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Curly hair VS Straight hair. Do you get taken more seriously with sleeker locks?

Curly hair VS Straight hair. Do you get taken more seriously with sleeker locks?
Carly Jacobs

If there is one thing I’m well-known for, it’s my hair. It’s pretty hard to miss, some days I look like a cat got electrocuted and then died on my head. Other days I could be the Dallas High School Prom Queen of 1999 or a hair model from the 80s that they trialed (and failed) the perm on. As I said, my hair is kind of my thing and it’s generally what I’m known for. ‘You know Carly…? The one with the hair?’. That’s me. The one with the hair.

I have a love/hate relationship with my crowning glory. Yes, sometimes it’s great to wake up in the morning with hair that resembles a tribal Vogue shoot, but it gets really tiresome having hair that is completely belligerent. Sometimes, it looks amazing. I’ll admit it. Other times it gets PMS, won’t speak to me and starts behaving like a total bitch. Another reason why I have a love/hate relationship with my hair is because of the odd reactions that I get from the general public. I’ve had people ask me with utter disdain ‘Why on earth do you style your hair that way?’. Um… I don’t, Jerk Features. It grows like this.

My lovely friend Christina over at Hair Romance wrote a thought-provoking article the other day. She asked the question ‘Is straight hair more “professional” than curly hair?’

I don’t think straight hair is more professional, I think it’s more normal and normal is very highly valued by certain people. The fact that I don’t straighten my hair is widely viewed as a choice and I suppose it is, but why would I choose to alter a part of my appearance that so perfectly represents me?

Women with curly hair are dangerous. We aren’t well-behaved. We won’t conform and straighten our wild mops because it makes our hair look silly and sad. Our hair will never look like Victoria Beckham’s. We don’t want it to. We have curls. And as our grandmothers always say, people pay a lot of money to make their hair look like ours. 

Every time someone says something negative about my hair, I always think about the Hubbel episode of Sex and the City and smile to myself that I’m undeniably a Katie girl.

This isn’t meant to be a diatribe about the superiority of curly hair to straight hair. I think straight hair is beautiful, I think wavy hair is beautiful and I think shaved hair is beautiful. The point of this article is that I know that I’m often viewed in a different way to women with straight hair, because of an apparent refusal to conform. I could change my hair to look like everyone else’s but I don’t, and that scares the shit out of some people. I’m not afraid to look different and this is very perplexing to those people who say things like ‘Have you ever thought of having it chemically straightened?‘ or the vacuous hairdressers who give me a fiercely straight blow dry without asking because ‘You didn’t want me to leave it curly did you???’. Actually, yes I did want you to leave it curly. It’s kind of my thing. 

What do you think? Do you have curly hair? Do you straighten it? Why do you straighten it? Do you agree that straight hair is more professional? If you have curly hair do you feel that you really identify with it? Or that you don’t identify with it?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. 

 

 

147 Comments

  1. Lala 12 years ago

    I can’t even fathom the thought of you with straight hair…

    Myself.. I just think that straightened hair is the current fashion. I have wavy hair that is sometimes straight – sometimes curly. I must admit that I generally straighten it (just with a dryer, not a straightener) for work. I guess it feels more polished to me…

    But when I wear it naturally curly, people flip out a bit – in a positive way.

    • Hailey 7 years ago

      I personally HATE my curly hair don’t get me wrong it looks good sometimes but just today I took it out of my ponytail and it looked like it was floating
      I really LOVE it when it is straight because then I can do better hair styles with it
      My curls are small and go up to my shoulders
      People mistake it for a Afro (which I hate)
      and I just wish I had straight hair I’ve litterly almost tried EVERYTHING
      please help if you have a way to get my two-curly hair to be straight

  2. Nicole 12 years ago

    First, let me begin by saying that I’m not always the most polite lass. My response to people negatively asking me why I have my hair (or anything else on my person) a certain way would probably be “Because fuck you, that’s why!”
    But then again, I’ve never been one to understand the  judgemental preoccupation with other peoples’ appearance whether it’s natural or not.

    I had, what was referred to often as, Shirley Temple hair as a child, but my Mum cut it all off one day and it’s basically been wavy/mildly straight ever since.

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      I just reply with a curt ‘yep!’ if people ask if it’s natural or not. It’s kind of rude to ask I think. 

    • Anonymous 11 years ago

      Hi, Nicole.

      I, too have very naturally curly hair, and I’m not necessarily and always the most polite gal when it comes to responding to people’s suggestions that I get my hair cut very short, rather than keeping it long, as I do, because I prefer to keep it long. Nor am I always the most compliant with other people’s wishes, either. People know that, which is why they stopped hassling me a long time ago.

  3. Kat 12 years ago

    I have pretty straight hair and I used to straighten it as well every morning when I worked a more corporate job but now I get layers cut into it so I can make it less straight and get more volume.  When I go out, I make it even boofier. It just seems more fun.

    I think you could maybe compare this to something else that comes naturally that you can’t really change and shouldn’t have to.

    Big boobs. Like you with your hair, in the past I have been recognised as the one with the boobs.
    As someone who was handed more than her fair share in the boob department, I can say especially when I worked corporate a lot of the men would not take me seriously and would hold entire conversations with my chest. 

    Apparently if you are less endowed, you got more brains. Such bullshit.

    How about judging on performance in jobs , personality etc, rather than physical attributes?

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      Oh I know! It’s also assumed that I’m strong because I’m tall. :-/

  4. Bec 12 years ago

    I don’t want to be a complete suck-up here, but I have to admit I HATED my curly hair my entire life until I stumbled upon the wonderful smaggle.com site and saw how fantastic you looked with your big curly hair.  I have not subjected my locks to a straightening iron since, and I now absolutely love my curly hair (rather than constantly being at war with it).

    I think, unfortunately, us curly haired lasses are subjected to “curl discrimination” from a very young age.  All the storybook princesses are generally shown with long flowing straight hair, barbie had long straight hair, etc.  The worst betrayal of all for me was at age 6 (the height of my wanting to be princess phase) when my mother cut my hair boy-length because it was ‘easier to get a comb through’.  I love my mother, but that particular parental abuse has never quite been completely forgiven.

    I think curly hair does symbolise difficulty, a refusal to ‘go with the (straight) flow’ and perhaps bad behavior (woo hoo!).  A tame straight mane probably does connote a more in-control or professional demeanor…. But as women (and I am speaking from a feminine perspective in this little rant) we are used to bucking trends are going against the grain. Keep it up ladies – love your hair, or your lack of it.  You are greater than the sum of your parts.

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      Oh thank you! That’s lovely, I love it when curly girls stay curly! 

  5. Katie 12 years ago

    I’ve been told to my face that I’d be taken more seriously in my profession if I’d straighten my hair. Well-meaning colleagues have said it would make me look more put together and approachable, and more like an adult. 

    Since I became a museum curator at 26, I figure enough people somehow managed to take me seriously despite my irresponsible hair, so I’m in no hurry to change it.

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      That really annoys me. I’ve never had a corporate/serious career but imagine my hair would cause issues if I did. 

