Starting young.
WHO IS SHE?
First, let me say that I do recognize that a lot of my post are focused on the past, and I am here to tell you that this is all part of the plan. I feel like to get to know someone you really need to understand where they come from and who they were. So these beginning post will focus more on things I've already experienced and as time goes on I will share more of what I am currently experiencing. Sot this week I wanted to remember all of my lovely hair-donts that I'ce experienced. All my friends will attest to this, but showing off my old hairstyle photos is one of my favorite party tricks. I've always been very expressive with my hair and I think it’s a huge part of your style. Keep reading/scroll down and you will see for yourself.
NOT-SO-FANTASTIC SAMS
Growing up I was at the mercy of my parents for my haircare, and even more unfortunate my Father was in charge of mine. I guess it made sense because I am technically a boy, but Dads favorite place to get my hair done was good ole Wally-World. So many Fantastic Sam’s haircuts in my history... But I will tell you he DID let me be adventurous with the styling. This is where I started to realize that I liked to express myself with hair. I remember it started with this Green-Hair-Coloring Gel...That shit was the revolution. And it soon continued to getting highlights of blonde... But this was crazy because I had really short hair, and Walmart made me look like I had cheetah print on my head.
I tried to rely on my Charisma, Uniqueness, Nerve and Talent instead of my hair. As you can tell...
I quickly realized that the biggest thing is to be picky about who does your hair. I had chosen rather than Walmart butchering my hair that I would take the easiest route a dude can go and just buzz my head. Unfortunately for me I have a huge melon for a head. I’m pretty sure my family used to be afraid that I would have difficulties learning to walk because my head was so large. Not to mention, that I was getting chunky and I really didn’t pull off the hairless potato look very well.
PANIC AT THE HAIR GROWTH
So as the years went on I fought with what to do with my hair, and how to make a statement. There are some lost photos of dying tragedies and giant streaks of red hair. But what made the biggest splash was my life as a scene kid in the early 2000's. One of my favorite bands were Metro-Station, and my Myspace name was MJasaurus. I was your typical "I write sins not tragedies" child and I really did view the style as "unique."
WHO WAS SHE THO?!
Clock the blue contacts that I wore from Sophmore year in high school until I was 22 years old. (not the same pair btw...they were prescription)
So by the time my hair grew out I found me a regular stylist that I would go too and literally ask for this strange, lob-type hairstyle. It RAN my life. I was part scene kid, part diva, with a splash of white boy (just a splash) First of all, I actually have this thick, curly hair from hell. But I didn’t want it to be curly and long, I wanted to look like Christopher Drew, or Alex Evans. I ended up looking like an Emo Justin Bieber. HOWEVER... I LOVED IT. I thought I was cute as hell. I remember taking so many selfies and constantly working on my hair. It literally was my lifestyle. I had countless straighteners, hair products, and I couldn’t be outside in the summer heat longer than 5 minutes without it exploding. It took over an hour every morning to section and straighten. But there was something so rewarding about it.
Me and Emily with our matching hairstyles. WE were adorbs. XD
Eventually I had to let go of the emo style. I was terrified to cut it, because I was scared of what I would look like. Didn’t think I would have anything special about me if I was bald. But I took the plunge and went crazy. It was a huge event, my dad came with me and took pictures of the whole transaction…Embarrassing. But BITCH. I actually liked it. And after the hair was gone I realized it looked way better short. I felt like a whole new woman. I played with styling it, and learning how to control it being so short. But one thing I couldn’t bring myself to do was let it curl. Throughout my first couple of years in college I fought with short hair and learning how to just let it curl. I’m telling you I worked that Chi until its death.
One of my favorite hairstyles became the feaux-hawk. Which was ruined for me when someone called me Astro-Boy and Johnny Bravo. It really wasn’t that cute. But I made some progress as I got older and started really getting into college. I started to be less afraid of looking “Too Gay” (Which was funny because for some reason with the long hair I never thought I looked that homo) I started letting it curl more and more and eventually it turned into the pompadour style that I Rocked for SOME time. I WAS STILL GOING TO THE SAME CHICK. I never went anywhere else. (Except when I moved to Florida. I had to go to a Regis in the Mall which was a HUGE mistake. The lady used to drop the clippers on my head, and shake like a leaf. Yet I kept going back to her because she told me her life-story about being a single mom and I felt some type of way for the poor lady.)
Le Cheveaux Salon was my jam. (RIP apparently they closed) Plus it was right down the road. Thanks D'Nae for never judging me for the crazy request. AND she used to SLAY my eyebrows. I honestly havent gotten my brows waxed since she did them. I dont trust anyone else lol
#NEVERFORGET
It just keeps getting better. Or Worse? What is that phone case?!
