credits) and I'm taking 15 hours while doing an internship on Mon/Wed/Fri. My first day on the job was last week and this week has been crazy with first tests and papers of the semester. (I was also sick the week before Labor Day up until the night before I started at the office.) Nevertheless, I'm trying to showcase positive images of natural black hair because I think it's beautiful not usually recognized as so. Still, if some cute hairstyles up 3-4 hours in one day, I just can't do those things.

I keep dreaming of putting in two strand twists again because they're low maintenance, they take me about 3.5 hrs but once they're in that's like 2 weeks worth of wash/condition/spritz/go. I can usually tell what my hair will do in small twists but I don't have time to allot to the project. I can't justify spending the time.

The back of my head. (I love how this almost looks like I have dreads.)

The dilemma for me is that twist outs and big twists are basic but while I, personally don't mind them doing their own thing when morphed by water or the weather, I am concerned about how they are perceived in a professional setting. I don't think there's anything unprofessional about the hair that grows out of my head, but its hard to know if my officemates see a bunch of matted hair or a natural style. I am one of two black women in my office and the only one sporting natural black hair. I've seen a few naturals elsewhere in the building but they had much more reserved styles.

Personally, I love the dread look but the idea of going through the crazy early locking part (in an office setting) makes me nervous. Yet, in a twist out, my hair effectively looks a lot like early dreads. On a natural black hair forum I frequent, the general consensus about trying new natural styles is that it's fine in the workplace as long as it's neat...but are these easier/more freeform styles neat?