  6. Great post Carly! I’ve never seen that SATC clip before, you are a Katie girl!
    I was talking more about this during the week, and I think it’s also because the current fashion since the 90s is for straight hair, and so it has become more “normal”. When perms were de rigueur, straight hair wasn’t viewed as highly. GHDs also revolutionised hair making straight hair attainable at home, completely changing the fashion.
    I believe your hair should reflect your personality and your lifestyle. 

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      I agree, and I love it when girls like you embrace your curls but also try something different with their hair. It’s all about how you feel!

  7. Sarah Rooftops 12 years ago

    Oh, I get so annoyed by the FrizzEase advert at the moment: “What are you going to do with frizzy, curly hair? STRAIGHTEN IT!” What? NO! What I’m going to do with my frizzy, curly hair is put a bit of frizz taming product on it and leave it to do its own thing. I love my curls.

    The only thing I don’t love about my curls is trying to get a decent hair cut. I’ve yet to find a hairdresser who accepts that the right side of my head needs to be cut shorter than the left because the curls are looser. Or that the gentle gradient used for short hair layers is just going to give me Triangle Head. I’ve given up and gone back to cutting it myself and I’ve been happy with it ever since.

    • Sarah Rooftops 12 years ago

      (oh, yeah, and in answer to your ACTUAL question: I get occasional comments about needing to run a brush through my hair – obviously from people who don’t know what brushes do to curls! – but mostly people react well; one boss told me my curls made me look like I had my own opinions and that that’s what he needed in his staff)

      • Author
        Smaggle 12 years ago

        I do sometimes get shitty that I always look a little unkempt but I agree, you need to find a decent hairdresser and just embrace the mess!

  8. Femke 12 years ago

    I have curly hair, curls that strong that I can’t even straighten it, because within an hour the curls come back. So I decided a long time ago, I just have to live with it and you know what, you can’t really have a bad hair day with curls (did I really just say that??). Curls are the excuse when you have a bad hairday!

    (I’m just trying to stay positive because there are days I want to shave my head because they annoy me so much).

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      Me too! Especially when I was a teenager. I just wanted to hack at them with scissors. 

  9. Jeromys_pam 12 years ago

    Thank you for this article.  I too have a love hate relationship with my curly hair.  Yet I instead go the straightening route.  Why?  Because there are days I want to run a comb/brush through it.  There are days I want the feel of it on the middle of my back and if it’s curly it’s no where near there.  Because I have wanted Jen A. hair since I can remember and hers is so gorgeous even when she fights her natural wave/curl as well.  Because alas my husband prefers me with straight hair.  *sigh*  But the true me- the inner me wants to tell them all to go to hell and just rock my curly funky hair.  Because my personality is akin to my hair- unmanageable, unpredictable, artistic, different, full of personality and wild.  I need to keep coming back and reading your posts because you give me the confidence to wear my hair the way God intended and for the first time I see my hair as a reflection of who I am deep deep down and who God made me to be.  Thank you.  🙂

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      Thank you! That’s lovely to hear. 

  10. Manda (waratah) 12 years ago

    Hey Carly I really enjoyed this post! I have naturally wavy/curly hair and as you know  I do straighten my hair but i only do it for maitenance as my hair can be quite frizzy and I’m not good at managing that… but once it reaches a certain length, i sometimes leave it curly and its nice and full as i hate flat hair with a passion….. to basically i find straight hair easier to manage but then i have to tease it to get some sort of volume haha!

    Amanda 

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      True, also curly hair is rather sensory and might be considered a job hazaard. 🙂

    • Anonymous 11 years ago

      Hi, Amanda.

      I’m a woman in her early 60’s with very curly hair that I’ve opted to keep long. As somebody who went to high school in the mid to late 1960’s, when long, straight hair was in fashion, who’d occasionally get it professionally straightened and then set it once a week, after washing it, I learned to hate my naturally curly hair.

      I’d regularly get hassles from some of the girls, as well as my Middle School Phys. Ed teacher, and during Freshman year of high school, who thought that I looked better in short hair, due to its being curly, but the more I think of it, the more I think that these girls were into their own agenda, and weren’t concerned about me at all. These girls were not my friends. However, not long after I left high school, I gave up the rollers and the hair dryer after washing it, decided to keep my hair long, use good shampoos, as well as both rinse-out AND leave-in conditioners, and just let it dry naturally, which I’ve been dong since.

      I’ve also learned never to use a comb or a brush on my hair, except for using a super-wide -toothed comb after washing it and applying the leave-in conditioner(s), namely at the ends, and in sections. I then gently comb it out and let it dry naturally. I got a new leave-in conditioner, which so far, seems to be working well to control the frizzy aspect of my hair, which is in long corkscrew curls.

      So, to anyone out there who’s uptight about the idea of long, curly or long rippled hair…too bad for them..it’s my hair and I’ve got to live with it and to wear it…they don’t!

  11. Fish Ladder 12 years ago

    I used to defy the laws of curly hair and straighten it every day. It took a lot of time and effort, and no doubt caused a lot of damage.   But you cannot keep up the lie forever!!  At 34 I gave in and came out with my curls.  I found a hairdresser who goes with my curls and styles it   it to accentuate the tight little pigs tails of curls that I naturally have.  And life is much easier.   It’s meant to be this way. 
    But I do feel like a sleek  little Jennifer A whenever I do get it straightened on the rare occasion.   Which brings me to the point that WE CURLY GIRLS ARE LUCKY!  We can do it BOTH WAYS if we decide to.    How cool is that!!? 

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      I totally agree. We are at the top of the hair food chain!

  12. Tara 12 years ago

    As the owner of the straightest, most boring, mousy brown hair in the world (not sure what that says about my personality), I say rock the curls!  One of my colleagues has wild curly hair and I am in awe of the style that she rocks in an otherwise staid and conservative workplace.  Despite the absence of curls, I do identify with your point – I refuse to dye my mousy brown hair because I’m of the view that if nature gave it to me, it must be right for me.

    • Tara G 12 years ago

      I too am a Tara with straight boring mousy brown hair (I do dye it ho,mthise peskybgreys just won’t quit!), and I would kill for even a hint of curl! If I woke up tomorrow with an afro I would be the happiest girl in the world. Haters be damned, rock the curl!

      • Tara G 12 years ago

        Jeez Louise, fat fingers much?? Let’s try that again…. (I do dye it tho, those pesky greys just won’t quit!)

        Much better. Stupid iPad keyboard.

        • Author
          Smaggle 12 years ago

          I’m loving these Twin Tara’s getting all straight in the comments!

  13. Beckmdouglas 12 years ago

    Gaaaaaaa, I hate how everyone straightens their hair everyday and looks THE SAME!

  14. aroha 12 years ago

    Hi Carly. The sole reason I started reading your blog in the first place was because of YOUR FREAKIN AWESOME HAIR! I can’t believe people would openly critisize your mane.  I’m a curly girl too who can go straight, beachy waves, full on ringlet curls etc. Whatever the heck I feel like really. After I found your blog, I found a new hairdresser who understood my curls – a 18 year old male fresh from college if you can believe it.

    For work I personally prefer curly but pulled back with a headband, simply because I don’t like hair in my face while I work. But as far as professionalism is concerned I think it’s more about a whole package than a single feature.  I’m in a corporate office and I’ve seen girls with modest tattoos, piercings or “unconventional” hair who are 100 times more professional than their sleek, barbie peers.

