Friday, July 17, 2009

I've done something drastic...

So I was at a BBQ and a friend of mine (Holla, Elayne!) was talking about her hair and in passing she suggested I get dreadlocks. I humored her with "yeah, well maybe" and did my best to look interested, when actually there was only a small spark of interest.

But the next day I kept thinking on it, and I guess there were some highly flammable materials in my brain, in close proximity to that spark and in no time at all my whole head was alight with inspiration. I figured, my mum was born and raised in Jamaica, which gives me certain rights. Right? An she is a 50 something year old lady with bright purple an blue hair, so crazyness with hairstyles is in my genetics. And I'm crunchy granola, which also gives me some mad hair rights.

Rene was all, "go for it", so I did some research online, made myself a salt water and lemon juice spritzer bottle and when Rene came home with a flea comb for me I figured it was as good a day as ever to start. The day before mum left to return to Scotland (which was yesterday, so I'm talking about the day before yesterday) mum took an afternoon and evening to backcomb and palmroll my hair for me to get some dreads started! No turning back now, peeps.

I figured I'd just not post any pics with this.

















Of course I'm joking! Who do you think I am? No pics. Sheesh. I can't believe you bought that.


So here's me before. Pic by Kaya.



Sweet, but bland. Straight. Boring. My hair was just lying around waiting for something exciting to happen.

And then something did.

Here's during.











And are you ready for the after? Really?

Keep in mind that these are not really my dreadlocks. These are the framework for where my dreadlocks will be. It will take a few months before they start looking like dreads and a year before they officially mature past babyhood. So I may look goofy for a year, but as Rene pointed out, whenever someone grows their hair out long, they look stupid for about a year while it's at ear length and all puffy and silly. It's all about having patience. It will look good in time.

Ok, here's after.







I could not believe how much it frizzed up. I guess I have hair more like my Dad's than I had realized (speaking of my Dad...I hope he won't disown me now, after going dreadhead! Whaddya think Daddy?)

But I assure you, this is not a bad joke Bob Marley wig. This is my real hair. And it will tame down in time. Meanwhile I just want it to tangle up as much as possible to start to lock in.

I'm not 100% happy with them. I keep going through "what the heck have I just done" moments. But I'm sure in time I will be quite attached to them, and I'm glad I did it.



Oh, and I want to debunk some myths about dreads for you.

YOU CAN'T WASH YOUR HAIR

Wrong. Maybe people get confused because you can't brush your hair? Anyway, you are encouraged to wash your hair at least every 3 days. A residue free shampoo is best...I'm going to look into the cheapest natural option probably. Or else just keep using my regular shampoo and rinse it out real good.

YOU NEED TO USE WAX

Nope. Wax can actually ruin your dreads. It makes them look tighter and less frizzy, but it can also make moisture and yuckies get stuck in your hair and cause mold to develope. Ew! So I'm doing it without any wax. Also, wax will make your dreads take longer to lock up and tighten. Because it stops the hair from moving freely enough to knot up. So go without the wax.

DREADS ARE DIRTY

No, again with the whole, you are supposed to wash them, thing. They're not dirty. They're not smelly. You keep them clean just like any other hairstyle.

THEY'LL MAKE YOU SMOKE HASH

Haha, just cause I wear dreads doesn't mean I'm a pot head. Smoking is disgusting. I've never smoked anything in my life and never will. I'm conservative, peeps. Remember? You may be surprised to hear it, but hair doesn't actually make you do anything at all. It can't control you or anything. It's just hair. Not everyone realizes that. See, you've learned something new today.


So....thoughts??







23 comments:

Rene said...

I LOVE THEM!!!

ARK said...

how fun!

lislynn said...

Unbelievable. I admit I have always made fun of white people with dreads :) I'm from the South and a white woman with dreads is usually someone who's just trying tooooo hard to whitewash (*groan*) her Plantation Past and appear "multicultural". But honestly, they look good on you (can't believe I'm saying this).

Kathie said...

I think you look good, Niecey. And I am generally not a fan of dreads. But I do believe that people should do whatever they darn well want to, provided it doesn't hurt others. I can't think of anything more harmless than dreadlocks.

Unknown said...

Well. . . I'm a Fan!!! I think they look amazing Now and can't wait to see what they develop into!! I think that your friend sounds like a wack job, but I think it's cool that you let that little spark ignite. . . Watch out though, with a friend like that you'll likely find yourself in a tattoo parlor next ;-)

Gorgeous. said...

I think they look incredible on you!! I'm amazed by how perfect they look...!! You were BORN to wear dreads!!!! AWESOME!! ;D

I'll bet they give you tons of confidence too... you wait!

Tracy said...

They look great!!! I think I'd try it, too, if I could get away with it with my job and my husband wouldn't disown me.

Betsy said...

They are AWESOME! You are awesome. :)

And I didn't know you had a blog, so I'm happy to have found it on Facebook!

Unknown said...

ummmmm....uhhhhh......... it is definitely a hairstyle. I could certainly not manage to do that to mine.

DJ said...

