black hair politics
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The Bald and the Beautiful: Is There Any Better Time to Take It All Off?
Admit it. Sitting there in the theater, gazing up at the gorgeous Dora Milaje, the thought occurred to you at least once: Could I pull off a bald head? Maybe your answer was an immediate and unequivocal “No,” but if there was even a glimmer of curiosity, let’s dig into it. While women have been…
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Naturally in Fashion: #TeamNatural Took Over the Runways at Fall Fashion Week
There were lots of exciting trends walking the runways last week during the New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2018 collections. Come fall, there’s saturated color, ’90s-inspired silhouettes and a fair amount of fur to look forward to, so get ready. But our favorite trend wasn’t a trend at all; it was texture. Following several seasons…
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She Is Not Her Hair: Why We Love the Many Styles of Michaela Coel
Michaela Coel first came to our attention through her award-winning and unapologetically irreverent Netflix series Chewing Gum. Even as the chronically awkward yet hilarious shopgirl Tracey Gordon, the gorgeous and multitalented Anglo-Ghanaian actress and screenwriter proved herself a skilled shape-shifter, making the character of Tracey as elastic as a rubber band as she tries to…
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Making Hair-Story: This Artist Is Styling Her Insecurities Away
Artist Laetitia Ky has had enough: enough body-shaming, self-doubting and denying the natural beauty all of us possess—no matter what form it takes. The 21-year-old self-proclaimed “Ivorian goddess and polyvalent artist” has taken matters into her own hands—and hair—creating an Instagram full of surrealist imagery that tackles our worst insecurities head-on (pun intended). Using her…
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Protect Your Tresses: Hair-Care Tips for the Reluctant Fitness Enthusiast
Stomping out the pavement for a few miles four times a week is how I’m able to gain my clarity and preserve my sexy. But just as frequently, my dreadlocks and scalp kick my ass just as hard as my fitness regimen. And when I try to recruit a new fitness buddy, I’m frequently met…
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New Growth: Chicago Med’s Yaya DaCosta Talks Growing Up #TeamNatural and the Beauty of the ‘Big Chop’
You know, this is this woman’s hair, not a continuation of the girl that you thought you knew. Actress and model Yaya DaCosta is talking about her cropped locks, an unexpected move for the woman who first captured our attention in 2004 as the outspoken Afrocentric beauty on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model.…
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Surviving a Breakup: What I’ve Missed Since Going Natural
Sometimes I look at my Afro and still can’t believe that less than two years ago, I underwent “the big chop,” after which my hair basically looked like a fuzzy tennis ball. Now my hair is a few inches past my shoulders and longer and thicker than it ever was when it was relaxed. I…
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J.Crew Doesn’t Believe in Hairstylists for Its Black Models
Many are up in arms about a photo making the rounds in social media, showing a black model in a recent J.Crew ad campaign who looks as if she ain’t seen nary a brush or some grease in days. Now, there’s nothing wrong with our beautiful, natural, grows-out-of-my-head-like-dis coils, but the photo apparently shows an…