    Great post x

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      Wow thank you! How lovely of you. 

  15. Sig 12 years ago

    I have really thick wavy hair that I used to straighten to an inch of its life (took me an hour every time – no thanks!). When I worked in HK for 3 months of its summer I literally walked out of the airport and my perfectly straight hair went *BOOF* – so I embraced the natural, wavy, mess that it was.

    6 months back and I still prefer to dry and leave my hair natural now – just put a little bit of curl enhancer to tame the frizzies and I’m all good.

    However, to answer the real question – I work in a professional services firm where the average age is ~27 and pretty much ALL the women have straight hair. Then there’s me with my unkempt, wavy locks and I feel like such a frump next to them.

    I often feel I don’t take seriously or as professionally with my wavy hair – ESPECIALLY when I leave it loose – it’s not an obvious change in manner, but I do feel it. Weird.

    This is such a good topic – actually I have had something similar in mind for a while that this reminded me of that I’ll blog about soon as well….

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      Do it! This is a conversation that needs an audience. 

  16. Nikki Parkinson 12 years ago

    I take myself more seriously with straight hair. Crazy? Much?

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      Not at all, it’s because you’re ex-corporate right?

  17. Bec 12 years ago

    I love this article, but I can’t help thinking it’s about 5-8 years too late.
    I can’t think of anyone who straightens their hair anymore or uses their straightener for any other purpose than to create waves and curls…
    I do recall when I was in year 10 – 12, every girl wearing their hair poker straight and flat though (2004-2006). But not anymore!  

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      Maybe you aren’t spending much time with teenage girls. 🙂

  18. Sarah Wayte 12 years ago

    I have curly hair and, for the first 20 years of my life, I absolutely hated it. I would have done anything, as a teenager, to have the amazingly straight locks that my best friend had, while she did everything in her power to get curly hair! But, the older I get, I realise that it is a part of me and I’m actually very proud of my curls now even if they are completely unpredictable and I’m forever fighting the frizz!

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      I hated my hair in high school too. Love it now.

      • Anonymous 11 years ago

        Welcome to the club, Smaggle. Same with me.

    • Anonymous 11 years ago

      Hi, Sarah Wayte.

      I, too have curly hair, which I hated for most of the first years of my life, through high school, so I can identify with what you’re saying here. I had a good friend with long, thick, straight blonde hair that I envied, and wished that I had thick, straight hair like hers that I could do as I pleased with.

      Years later, as an adult, I learned to celebrate my curls. I’ve kept my hair long, and used good conditioners and shampoos to control any frizz that comes up. I’ve had short hair afew times during my life, hated it, and couldn’t WAIT for it to grow back.

      As a teenager in high school, I was under pressure to follow certain styles and fashions, much to my dad’s distress. His opinion was that one doesn’t follow certain styles and patterns, but makes the best of what they have and make it attractive, and, years later, I realized that my dad was right. I knew what he wanted ( me to wear my curly hair short.), but I’ve adamantly refused to do that. I do, however, let my long, very naturally curly hair dry naturally, and it goes into long corkscrew ringlets that I’m happy with. Best of all, nobody has hassled me about having my very curly hair long for many, many years.

  19. Sharron 12 years ago

    My hair is naturally curly. I have spent the last two years with a really short pixie crop to keep the curls at bay. I finally decided to embrace the curl and the number of compliments I have had are amazing, I wish I had embraced them years ago!!!

    This a battle of nature I was never going to win and I am much happier for admitting it.

    I too have days where the curl is out of control, but at least it is natural

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      I stopped by battle, YEARS ago. So much happier for it. 

  20. Emily 12 years ago

    It took me a long time to embrace my curly hair. I love it now but I do think there’s a youth/immaturity perception some people have about curly hair. I’m 36 but many people have told me I look like a college student. While my freckles help that perception along, I also think having a mop of red curly hair helps too.

    I lived in New York City for 13 years and always battled feeling inferior because I didn’t have a “sleek” look (i.e. long straight hair). Now I embrace it because my hair is who I am and I wouldn’t change it for anything!

  21. marsha_calhoun 12 years ago

    I’m old enough (60) to know that “current fashion” means absolutely nothing in the vast scheme of things – and I enjoy the perspective my years give me.  When I was a teen/young twenties, the fashion was dead straight hair blowing in the wind, and because I absolutely hated having my hair cut, I let it grow out.  I’ve never looked back.  I wash it and let it dry naturally, and I have ringlets that look fine for about an hour and then start to drive me crazy, so I brush my hair and it goes fairly straight again.  It’s thick, and distinctive, and I like it.  When I am teaching, I usually put it up because it can be distracting.  I once had a job where the boss (male), through his secretary (female), asked/told me to cut it or put it up because I looked too hippie.  So I put it up, and the secretary seemed disconcerted when I just smiled politely at her compliment on my “new look.”  It wasn’t a “look” – it was a practical necessity, and I really didn’t care what she thought of my looks. So much for fashion – now I’m self-employed and if my personal choices have affected my professional success, I’m unaware of it and I still don’t care.  It’s my hair, it’s not confrontational, and there are better things to focus on.

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      Well said! 

    • Angel 11 years ago

      So awesome. Love love love your perspective, insight and attitude!

  22. Rosie 12 years ago

    I’ve gotten to the point where I’m pretty sure my hair is a part of my identity. For years in middle school I wished and wished I could have nice straight hair, but now my hair is like a physical manifestation of my personality. Some people grow into their noses. I grew into my hair.
    Personally I’m rather lucky that my hair matched my personality naturally, but that doesn’t mean I have any less respect for people who change theirs. Sometimes I’m sad because it’s obviously not their best look, but it’s not my head, so I’m not going to say anything.

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      I also feel like my hair is a part of my identity. So much so that I won’t go on hormonal contraceptives because they make my hair go flat and horrible. 

  23. Ashley Gee 12 years ago

    I’m a total curly girl, and there’s nothing I can (or would) do to realistically change that. Because it’s so ridiculously thick (seriously, my ponytail is over 2″ in diameter), it takes nearly 3 hours to straighten, and I don’t have the dough for professional straightening treatments. I don’t even want to straighten my hair. Why would I? I LOVE my hair, despite the fact that it’s sometimes all people see. Yes, I suppose it’s become a part of my identity, but in the same way that my legs or fingernails or poochy tummy have. My body neither defines nor controls me, though it carries a history of me. My hair’s curl comes from my grandmother and her sisters, while the subtle red streaks that emerge in the summer come from my grandfather. The rest of the year it’s raven black like my dad’s. 

    I never even thought about how my hair changed people’s perceptions of me until my last year of high school. We were practicing our senior project presentations in front of the class and one of the pieces of “constructive criticism” I got was that I needed to “control your hair somehow.” Um, hello? How about you tell me about my project?? That was over 10 years ago, and I’m still getting comments like that. I’m “the girl with the hair” (no, my name is Ashley). People have told me not to wear certain outfits because it would “compete with your hair” (What, with swords? I’m in.). My hair freaks people out, or either it becomes totally objectified. “I love your hair. It’s so BIG!” I just want to touch it!” (And I never though my hair could sound phallic.)