So so rad, Niecey! I think this is a very good move... (^_^)

Serina said...

LOVE it! So totally you!

lady mommy said...

Amazing! I once dated a guy with dreads, I was constantly debunking the dreads myths for everyone. Sadly, even after I wrote a winning essay about how stupid it was, he was forced to shave his head in order to continue with his Massage Therapy degree. It's sad that "just hair" gives people the idea that they can judge you. But he wasn't sad about it, to him it was just hair, and thats all it ever is. I respect how unique you are :)

LISA said...

Im so jealous!!! You look amazing!!! Love it, love it.

MrsW said...

I think you really really suit those and they are only going to get better with time.

Kinsleys5 said...

Oh my...well, I'm speechless. I'm scared, I love ya, but I'm speechless. ;-)

Michelle M. said...

They really do look good on you! I would never have had the guts to do it, but you look great. Hope to see more photos in the future.

Unknown said...

miss neicy,
i know you dont know much about me, but your mother and i are what is refered as cousins without blood ties. yes she was raised in jsmsica, and yes you do in someway, need to share with the world the jamaican culture.

Unknown said...

as you know religion has ruled the people of thousands of nations, giving right to wars and destruction of men women and children in the name of god..religion also gave certain people the right to consider tribes of nations animals or beasts. to this we the rastafarian people who are god believers and also believers in christ have secluded ourselves from wolves in sheeps clothing , the scribes and pharasees who believe they have the right to play god, the pope who rules as god and in fact is the devil himself..

Unknown said...

those who believe that you have to dress and look a certain way to get into heaven, and of course those who are just uneducated and dumb who believe a white person wearing dreads is trying to be black(sorry southern folks)...but all of these mindframes are symbolic of propaganda, the devils working to segregate nations, and of course man who makes laws for god..all as evil as those who turn themselves away from god..are these my words...nope i get all this from a man who was the son of a carpenter , the son of god and the one who saved my life...

Unknown said...

this man was different , unliked by those who ran religion, unliked by those who were societies most noble and mostly unliked by the devil himself...this man made quite clear to us that we are children and if we follow his teachings we will have everlasting life..
i hope this upsets your white, or staunch christian friends, or your southern friends but i care not, for my son 5 and i wear dreads, (tj has never had scissors touch his head since birth, we try to be as christ like as possible , teaching him to love everyone and to be strong in faith...i get a kick when i explained to him what a leper was and how jesus loved them and it took him a while to understand why jesus loved someone who was so unclean or riden..
we all know, and im sorry if i break some peoples bubbles but jesus wasnt a white blue eyed man...yes its true..in fact he was of a darker skin and of course a descendant of the original man adam who was african....

Unknown said...

also dreads worn for fashion is ok..in fact i get dressed like a nuslim woman often and wear all the garb and cover my face just to look kewl....
your friend gorgeous in the comments the only wise one i saw said a very profound statement when she said youll have tons of confidence....there it is
to devide ones self from man and to be of god is to accept ridicule, and persecution, comments like my husband would kill me..or id loose my job or not be able to get a job...these are signs of weekness and no self discipline...back to the guy who saved me..he was scorned, ridiculed and blasphemed for being different..and i wonder where he got his barber shop trimmers and combs , white shirts and ties while he spent 3 yrs in the desert...
hon, dont take this as a sermon or a charmer, but you have taken a huge step in your life and maybe its good to feel and understand at least a small portion of what the carpenter guy went through....it gives such great perspectives on those throwing the stones who will go to bed in neglege to please their man and make themselves sexy for him..or those who spend an hour of their time or more putting makeup on or finding the right dress so you dont look fat.instead of taking that time to share your heart with someone who needs love and compasion or prayer..or even to take time to thank him for dieing on the cross for yu...

Unknown said...

i hate to say this , and i know you all will be shocked but unlike christs teachings, some of the most hateful , prejudice people ive met wear the title of christian, and yes whites still hate blacks here..and yes whites still steriotype blacks and yes they have created a society of prisons to jail them and put them away as savages .....
dreads are like the black mans penis, they scare white men because they are scared white women will love or share marrital rights with a black man, or even may want their kids to think its ok to look like a black man...
as for the filth and dirtiness of dreads...haha i wish i had a dollar for everytime ive seen a person pick their nose and eat it...
as for you...please beware....you may have taken a path in your life that is very christlike, and i hate to tell you but the ones who will look down at you or ridicule you are the unwise, the hatemongers and those who dont know alathias daughter for who she really is....i read your facebook all the time and it has given me an inner vision of how you love your kids and family and obviouly share a good life with hubby...
cut them off or care for them , you will still be you...and we love you as did the guy i know who was a carpenters son
may jah guide you

Empress Marci said...

Hey cuz

I didn't know you had started dreadlocks :) They look good. Aunt Alathia has some skills ;)

I started my locs in January and I am documenting my journey through pictures.

Thank you for posting some true facts about dreads. I wash mine once a week, rinse and spritz daily.

Keep me updated on your progress!

Hugs,
Marci