Here's another FAB Style

Friends, I am on a roll with cute styles!  I took down my mini-twists on Friday, I kept them in for a little under two weeks. *My hair is SCREAMING for a DC!!!*  I was looking for a style for the twist-out since I didn't like how the twist-out was laying "out."  I came across a FABULOUS style from chisellecouture's youTube page.  Here are the pics...

Those of you who look at Cali's youTube channel know that my hair is at least half the length of hers, yet the style still worked.  While her hair was actually tucked in, mine appears to be tucked in in the top bun/poof.  Fact is - it worked!  The style looked just as cute without a hair accessory too - I will DEFINITELY do this style again!

Here's a tutorial from cali:

Click here for the original video post.
Click here for the chisellecouture youTube page.

Hair & Acceptance

I want to discuss hair acceptance again for several reasons. 

1. I think I'm finally at a point where I love and appreciate my hair for what it is -in Madea voice, "HALLELUYER!"
2. I have lots of natural friends who express issues with hair acceptance - it is a struggle for many of us
3. Recent post on BGLH about curl definition on 4b hair

For some time, I wanted to achieve CURL definition when it was just unrealistic for my hair.  I would try product after product and 3 hours later my hair would be curly for one day, MAYBE.  I would look crazy the next day!  I know many of us who look at pictures on FB/Fotki/blogs of natural women and think...I want my hair to look "EXACTLY LIKE THAT!" The unfortunate reality is that our hair can't always look "LIKE THAT."

THINK ABOUT IT: Individual hair strands on our own heads have varying diameters.  Some people have strands with larger diameters than others.  We all know that some have more individual hair strands on their heads.  We all also have differing curl patterns ranging from s-curls to tiny coils to waves to undescribeable patterns.  This being said, it's no wonder that our hair may not look "EXACTLY LIKE THAT."

As we go through our natural hair journey, we are likely to run into a variety of frustrations.  One of my main frustrations came in expecting my hair to do things it just isn't meant to do well.  For example, wash-n-go's, or detangling my hair while its dry (OUCH!).  I've come to accept my hair for what it is....big, thick, and beautiful (CAN I GET A WORK!).

Ask yourself the question...have you truly come to grips with your hair and accepted it for what it is?

Mini-Twist Up-Do

My twists are now one week old and they look GREAT!  My scalp also feels fine - it's not itchy at all!  I've been applying Coconut Oil to the twists and my scalp on a 2-3 day basis. I did an up-do today that has a front hump with an old school french roll in the back.  I like it. Pics are below.

Side 1

Other Side

Top

Front *Sorry it's blurry, it still shows the general style

This style was great for my twists, although I don't always love the spacing that twisted humps provide (see front pic), however this style would work equally well on stretched/curly/kinky hair.

Tutorial: Section off a portion in the front for the front-hump.  Gather the sides of the hair toward the middle of your head into a large twist and use a large comb similar to the one in the pic below (without all the frills) to pin hair back in a french roll type of style.

*The clip worked SO WELL, normally I use 100 bobby pins to hold the hair in place.*  Use bobby pins and hair pins on the sides and at the top of the roll to pin the rest of the hair in place.  Gather hair from the front and pin back with a bobby pin or clip.

Style Trials: Mini-Twists

I saw some DOPE mini-twists on a blog that I follow called Naturally Obsessed, I was so amazed at the beauty of these twists that I decided to try them myself!  These twists took me a little over 4 hours and I started getting tired at the end and thus made some twists bigger than they should have been.  Here are some pics...

I put the twists up with a banana clip, as I don't like how my hair falls when it's all down...it just doesn't look right to me.

They remind me of sister locks...I did these twists on stretched hair because I wanted them to have the most length possible.  I hope to keep these in for 2 weeks*...MAYBE longer, but I doubt it as I get style itches pretty easily.  I'll keep posting various styles that I am able to do with the twists as I go.

*I don't plan to wash my hair while the twists are in simply to preserve the style

Style Trials: French Braid Throw Back

I was browsing through my phone for pictures and came across a throwback that I never got around to posting pics for.  This style was inspired by style icon, Eniola, featured on BGLH.  Essentially, the style is a side-french braid.  Here are the pics...

Front

Side

Remember, this is a throw-back from November, so I don't know specifics on what my hair was like before I did this style, however I can imagine I did this style on stretched OR blown-out hair.  It was most-likely stretched since I can count on one hand the number of times I've blown my own hair out.  I pinned the "hang-time" up with a bobby pin.

This style was super cute...I wish I took more pics!

BYW: Staples are NECESSARY!!!

Continuing with the Build Your Wardrobe series, I'm now on to Tip #3: Buy wardrobe staples.  When you're first building your wardrobe, it's easy to want the cute bright sequined mini-dress, or those blue-suede booties.  However, if you're just starting to get your wardrobe together, it's MOST important that you get staples before the "one-of-a-kinds."  Also, the onsies stand out so much that you typically space out your "showcasing" of these glorious pieces.

These are some of my staple shoes: Black Ballet Flats, Metallic Sandals, Camel-brown Knee boots, Black Booties, Black Pumps, Black Knee Boots, Chocolate-brown Knee boots, Black Oxfords

I listed the shoes in the order in which I purchased them.  I wore my camel-brown boots ALL of Winter 2008.  I DOGGED those shoes ya'll!!!  This winter, I got a pair of vintage black knee boots from my cousin (for free ;) ) and bought some chocolate brown boots...I had to pace my purchasing as I am BUILDING!

I recently purchase THE CUTEST black pumps by Seychelles at Anthropologie.

I made sure to get these once I had my traditonal black pump, although I find that these go with almost everything my traditional pump would go with!  They're super comfy and they were $90.00.  They also come in grey w/ a splash of mustard (instead of purple).

My point in saying all of this is...you want to make sure you have some basics that you can wear with anything and everything before you get the TRUE onsies that are only showcased occasionally.

Staple ideas *will be based on style*: Dark Wash Jeans (whatever cut is best for you), Oversized White Blouse, Black Stretch Pants, Plain Tees, Black Dress, Black Pencil Skirt, High-waist belts...to name a few

Tip #3: Buy wardrobe staples

Sofull Sista Under Construction

Hey Everyone,

I've been working on a new logo and design for my blog - I really don't know HTML well - but I can read books about HTML ;)...thus, excuse the look of the blog as I'm re-arranging things to get them to match the blogs "new look."

Peace,
Monique

3-Strand Twists

If you're reading this post, you may be thinking...3-strand twists...??? Is that a typo?  No, it is not, there is a 3-strand twist style.  I discovered the style during my normal perusing of youTube and natural hair blogs.  I tried the style myself.  There is a difference between the 2-strand and the 3-strand.  I think the 3-strand twists are fatter and they have more spirals to them...see pics below.

You all know how bad I am with tutorials, so I found a tutorial for the style from youTuber chisellecouture.  See the video below.

Here is a link back to the original video.
Here is a link to chisellecouture's channel.

My bottom line for this style...I will like it more when my hair is longer.  It took me longer to do this style and I thought it would help lengthen my twists, but it didn't.  This twist-style may be a good option for women with thin hair as it does make your twists thicker.