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      I’ve had the whole ‘control your hair’ thing as well. It’s mental. 

  24. Nessbow 12 years ago

    I can’t imagine you with straight hair.  It’s like trying to imagine Marilyn Monroe as a redhead- my mind refuses to form the picture.

    I’ve got naturally straight hair, and I’ve gone through periods where I wished it were curly because sometimes my straight hair just seems so limp and boring.  There have been so many times when I’ve gone nuts with pin curls and curling wands just to give my hair some body, some oomph.  But a lot of the time, I’m happy with sleek and straight.

    I don’t think that curly hair is more ‘professional’.  I think that a person looks professional when they’ve put some time and effort into their appearance.  People should do what they want with their crowning glory.  It’s your mop, wear it how you like, I say.

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      Me with straight hair is WEIRD! I’ll have to dig out a photo for you. 

    • Odie 12 years ago

      Marilyn Monroes natural hair color was strawberry blonde, which means she had very light red hair. She’ll always be a redhead to me:)

  25. Harlow 12 years ago

    Love this post!
    I too am known for being the one with “the hair”, however much as I loathe to admit…I was born with sad, lanky straight hair! Aside from the people I live with, no one knows this though, as to me, leaving the house without a head full of curls is like going out without make up. I just can’t do it. The reason I put so much effort into curling my hair is because I have always admired those with gorgeous, naturally curly locks (damn you Smaggle!) and because they suit my eccentric but extremely uptight personality perfectly.
    I have always associated curly hair with being fiery, eccentric, ladylike and sexy, so I suppose by religiously curling my hair every morning I am desperately trying to emulate all of these things. Having curly hair, even if it isn’t this way on its own makes me feel happier in my own skin and I think that is what should matter the most whether you like your hair curly or straight.

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      Wow, that’s so funny. I never thought of it going the other way. 

  26. Lita 12 years ago

    Haven’t managed to read all the comments, so maybe this is covered:  there’s a whole network of websites, youtube vids and blogs dedicated to getting black women (mostly American, but load from other places) to love their naturally textured hair.  I’m personally a member of British Curlies, that swaps tips and products.  Sounds a bit crazy, but there’s a long history of hair being used a barometer or ‘whiteness’ down to the current ‘professional’ or ‘fashionable’ status it holds.  It’s madness!!

  27. Eyeliah 12 years ago

    I have borring ole bone straight hair, I know its lovely and manageable and blah blah blah but I love curly hair, I have spent so many nights (mostly in my teens) sleeping in uncomfortable buns, rollers or braids to wake up curly. 

    I never thought of curls as unprofessional…. as longs as it is styled and not too frizzy just like straight hair needs to look professional.

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      Yeah see that’s the problem, they are really hard to tame sometimes! 

    • Chrissy 11 years ago

      Curley hair must be fun, for now im stuck with boring straight brown hair.. life isnt always fair. :/

  28. Sarah 12 years ago

    I’m one of those girls your grandmother was talking about! Switched to curls last year and completely identify with them! I LOVE my curls! My only sad face is that I wish they were real and I didn’t have to go in every 4-6 months to get them created again!

    • Author
      Smaggle 12 years ago

      I didn’t know people still had their curls ‘done’!

  29. Veritas4747 12 years ago

    Came here from Hair Romance. Great post! Everything in here is so true! I’m currently working on how to tame my hair a bit so it looks put together. The only thing that has worked so far is mousse, which dries it out. 🙁 Someday. haha Keep fighting the (straight)  power by being who you are and giving all of us curly-heads some inspiration!

  30. Rizza Gamutan 12 years ago

    It is a great way to style your hair. If you have straight hair, things will be easy for you because you can do what you want. But if your hair is curly or frizzy, I guess there has to be a way to make you look neat. You need to find ways to enhance your looks. 

  31. Anonymous 12 years ago

    I love K-K-K-Katie, I love Carrie, and I love curly hair. 

  32. Mrs. Savage 12 years ago

    Your curl is lovely Hubbell!  I think your hair is all kinds of awesome 🙂

  33. Jasmine Trabelsi 12 years ago

    Funny you should write about this.  I was a hair model to get a free blowout for fun. I was amazed how quickly people responded to my straight hair. “You are a pretty girl” from a shopkeeper. Even the manicurist says “remember your beautiful (straight) hair, we didn’t recognize you.” I love curls which is why I use @curlyjazz.

  34. Carissa Pelleteri 12 years ago

    I have naturally wavy hair that is far away from straight but not total ringlets or kinky. More like a heavy finger wave circa 1940’s and I feel quite lucky. Sometimes the frizz is troubling but its a-ok….better that typical bland straight hair that does nothing except lay there.

  35. Chayito 12 years ago

    I have natural curly hair…but..I feel more sexy when my is straight!

  36. Trash Addict 12 years ago

    I just stumbled across this post, and I will admit to being one of those curly girls who tames her hair. I’m a bit of a control freak by personality and my lack of control over my curls really got to me – I didn’t like the wild look so I felt condemned to putting my hair in a plait or bun, and after 20+ years, I got sick of it. I have regular keratin treatments now, but I certainly don’t straighten all the time, hardly more than once a week. It means however that I can blow-dry it down to a softer wave, and look the way I actually want to. My curls aren’t gone – if I let it dry naturally there’d be there in force, and that’s a look I’ll sometimes embrace now I have better tools at hand to make them look reasonable. I think there’s more information for curly girls out there nowawdays on how to care for their hair (I didn’t get any help from my Mum as my curls are from my Dad and his mother) and I think if I’d had that at hand growing up I wouldn’t have felt so restricted in what I could do with it.

  37. oOoKrissyoOo 12 years ago

    I have wavy hair and wouldn’t change it for the world. Now a days everyone is trying to blend in. But what’s the point? We were made a certain way so we should flaunt it and be happy with who we are.

  38. M Diana210 12 years ago

    I have naturally straight hair, and soo many girls at my school envy me. I feel like all the girls that straighten their hair are making me not stand out as much, as if my hair is just like any other girl that has to straighten it. I really wish they could just embrace their natural texture or at least not straighten it every day. The fact that so many people are straight ironing their hair makes me start to consider getting a body wave perm for beach waves which I really love.

  39. Bacon1486 12 years ago

    I have REALLY curly hair, I DON’T straighten it. I’m in 6 grade and all the girls straighten there hair I’m like watever cause I’m sortof a Tom boy don’t straighten your hair leave it NATURAL!!!!!

    • Roxy 11 years ago

      That is the right attitude to have. I was self-conscious about my hair when I was your age, and made the horrid mistake of over-straightening it. Luckily, my curls came back. High school might suck, but when college and adulthood hits… those curls get you a lot of romantic attention!

      This is especially true in cities where curls are uncommon… a lot of guys/girls just want to touch curly hair :).

