a natural hair journey... in pictures

I don't talk much about my hair, because frankly, I don't like to. I cut all my hair off a year ago precisely because I didn't want my hair to be a big deal any more. However, today is the anniversary of my big chop, so I'm getting a little reflective...

Here I was before. Shoulder-length, relaxed hair, which I've sported since I was 12 years old.



Isn't she lovely?




But Fall of 2009, I was tired of $90 hair salon visits and being afraid of the rain. I needed a change.

For a while, I toy with the weave.



It was fun, but, oy vey, so much work.



And at the end of the day, I didn't feel like myself with someone else's hair on my head.

So I began to transition from relaxed hair to natural. I did a lot of wet sets and played with a lot of curls.



I transitioned for maybe a month and a half. I'm impatient when it comes to risk some times. So I chopped off all my hair.



My mother cried. At the time, I promise you I was so bold, I just did it. I didn't even care what anyone else thought.



I had fun with flowers, hats and scarves.





And eventually my hair grew and grew and grew.



Now I sport a 'fro, and I love it.



The great thing about natural hair is that it instantly makes you original. It's your hair and no one else's looks quite like it.

I feel effortlessly hip, vintage and one of a kind.

So cheers to a year of being authentically me. It can only get bigger from here.

~jennifer.