Magic Hair?

[naturalmanenyc]

Why are some people, White, Black and everything in between, shocked that curly hair stretches to be longer? Seriously, doesn't everyone see curly hair at some point during their week? What is so shocking about curly hair looking shorter than that same hair when it's straight?

I had at least 5 coworkers come up to me today to touch my hair (day 4 of my wash & go) and they were all shocked that it's long. One White coworker, after pulling one of my curls down my back, said "Your hair is as long as mine!" Uh, yeah, it's curly today.erplexed I asked if she ever had curly hair and she did have a curly perm back in the day so it's not like she doesn't realize hair curls.

The one good thing that came out of it was a hair product discussion. Another white colleague has WEN 613, two bottles, and she is giving it away! It sounded like she had a few different scents (she specifically said she has Wen Fig) and I know she is at least giving away the WEN 613. If she really does bring it in, I will certainly take a sample

 

[Chameleonchick]

It's just an awesome thing about curly hair. Hey, it's magical to me and I live with it.

 

[Mahogony7]

I was explaining shrinkage to a white guy and he was like "Your hair really shrinks? No way! I can't believe it!". Some people are just lost when it comes to some things. He also told me that white people will never overcome their compulsion to touch black folks hair He apologized and said he just couldn't help it he has to ask to touch it

 

[longhairdreaming]

I white co-worker who has very curly hair, her husband and I had this conversation last year(when I was still natural). He was commenting on how surprised he is whenever his wife straightens her hair 'cause it's so long compared to her curly state and he was wondering how long mine would be cause mine was "Alot curlier than her hair".

 

[Lylddlebit]

To me stretching itself isn't the shock, it's how drastically it stretches/grows in volume/length. Most of the people I know who wear their hair curly have about a 1-2 inch difference when straightened or blow dried, but when my hair goes from shoulder to waist from natural to straight or from base of the neck twist to chaka khan volume it's such a big difference for one head of hair. Chameleonchick said it perfectly when she said "it's magical to me and I live with it."

 

[Channy31]

I think its the sheer AMOUNT of shrinkage thats possible that is amazing!
Even to me tbh!

 

[faithVA]

Why are some people, White, Black and everything in between, shocked that curly hair stretches to be longer?

Because it's magical. It is a thing of beauty and no matter how many times we see it is just truly amazing. It is one of those things that you can know about but each time you see it, it is still amazing. Some things in life are just wonderful no matter how many times you see it or experience it

 

[MileHighDiva]

Show them this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxPQgVVSmuo

 

[Amarilles]

I don't know why naturals are so shocked when other people are shocked. What the general public knows about black hair is a picked afro. Where is the shrinkage in brushed out natural hair?

I can admit that I myself didn't know that (what I presumed to be) black natural hair was actually just very tightly curled hair. Everything I was previously exposed to (my own hair included) was brushed out hair. You can't know until you live the life...just teach them if you care to, but being shocked that they are is an even bigger surprise to me.

 

[Poohbear]

Yeah, people are shocked when they see my hair in it's curly state. But I must admit...I'm sometimes still surprised or in awe when I see shrinkage on other womens' hair...

I had been wearing my natural hair flat iron for a few months and decided to come in with a wash and go on Monday.

A white lady came up to me and said, "Oh, did you cut your hair?" (mind you, this lady has seen my hair in it's natural state before)...

I said, "No, it's shrinks up like this if I don't straighten it."

Then she commented and said, "Well, it's gorgeous that way."

 

[faithVA]

I had been natural for 5 years before I came on this board but had not let my hair grow out. I was just wearing a twa. I had never heard of shrinkage.

I went to a party and this lady had the most beautiful twists. They didn't even hang to her eyebrows. Then she pulled it down and it reached below her chin. I am pretty sure my eyes got big. I had never seen anything like it And I had natural hair.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

Lylddlebit

I choose to believe your theory, it the level of shrinkage, because otherwise it's just awful to think so many people in the world don't understand the concept that stretching out something that is curled will make longer.

To me stretching itself isn't the shock, it's how drastically it stretches/grows in volume/length. Most of the people I know who wear their hair curly have about a 1-2 inch difference when straightened or blow dried, but when my hair goes from shoulder to waist from natural to straight or from base of the neck twist to chaka khan volume it's such a big difference for one head of hair. Chameleonchick said it perfectly when she said "it's magical to me and I live with it."