  40. Amber French 12 years ago

    Omg, I am in exactly the same boat! Can’t find a hair product to tame my curly red locks to save my life. I love my curly hair, but no matter how long it is, it sticks out in every direction like a big curly bush. I am 23 and look more sophisticated with my hair straightened. I wish I could find a happy medium -_-

  41. Acacia Jackson 12 years ago

    I have a lot of hair and with that its extremely curly, I love just getting up in the morning and not having to do it. My family says that I embarrass them because my hair is so curly when we go out together. But i don’t really care i love my curly hair, it makes me feels as happy as a bird when they learn to fly. But i sometimes straighten it on the holidays to see how long it has gotten over the few months. So ROCK ON to all the girls that like who they are! 

  42. playafashionista 12 years ago

    It is generally more challenging to have a well groomed look with curly hair. I would love to have a more distinctive cut but my amount of curly varies a ton. Also much curlier on top then underside. Layers curl up top then there will be a near straight under layer, yuck. Or, I can get a shelf like effect from layers. If I put it back, it  or go 2-3 days between shampoos, it tends to straighten out. Have gotten awful haircuts and keep having to cut massive lengths off to correct layering techniques that don’t work on curls. Stylists pretty much insist on straightening my hair after a cut then I know they are wrong for me. I want to tell them that if they can’t send me out looking curly & awesome then they should not be charging me for their butchery-think I will actually use that next time!!! A savvy stylist noted that I probably slept on a particular side the night before as it was straighter, he was right…this could explain things to others…maybe add curling product to  sleep straightened side for second day hair.

    • Marina Oliveira 10 years ago

      YES. I know your drama. My curls are just like yours although my hair is shorter. If your hair is like mine, it gets extremely dry when you wash it and tends to get straight as the days goes by. What I figured out is that if I wet the very next day that I washed it I get the awsome result of modeling it with a wax without putting silicone on my locks 😀

      As for haircuts, what we curlies really need to do is find someone specialized in cutting curly. Or at least someone who can cut it while dry.

  43. Noorin Najmi Nawi 12 years ago

    Hi, I’ve stumbled upon this post and am really glad to see that there are people out there who have curly hair like me and are proud to have them. Like you, I’m very well recognise for my hair and it certainly looks good when i dance (well, at least I think it looks good, cause i feel good, hehehe..). Everyone keeps thinking that i perm my hair and when i tell them that it’s natural, they are usually surprised and half of them won’t believe me. As i got older i’ve learnt to accept alot of things about myself, especially my hair. However, the only thing that i don’t understand is that, alot of people out there thinks that i’m wild in nature due to the way i wear my hair.. And it’s because of this that they don’t take me seriously. Maybe this is why i can never work in the office.. But this is where I learnt that, if u stay true to yourself and stick to your personality, you will come out as a strong and confident person. When this happen, you can wear your curls anyway you like and be mighty proud of them 🙂 Cheers to the Curlies!

  44. Dianarose305 12 years ago

    I hate hate HATED my curly hair all the way up to the last months of my senior year of high school. I had gone to get a hair cut and the lady announced how damaged my hair was from all the straightening. I got some inspiration from a YouTube beauty guru, and my journey began. Wasn’t easy because my own mother would criticize my hair and constantly tell me how bad I looked or if I was seriously going to out out looking like that, and what not. But my mother aside, my friends were much more supportive and their encouragement was all I needed 🙂

  45. Yarilin Chimelis 12 years ago

    16 years young here. I have a GIANT love-hate relationship with this mop of mine. For one, my hair can’t be without products. It morphs into this humongous mess of frizz without them. If I so happen to not have gel, leave-in conditioner, or hairspray I am screwed. It’s funny going through my hair routine, falling asleep with a calm steady mane. Curls that caress my face, reminiscent of waves, to wake up to a giant fro (Which still isn’t even dry!). If people don’t know me for my weird name, or artistic ability, they definitely know me by my curls. If my curls weren’t bad enough not only are they extremely tight, but THICK. I don’t understand it when people say they want my hair. Now, there are days when I adore my curls. They make me, me. I often say I’m as crazy as the curls on my head. But jeeze are they a hassle or what? I love it when my hair is straightened. It makes me feel sort of sexy. Being able to do what I want with it is a dream. But..I only let my mom straighten my hair because anyone else who handles it either ruins it or complains that there is just too much. Unfortunately she takes 5 hours! I hate all the heat and junk. So my hair only really gets straightened at max 4 times a year. I hate that I can’t wear fancy hats, or cute hair accessories. I get peeved when people play with my hair, some have even told me it feels like a sheep wool. Like that’s supposed to be a compliment. A portable petting zoo, how nice. Still, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Glad I stumbled across this post. <3

  46. Sophia 12 years ago

    My hair is not curly, or straight. It’s wavy, I personally love my hair! I can wear it in pretty ringlets or pin straight if i want. Or natural, beach waves. I think everyone looks better with, non-died natural hair. Of course, some people look better with other styles but for the most part you look better natural! I died my hair blonde a few months back and cut it shoulder length so its straighter, but now im growing it out dark brown and beach wavy, it looks better that way! Love this article!

  47. Koko 12 years ago

    I have curly hair. I used to have it very long until i cut it boy-short 10 months ago. I seriously love my hair but a few months after i cut it, i looked like some sort of seriously badly groomed sheep…

    Nothing like your pictures (by the way, i don’t understand how you get negative comments on your hair, it’s fabulous and bouncy!!), my hair was seriously a pain. It was way too short to tie up and slightly too long to look like the boyish style i wanted…
    So I straightened it… Nothing chemical, just with a straightner. And it wasn’t because I wanted to fit in, it was just that I felt like a clown without doing so. Don’t get me wrong, months after, here we are and i’m SO happy to have my beautiful curls back. I guess it’s a bit difficult being a teen and having a super retro short hairstyle while everyone around has this MANAGABLE, straight super loooong hair that all the guys find super sexy. But that’s all part of accepting beauty in the full sense of the word and not just in today’s idea of what beautiful girls should look like.

    And sure, for what concerns professionalism, I actually agree that straight hair kind of helps. Curly can be very wild and party-animal like (unless in a bun or whatever) and perhaps that’s not what the industry is going to employ.

    Although (and this is SOOOO not against curls in general) if could trade my hair for some sleek hair that would look amazing at any length, and that would look amazing if i tied it up in a bun without even checking in the mirror, and that would look splendid in water or out, while drying or dry, without frizz, and looking the same at night, during the day and when i get up… I really would.

    • Misti 12 years ago

      You’ve hit it on the nail. In my own life, I’ve performed little “experiments.” I have found that: I do not get the job with curly hair. It is viewed as messy or too young or unprofessional, unorganized, too wild. Men, however, sometimes like the “wild” look as they will frequently use this term and make sexual comments. Those same middle-aged men want to date it, but they don’t want to hire it. Only if it is longer. Short curly hair, you aren’t getting a date, either. In fact, when they say they like curly hair, they mean they like LONG curly hair. You find this out when you question more. That’s just my experience, consistent over 20 years.

  48. Tracy 12 years ago

    My hair is more wavy than curly. So I find it easier to flat iron it in winter because in the dry air, curly goes flat by the second day and just looks messy. Since my hair is really dry, I only have to wash and do “serious styling” once a week with small touch ups every day or two. In summer, I usually air dry it and wear it curly because with the humidity it ends up that way anyway. Although most people think I am lucky to have variety, I am totally at the mercy of my hair and the weather, which isn’t always so much fun.