FRESH FADE BRO
When I came back from Florida I decided to shave my head again. I felt like I wanted to rock the Shaved-Butch-Queen look, but once again this style did not look good on my giant head. So I simply had to suffer until it grew back. But a miracle happened when I reconnected with my cousin Rickey. He had ran his own salon and he was a master when it comes to hair. This dude seriously ran the scene for cool hair in Louisiana. He is known for his wildly popular hair coloring, and now he works in LA where he owns one of the biggest hair coloring brands in the country, PULP-RIOT. He welcomed me with open arms into the salon, and seriously gave me the freshest fade ever. Once again, I was a brand new bitch.
One of the first fades from Headrush. I was also growing out my beard, which was...ehhhhhhh.....MERP.
Had to include this of me and Brits braids we got on vacation one year. I ADORED them on a beach vacation. They held down the crazy.
Rickey’s Salon was called Headrush, and they were like this big family of hairstylist. They really changed the way I viewed hair, because they weren’t just a salon. They were a group of artist coming together to master their craft. I even got the chance to work for some of them and I made the best logo designs for them that, to this day, I adore. (Shoutout to Kade who took over my melon-head after Rickey started traveling. His logo was one of my favorites to design.)
I went to them for years, always called at the last minute, and not once did I leave with a bad haircut. I left each time feeling like a beast. I actually picked up some great products from them too. Suavecito, is this hair "grease" that would make Danny Zuko wet his panties. But after a while I started to fight with the curls again. I liked wearing my hair pulled back and styled, but it was becoming too much to keep up with. So AFTER ALL THESE YEARS, I embraced the curl.
The more I let it curl the better it got. And I could still keep the fades coming, I just had to let the top curl over. I even let the top grow out when the man-bun fad had taken over America like the plague. I got to about a man-sprout before I realized I looked ridiculous. Eventually I found a happy medium with length and kept that for a while. But moving to San Antonio really threw a wrench in my plans. I had to ONCE AGAIN, find a new place to get my haircut. It was really hard to follow Headrush. I still cannot find any good hair artist here that match their love for quality in what they do.
WHO IS SHE NOW?
Eventually I found a group in Southtown who quickly became my go-to place for the everyday fade. Southtown Barbers was this small little hole-in-the wall that I didn’t expect to love as much as I do now. I’ll be honest, it wasn’t in the nicest part of Southtown (at the time) and, having just moved here, I didn’t know what I was about to walk in to. More importantly, I didnt know what I would look like after I came out. To my surprise, it was a fantastic little barber shop. It reminded me of the barber shop we used to go to for my dad when I was young, and the stylist there are all very sweet and fun. They even upgraded and moved on St.Marys Street where they have this BOMB place. Vee always gives me a nice style and she puts up with my lack of explanation-skills. She even helped save my hair after this crazy cosmetology student tried to dye it light blonde.
Thanks Vee for giving me this look, It was a hella fun look to pull off and you didnt judge me for asking for a stache.
DISASTER. I spent over 15 hours in the chair... and we changed locations about 3 times...honestly it was one of the worst days of my life. I was not happy.
That was a horrible experience that ruined my hair. After a couple drinks on a sunday brunch (with two alcoholics) we decided it would be fun to dye my hair. I wanted a light grey/almost white style that I adored on many celebs. But after nine horrible hours of drunk/high people torturing me; I lost my curl and completely fried my hair. Hats were my friend and I hated it so much I pulled the Danny Zuko and slicked it back every single day until i could dye it back black. Not to mention, there was this OTHER student who I let cut it after. He tried to salvage some of the damage, but ended up only balding me with a horrible chop... Moral of the story? ALWAYS go to a trusted person to do your hair for drastic changes. Never let anyone blonde your hair after they've been drinking since 10am on a sunday morning. AND always have collection of hats that you like in case of emergency.
#embracethecurl After about 8 months this is where i am now... You can still see where the blonde is growing out in my hair. Its almost like brown highlights. And my hair is still very easily fried and needs constant conditioning. But its mostly the tips at this point.
The most recent braiding experience, I LOVED IT. I plan on playing with braids more often. Especially now that I know this chick who did these beauties.
Overall I have been through so much with this hair on my head. And once again I currently find myself seeking the next big hair-venture. I started buying some curl cream and really focusing on getting them to do what I want, but it’s never a sure process. The secret to my success has been Foxy-Curl by Bed Head: that shit works MIRACLES and it smells like skittles. I will say it gives me a weird texture, but it really does give the curls lush style. ALSO… I have decided to grow it out again. I really want to give it one last chance to be long before I go bald or something. So my plan is too suffer through to awkward stages and eventually have a Kit-Harrington-style, head of sexy curls. Keep in touch to see how this actually turns out. And cross your fingers that I wont get to frutrated and give myself the chop.