Friday, July 1, 2011

Natural Hair Newbie... the Emotional Journey.



Hello Beautiful People!
    Can I just tell you the process of learning to love this new me, a natural newbie, has been quite a process not only has it been an adjustment physically but emotionally my goodness. You don't realize how much of an impact your physical has on your mental, and the outlook you have on yourself until you make a drastic change. For me that was making the drastic of going natural and dawning a low hair cut with just natural hair.

     Why did I do it? For a long time I wanted to go natural but always had a million and one excuses as to why I couldn't do it my scalp being tender is number one and the second being that I felt like my grade of hair was not a good one and finally that it wouldn't look good on me. Before the big chop in about a year span i had ran a gammit of short permed hairstyles after not doing so for reasons well basically my boyfriend preferred long hair. All along following with Rihanna's hair journey (lol it was fun I stopped at the Loud album no fire engine red hair for me). The last cut, a Mohawk cut that had grew out was what made me really ponder what my next course of action would be, would I grow out my hair to go back to long hair which meant monthly perms and wash and sets with my lovely Dominicans? The only draw back with a mohawk I'd have to go really short in order to do so. Then I thought to myself that maybe that if this was the only way I may as well take a chance and finally try going back all the way back to the natural me, a girl I haven't seen since 6th grade.
       What gave me the courage was an event I went to in Harlem for master artist Sam Fine who was promoting his amazing DVD (Sam Fine Beauty)  (which you should def buy) and I was in my wig and surrounded in a sea of beautiful sistas whom all seem to be coincidently natural and just lovely. As I looked around at wide array of natural styles and colors I was inspired and got a sense of pride to see that so many made the transition. Talking with Danielle (the style doctor) further liberated me with her freshly cropped do and beautiful red lip, her signature and my all time favorite look. I took this as a sign that the stars were aligned, no I didn't lol but one from God that it was time to let go of the creamy crack that had taken over my life. From that night I was on a mission, I knew that with the momentum I had from that night I had to cut all the straight hair off and make the change quick before Rihanna did something else that I would really love. So after some advice and research I went to a natural salon in downtown [Brooklyn called Sol. Rob would be the one to the honors and he made it a not so bad process by talking to me and telling me how beautiful I was. So I sat and sat and wondered when he would stop (lol I'm so dramatic)
       ...And then it was done... No matter how much he said how beautiful I was I wanted to cry. Unconsciously I had equated my beauty with hair... And now there was a short crop of it. Fast forward the next day I went to the Makeup Show where I saw beauty friends and was reassured how much this cut suited me. It took sometime but with more compliments I slowly built my self esteem back up but the question is now what next? It's a month layer and I have what I call an unruly fro my plan is to grow it out friends say cut it low again, so many decisions what do I do? Leave your comments below, email me photos of possible styles, colors or hit me on twitter @MissMerli


March 2009


Fall 2009
Nov 2008










March 2009
I gotta new attitude February 2010
March 2011

One of my favorite looks April 2011



 The new Miss Merli May 2011


Unruly Fro June 2011




???
What is next for July and August help me decide


Live, Laugh, Love and Learn
Miss Merli






4 comments:

Alicia said...

Keep letting it grow. As it grows you can try new and different styles and be creative with it :)

Unknown said...

@Alicia so do I keep triming and shaping up until then or let it grow?

T.Davis said...

You look amazing with natural hair. I remember seeing at the makeup show and thinking this girl has the most amazing eyes, she def pulls off this short look well. Although im relaxed, I admire all natural hair sistas.

HeidiStylHix said...

YES GIRL!! I will never forget meeting you at Harlem Vintage. Your face definitely showed that you were in awe. I really didn't expect to see your change happen so quickly even though many of us urged you on. I mentioned you and this experience in my blog. I gotta rewind to your hair crack days: I LOVE that "new attitude" photo! Ok, fast forward. You look fabulous with your mini fro. Have fun with it, grow it out, chop it off, grow it out again, color it, uncolor it. Enjoy! :o)

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