  49. Dayna 12 years ago

    Ah, I love my curls too. I have nutzoid curls that amaze people. I too have been known as “The girl with the curly hair.” And my whole life I’ve been asked, “Is it natural?” at least once a month.

    I would say this: I hate looking at photos of girls with cute outfits and those long, blonde, straight locks that have a bit of volume, or maybe just a tiny bit of wave. They’re so freaking cute, and while I can replicate the outfit, replicating the hair style isn’t really plausible and I can never achieve that “thrown together” look like they can. My hair is either done, or not. It won’t fall like that unless I straighten it, and even then it’s a nightmare.

    I learned to love my curls. I mean, straight girls don’t get compliments like I do. Nor do they get gawked at in the grocery store. I do. I’m known thanks to my hair, and I love it.

    <3

    Love,

    Famously Curly Girl

  50. Noora 12 years ago

    This is a really great article. My hair is bipolar. Some days it’s like Shirley Temple, other days it’s wavy. Last year was my first year of high school and I was so nervous about fitting in that I was constantly straightening my hair like crazy. One day, I slept late and had to go curly to school. I felt like I looked horrible. But to my surprise, the whole day people kept telling me how pretty I looked and asking me “what’s the occasion?” and I kept telling them I slept late and didn’t have time to do my hair. Then they were all like “Why would you straighten your hair?? It looks gorgeous!” After that, I learned to love my natural hair. No matter how bipolar it got. I haven’t straightened it since =) There’s always going to be those people who prefer straight hair. You gotta work with what your mama gave you, and it’ll look twice as good if you love what your mama gave you!

  51. Allison 12 years ago

    I have very straight hair while my sister has curly hair that she has straightened once a year. I don’t understand why she spends so much money to get straight hair when her curls are really beautiful. Now its me spending money to get a perm because I think I look more sexy and mature (people tell me I look like I’m Still in high school –I’m 30!!!). Hmmm…we always want what we haven’t got..

  52. tabithalias 12 years ago

    It took me a long time to embrace my curls. I’m twenty-three and I spent eighteen of those years straightening my hair daily. Now I embrace my big puffy hair and I don’t envy the straight, sleek look at all anymore. I think all hair is beautiful. 🙂

  53. Katy 11 years ago

    I’m in sixth grade and same here all girls straighten their hair!! I have wavy/curly ish hair I leave mine natural cuz when I try to straighten mine it curls right back up. But anyway I love all hairstyles but really curly hair is the prettiest in my opinion. So yeah

  54. MissMoox 11 years ago

    Hi!
    I’m 14 and I have massively wild natural curly hair! 🙂
    I don’t feel like me without my hair curly as it is a dirrct representative of my personality- odd, uncontrollable, UNIQUE.
    I honestly don’t understand the craze to look identical to everyone else? Surely, people would WANT to be individual? :S
    Anyway, I will never tame my curls and I love them that way, regardless of the teasing, and the common ‘go and buy some straighteners’ insult.
    However, there is nothing more frustrating than the girls at school with pin-bob straight hair who claim to have ‘really curly’ hair -_-
    It is not curly, it is pin-bob straight with a flick at the ends. XD

    Curly is beautiful 🙂

  55. Cristina 11 years ago

    Hey! I found your article very interesting as it tackled with a problem I’ve had for some time now. I have really naturally curly blond hair and I’ve always considered it my thing. And people always ask me if I use curlers or something else to make it this way. It’s very easy to manage and I used to love it. Sometimes people and my hairdresser would ask me if I was ever curious about straightening it. I honestly wasn’t. But a month ago I was just in the mood for a change. I bought a flat iron and a bunch of products for straight hair and decided to give sleek a try. It felt really really weird looking in the mirror; as if I was a completely different person. I looked cooler and in my view rather hard to approach. My facial features were more proeminent too. The general reaction: I looked really well with straight hair too. A couple of guys liked straight hair better but emphasized that curly hair made me look more interesting. while girls (who know just how difficult it is to get curly hair artificially – it takes me less than 30 min to straighten my long hair) said that curly hair was better because it looked more special.
    As for myself, I like tham both. I love change. I don’t see curly or straight hair as having anything to do with professionalism. As long as hair is healthy and doesn’t fall off, I believe straight is as beautiful as curly. xoxo

  56. qqqqqqqqqbert 11 years ago

    I think natural-textured hair (curly, natural waves, straight hair with natural bends) is considered less professional because it’s expected to be an extension of your ability to make yourself presentable. It’s like not wearing makeup: “She doesn’t care enough to do it.” whether or not you actually look good without manipulating it.

  57. Rainy Days & Lattes 11 years ago

    I came across your article today and it was inspiring 🙂 I have naturally very curly hair and I am Asian LOL Most Asians have very straight black hair – mine is curly, brown and wild! But you are right and grandmother’s right… ppl pay a lot to get curly/wavy hair.

  58. Curly_Lover 11 years ago

    I have curly hair and thats kind of what I’m known for too but I love my hair! I’ve had people talk about how I should straighten it or thin it(its thick). But I love the way my hair ‘speaks’! It makes me unique, different from everyone else and i love that fact!

  59. Bel 11 years ago

    My hair is naturally curly (especially at the root, where it grows in impossibly tiny locks) and everyone seems to have a say on how I should wear it. Some love it, some hate it. When I straighten it: “But there was nothing wrong with your hair before!” When I wear it loose: “Did you get in a fight with the comb?” When I braid it “It looks so boring, you should let it loose!” Ladies, do as you please with your curly hair! We are unique, and shouldn’t be told what to do with it. Remember, it’s YOUR head, not THEIRS.

  60. Anon 11 years ago

    Aw, this probably sums of exactly how I feel about my hair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🙂 i’m glad to see I’m not alone. I used to hate my hair, but now I embrace my beautiful curls. People say they love my curly hair and to never straighten it. And there are those people who ask “why don’t you?” or i remember the one time this one boy I thought was cute told me, ” you look alot better with straightened hair” & I’m just thinking this is me. This is who I am. If you can’t accept me for that, well then so be it then.

  61. amber808 11 years ago

    In all honesty, it took me a long time to accept my curly hair and its frizzy, wild nature. It annoyed the hell out of me whenever i went to school, seeing the large mobs of people with straight, controlled hair that never looked like there was a hair out of place. You would never see anyone with curly hair or anyone would would happily embrace it (barely- it made matters worse considering i go to a school that is filled with predominately Asians (i’ll admit, not all Asians have straight hair; some of them have wavy hair maybe even curly hair?)). I always use to wear my hair in a bun, and if i was bothered in the morning i would straighten my fringe/bangs. However, when my Asian friend told me she had naturally curly hair- i needed more convincing; she showed up to school the next year with her hair supposedly ‘natural’. Now before i sound like a anal bitch, there were many flaws with her ‘natural’ hair- I don’t know about you guys but have you ever seen a person with naturally curly hair that didn’t at least have some frizz, wispy bits, volume, boofness, etc?. It basically looked like a salon job- or hot rollers.

