Weave or No Weave?

Hey Curly Cuties!! It’s Angie B!! Not too long ago, I decided to go a year without putting any weave in my hair. The idea stemmed from a simple conversation that I was really not ready to have, but before I spill the tea, let’s get a little background information.

I grew up on the south side of St. Louis in one of the worst neighborhoods in the city known as The Peabody's. I went to really poorly educated schools where there were very few black girls who wore their natural hair. In the hood, wearing your natural hair wasn’t something to be proud about—it was actually frowned upon. If you went to school with your natural hair, you were most likely talked about. Since that standard was set at such a young age, I couldn’t dare go to school with my real hair and I would plan my hair schedule accordingly. Friday, I'd take my weave out and Saturday morning I’ll get my weave put back in. This cycle went on continuously until I started building my relationship with God.

If you grew up in church you always heard sayings such as “love yourself;“ “you are fearfully and wonderfully made;” or “embrace in you!” I would apply all of these principles to all other areas of my life but never with my natural hair. Soon enough, that all changed. It all started on a cold, winter night. I was chilling with some friends at the cafe that I now work at (Oliver’s). My girls and I were chatting about our natural hair journeys and the personal convictions that the Lord had given each of us. I shared how I felt like the Lord was tugging on my heart to let go of weave so that I could learn how to embrace my natural hair. One of the girls suggested that I just listen to God and let weave go. (I know, it sounds so simple right?!) After minutes of chatting I decided to take her advice and in that moment, I CHOSE to let go of weave for a while so that I could truly learn how to love my natural hair. If I’m being real, at that moment, I wanted to snatch the ponytail that was currently in my hair, OUT (LOL), but I decided to wait until I got home.

I got home that night and was so ready to let go of my weave but soon afterwards, that’s when the battle really started…

To be continued....

- Angie B