We've all heard the term good hair. But exactly what does that mean? After getting a disappointing do at her hairdressers', WomanWise writer Tennille Alleyne was curious to find out.
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A woman's hair is said to be her crowning glory. So if we believe this old adage to be true, then today's modern woman must be wearing some expensive crowns! From high profile celebrities to the everyday woman, it seems that there is no limit to the amount a woman would spend on weaves, wigs, clip-ons or perms to achieve "good hair". Although India.Arie once sang I Am Not My Hair, a song aimed at generating female empowerment, Arie's powerful message must have been muted by those who usually spend half their Saturdays at the hair salon in an attempt to imitate the new Tyra or Beyonce dos.
So, what exactly is good hair? I sought the answers from friends. I was painstakingly recounting a botched job on my natural hair that led me to cut it off last July. Though it has not yet returned to its former length, it has certainly made some progress over time. "Well you have good hair, so it grow back fas,'" one of my male friends said. Should I be so bold to assume that "good hair" is hair that grows right back after it has been cut? I also clearly recalled a period during my secondary school years when the fairer gals with the curly locks were preferred. Their hair was smooth and soft enough for the hands of the boys to run through. Hair that was deemed short, unmanageable, or difficult to comb was facetiously (or not) referred to as "tac tac," "picky" or a definite "late fuh school!"
If one's hair fell into any of those categories, then sooner or later, it had to be locked, twisted, permed or weaved to achieve that "good hair" status. In fact, some girls with African would even swear to only marry guys of other races in order to break the curse of "bad hair" on their children. Guys at that time were not immune to this trend. I remember the days when my brother would wet his natural afro and apply gel to it, to achieve the illusive curly look. I nicknamed him and all others who did the same as "Pennywise Douglas".?They would also tie their heads with durags to achieve a wavy do.
So, good hair is the concept based on fact or fiction? For Petra, a tertiary student, good hair is a myth. "In my opinion, there is no such thing as good hair or bad hair. You are born with the hair of your race. "I remember having a discussion with a friend who thinks that once you are mixed, you have good hair which sadly is not always the case. "I know a particular girl who was born to an Indian mother and Spanish father but her hair is jacked up. "So good hair is an illusion, really, in my opinion." Kwesi who admits that he has always been attracted to women of mixed race because of their curly hair. A woman with "tac tac" hair, according to Kwesi, is out of the question. "Fortunately, my girlfriend has long, beautiful hair."
Leuann, a hairdresser in Chaguanas took a more intellectual perspective on the subject defining good hair as healthy and strong hair. "At the end of the day, everybody's hair could comb out."