    The strange thing about this occurrence was that for 4 years she has pin straight hair, and now she decides to proclaim to be a naturally curly girl? (i hope i haven’t offended anyone)- Anyway, basically i got a little annoyed with this fact (i wouldn’t call it envy or jealously; but it definitely pissed me off). So this lead me to do research on how to control my mass of curls (it doesn’t help to have a lot of hair either… very thin hair to boot)- now i sometime wear my hair in a ponytail (some people can’t believe how curly my hair is… i just think of it as a pain to maintain XD) . Overall, i have to agree with your point that you shouldn’t try to be something or someone your clearly not (like my friend- i think she’s given up… its not as curly any more). Yet, if you want curly hair and you style it, perm it, whatever, just make sure you either tell people its not natural or its just for the occasion or even for the hell of it! ^_^

    Last thing, i’ll admit i went through a period of time straightening my hair (the blow dryer does nothing but make it go mad and crazy as hell!!), mainly because i loved the feeling of waking up in the morning with no knots, no birds nest on my head (restless sleeper), no Wild Girl from Borneo. However, i never, ever wanted to chemically straighten my hair (i know what that shit does to your hair- i don’t think i could live with myself after the sleek look wore off).

    Thanks for reading, and sorry if i sounded like a bitch that likes to ramble 😛

  62. Dani 11 years ago

    This is a brilliant article. I’m 14, and I have extremely tightly curly hair, I’ve been wearing it straight pretty much all my life (chemically straightened) and I only just recently decided to go natural, it’s pretty annoying when everyone asks me to try straight hair or when hairdressers as you have mentioned give you hell for it, but after a while it’s like; heck, I like being crazy.

  63. Crazze 11 years ago

    <3 I have curly hair, and everyone loves it, I admit its hard to tame. But worth it.

  64. oily 11 years ago

    My hair is curly and very fine thin in texture it used to be pin straigh half of my life which is a reason it gets oily quickly

  65. short and curly 11 years ago

    I recently cut my long curly hair off to donate. It is now between my ear and shoulder. Still curly, but not as “wild”. Not colored or anything. Just long and natural.

    Have had some issues at work saying I am not quite “professional” enough. But, I have had no guidance on what exactly the issue is.
    My supervisor is lovely, but it appears to be coming from other people in higher up positions that seem to have the problem with me for whatever reason.
    Anyways, my supervisor sees my new hair and says “cute but professional”.
    I feel like I am not “professional” enough by their b/c I let my natural hair be natural?
    So freakin frustrating!

  66. sunlover5000 11 years ago

    I was a dancer for two years in the very-top strip club in Las Vegas. I have thick brown hair that I added two packs of clip-in extensions to, for work nights. (I have naturally curly hair that I routinely tame into a more controlled/finished style with hot rollers.) After giving in to admiring all the other girls long, straight, smooth locks (we all wore extensions), I tried my hand at a flat-iron and showed up one night with the long-straight look. Wow, all the other girls stopped me and excitedly admired my new straight hair, saying I looked ten years younger, I looked exotic, and it brought out my pretty face. But guess what?, after weeks of trying the straight look, I was losing thousands of dollars! Men didn’t swoon over my huge wavy mane every night, not ONE guy said he loved my hair! I went back to my curly hair, and immediately started making the money again! Once again, every guy I met said he loved my hair. ( don’t judge me for dancing, it was the best time of my life! some of the kindest, and smartest(!) people I’ve met in my life were dancers there, and I’ll treasure the memories when I’m an old lady!)

  67. Bea Conti 11 years ago

    I love my curly hair! People say curly hair looks dirtier because it’s not shiny or something, but I have ringlet curls that are super soft and shiny, it’s all about how you take care of it! All I do is put oil on it after I wash it, then sleep with it in a french braid, makes my hair lovely every time! Also when I straighten my hair it takes WAY too long, and I feel like a piece of myself is missing! When I was in middle school and elementary school I wanted straight hair, but now I love my hair, and if I want it straight I can do that too! Honestly my hair makes me feel sexy and feminine, and if someone doesn’t like it, that’s their problem! What makes people like you is confidence not what kind hair you have! Whether you have straight or curly hair it’s all about your personality, love yourself and others will too!

  68. Kate 11 years ago

    i am fifteen years old. Typically struggling with the difficulties of adolescence. Insecurity and pressure are two very large hold-backs in my life. Recently I have suffered greatly with the feeling of self consciousness and low self esteem due to my crazy curls. Since I was born i had tiny ringlets sprouting from my head. Soon sprouting into a massive clump of frizzy ringlets. Me and my sister are white, my mother had gorgeous thick straight blonde hair, my father has tiny ringlets. I started straightening my hair last year. Not really putting too much thought into my appearance but just being sure I wanted straight hair. This year the realisation that all of my friends and everyone else’s hair grows straight from their head and grows long and luscious. Even those with curly hair, there’s would grow out straight and then form large, luscious curls. They could straighten it with ease and mix their styles. I would torture myself with the feeling of difference and feeling ugly. Looking at my messy untamed crop and hating everything about it and therefore myself. The feelings built up so much to the point where self harm seemed like the only option. My sister who is three years older than me, embraces her curls, she straightens them once every three months, very rarely, her curls are crazy, so blonde and when you stretch them out they are long and soft. I have never liked the attention my curls bring. It has come to the point when i don’t like people to even talk about hair because it just upsets me. I have not stepped out the house with my curls for quite some time. I have been repeatedly straightening my hair for almost a year. Killing it. Stopping the growth. I am not an ugly person. I have been told I have a very attractive face and figure. But i have convinced myself that the secret to beauty is having gorgeous long silky smooth straight or slightly wavy hair. It has completely decreased my self esteem. I have my ups and downs when i feel positive about things, then complete downers when i feel so unattractive i can’t deal with it.

  69. Kat 11 years ago

    I’m 13 and I love my long curly hair. It really does represent our wild unique rule-breaking personality! I’m known for being ‘the one with the crazy hair’ at school, everyone else has boring flat hair. Even when people curl their hair, they can’t achieve the same look without spending a fortune however, we could always straighten our hair IF we wanted to be boring. Which most of us don’t. Even though my hair can be annoying and untameable sometimes, I still love it. Most of the boys at school think I’m cute and unique because of my hair anyway 😉 <3

  70. mich 11 years ago

    My roomate invite me this morning for a shooting photo, for a ice cream compagnie, from her compagnie… so I brush my hair and get ready and when I arrive, a guy who manage the shooting ask me if I have a brush with me for brush my hair because they look messy… they wasn’t messy, they was CURLY, my straighter broke 2 week ago, and I don’t care because I realise I look more pretty with my natural curly hair, then fake straight… I tell him they was brush and naturally… ( I brush them last night… , because if I will brush them this morning I will have a AFRO…) he want to find a brush to brush my hair, I just get pissed about his comment and left… my hair are beautiful and I love them like that!

