My recent articles talk about different modern African American Hairstyles. As I looked back at the series I wrote, hairstyles that I want to forget came to mind. Here are six African American hairstyles that I am I am sure other African Americans Want to forget:
6. Process: This hairstyle was worn by young black males from the 1920’s to the 1960’s. This style is also called �⒬˜conked’ and means the hair is straightened with chemicals. The hair was then worn slicked down to the head. Variations of this style in was waves, where hair was arranged so that it resembled ocean waves, and in the 1970’s men who didn’t shun the old hairstyle for the afro began putting hair rollers in their hair for a look that could only be called feminine. Rev. Al Sharpton still wears the latter style. Michael Jackson and Prince still process their hair in longer versions of the process hairstyle.
5. Sculpted hair: In the 1980’s black women took advantage of the nature of their hair to stand up on its own. Jells were added and sculpted shapes resulted. Black women everywhere were finding new and imaginative gravity defying hairstyles. Patti Labelle is well known for this hairstyle.
4. The Shag: After the afro had faded out, men wanted to retain some semblance of the length they had enjoyed before. So in the 1980’s men started to let the hair at the back of their head grow longer than the hair on top. This shag hairstyle closely resembles the mullet worn by white men in the 1990’s. The members of the boys group New Edition wore this hairstyle.
3. The High Top Fade: As long hair on the back of the head became a nuisance, men began to grow long hair on top. Like the sculpted hair of women from the same period, this hair stood straight up. Most men wore their high top fades at 1-2 inches, but most some went as far as 4-6 inches. This style was prevalent in the 1990’s followed by a period where men began braiding the hair on top so that it hung down. The rap group Kid-n-Play was popular for these hairstyles.
2. The Gumby: This was a peculiar hairstyle. Primarily worn by men, it was an adaptation of the high top fade. Instead of a flat top, the top of the hair was cut at an angle to resemble the clay-mation character Gumby. Bobby Brown (of New Edition and Whitney Houston’s ex-husband) is best known for this look.
1. The Jherri Curl: This was one of the most popular hairstyles of the 1980’s and early 1990’s. I was a result of people deciding to take their afros and soften the look into something modern (for the times). Everyone had a Jherri Curl, including myself. The problem with this style is that hair was processed to a point where it had to be kept moist to give the illusion of healthy hair. Michael Jackson is famous for is Jherri Curl during his Thriller phase. After his hair caught fire during a Pepsi commercial, (from the flammable moisturizing products) the style slowly phased out. Many African Americans still have scalp problems resulting from years of having a moist scalp.
I wonder what people will be saying in 10 years about my textured Afro?