  71. annaaaa 11 years ago

    aha,
    i too am the one with ‘the hair’
    i hate my hair most of the time to be honest but then loads of people say they’d ‘die’ for it..
    it might be a pain..a massive pain..an actual pain in the ass..but curly hair looks natural and beautiful(:
    also, when girls with perfect straight hair say their hair is ‘horrible today’ or ‘really curly’..no girls please stop- it isn’t your hair doesn’t actually change so..
    so yeah(:
    love your perspective and love this post:’)xxx

  72. Julie 11 years ago

    My natural hair is curly. Medium curls. Then after my last primary school year in summer break, i straightened it. I have to admit i miss my curls! But my hair will grow back so yeah. When i had curly hair, everyone in my class used to say:
    Omg your hair is gorgeous is it natural?
    Well yes my hair is natural but u know…sometimes u wanna change it up a bit. I love both straight and curly and i think they look professional the same. So watever your hair is. Be proud of it 🙂

  73. bCURLY 11 years ago

    I would say that I have crazy,frizzy,poofy,uncontrollable,curly hair. I usually pull my hair into a bun or braid (after I have hooped on product…but I digress). Whenever my hair is straightened, I honestly feel relieved sometimes and less freak-like and self-conscious! But after the fifth day of straight hair I’m totally done with looking normal and getting comments like “oh, you look great with straight hair!” or “I think you look better this way!” Also it’s strange not having to deal with daily curl battles; those battle-less days freak me out! I cannot imagine myself as “me” without my crazy hair!
    But on the subject of those Brazilian blowouts and chemical treatments, I just think its sad that someone would want to hide a part of themselves. That’s just me but I think curly hair rocks! Every time I see a curly girl rocking her natural hair a small part of me smiles!

    I can’t wait to return to normal! I can’t spend another day with my hair straightened!

  74. Grace 11 years ago

    My hair is naturally straight and fine, so I cut layers in it to make it appear more voluminous, yet still straight. Additionally I sometimes wish that my hair were a bit more naturally curly and thick because my hair gets flat and oily so easily if I don’t wash and condition it every day.
    I like loose and silky curls, which usually are not natural. Tight spiraly, thick curls have a tendency to look dry and frizzy, and only look good if they are well maintained and soft, which can be very difficult to do

  75. Yasmine 11 years ago

    i am 14 years old and i have curly hair..
    i am rally lost ad confused about it.
    This love-hate relationship tired me an i don’t know what to do anymore.
    sometimes i want to be like everybody not to stand out with this big fluffy thing on my head , and sometimes i would like to stand out, show ppl , that i am different and i am proud of it , i am brave enough to walk down the hallway of my high school , facing the looks of envious people.
    But deep down i think if i had straight hair it would be easier . That it would be someone else’s problem..
    I don’t know what o think anymore 🙁
    Some advice perhaps?

  76. Marisela 11 years ago

    I’m 15, so still young and experimenting with my hair, but the vast majority of the time I leave it curly. Why? I would straighten it, but sometimes the upkeep is more than it’s worth, and if I straighten it too often it gets damaged and frizzy (especially since some of it is bleached and therefore already needs special care.) I don’t know when I’ll straighten it next, but it’s been 6 months without it.

    My decision doesn’t have much to do with what I like or what I think looks nice (I think it looks nice both ways), it’s mostly about what’s easier to maintain in the long run. And if someone has a problem? Unless they’re going to do it for me, I don’t want to hear it. 😉

  77. Catherine Birch 11 years ago

    My hair is the same as the author`s, & Iv`e had so many negative reactions to it that I won`t go into it here. All i heard when growing up was ” I`d hate to have your hair” & ” you`d be pretty if it wasn`t for your hair”. Can you imagine what that did to my self-esteem? I felt like some kind of circus freak! Of course Iv`e tried straight ening it, but my hair is so obstinate that it doesn`t last 5 minutes no matter how strong the solution I use, it just goes back to curly in a few hours. Then there`s people who think that a god given right to come up to me & touch my hair without asking, & people who stared at me because of it. I`m 60 years old now, & I don`t have these problems any more, but I just wish that I`d been treated with some tolerance when I was younger, I mean, it wasn`t my fault, genetics were to blame. Thanks for nothing, mum & dad!

  78. Big Hair 11 years ago

    I’m fourteen, and I have a lion’s mane. My hair is naturally very, very thick, frizzy, wavy and golden blonde. I sometimes straighten it, but when I do I get the strangest looks. I walked into school with it straightened and some kids thought I was a new girl. When I walked down the halls people just stopped and stared at me. I think people really do love curls, when I walk down the street people stop me to talk about my hair, I’ve had shop keepers ask to touch my hair and I’m always told by old ladies to embrace it, and that I’m never allowed to dye it. My mother had the exact same hair, but mine is a bit thicker and blonder. Combined with my facial features I really do look like a Texan beauty pageant contestant. I can’t imagine myself with any other hair, and I love it.

  79. Penélope Romero 10 years ago

    I thought my hair was unique… until I saw this blog! We have the same hair! I also have a love/hate relationship with my hair. I get so many compliments though…so I’m also kinda proud. I would never EVER think of combing my hair AFTER it has been blow-dried. I can only comb it while wet, and then NEVER mess with it afterwards. This means I do not go out of the house unless I have shampooed, conditioned, de-frizzed, and blow-dried my hair. No jumping out of bed and spontaneously going out to have breakfast with my boyfriend 🙁
    BUT, for the most part, I like my big curly hair 🙂

  80. rida aziz 10 years ago

    ah i have curly fine brown hair at first i often wanted my hair to be straight but now my mom told me ppl pay loads n loads of money to get curls like us while we can just get them straightened in a jiffy 😛 with just a cream or simply an iron or any other straightener m so blessed n i love the way i am naturally curled perfect hair that gives me a sense of individualism

  81. Annie 10 years ago

    Hey 🙂

    I’m 17 and my hair is a nest of crazy wild curls, definitely a k-katie haha! Straightening my hair is a project and a half, and it almost never stays straight for more than an hour. Can’t fight nature with this mop, at all. Once, a hairdresser called me lazy for not doing anything to ‘tame it’. So what if I don’t straighten it? It’s me. I completely know the feels of having hair PMS, holy. Sometimes it just wants to be unruly and have a temper tantrum apparently.

    It always makes me sad when girls obsessively straighten their hair, I see it a lot of it at school. It’s almost as if they’re afraid to be themselves, which is ridiculous because it is, after all, just hair, but it means so much more. I must say, I am a bit jealous of those with naturally straight or wavy hair because it looks sooo much easier to manage, my hair is painfully high maintenance 😛
    I do love my hair the way it is, it’s a big part of who I am.
    Curly hair ftw 😉

  82. anon 10 years ago

    I have very curly, brown, hair and sometimes I feel like it makes me look younger than I am. It’s past my breasts when wet but close to my shoulders when dry. So it basically curls up three inches! There’s not much I do with it besides pinning the left side back, which probably makes me look even more childish. What styles can I do with my natural hair to look more sophisticated? To hell with sophisticated! How can I look hot??

  83. Joan Knapp 10 years ago

    Same same same. I feel like so many of you in that I love my curly hair one day and hate it the next. The main problem is of-course dealing with others’ attitudes about my hair. You’d think that by 61 years of age, I would have come to terms with it. But I haven’t. I am a public school teacher and it seems to me that many adults I encounter at my work do not take me seriously because of my hair. I am about to start school late this year, having been out with a broken kneecap. I’m questioning my self. Should I straighten my hair this year in the interest of self preservation? I probably won’t. By the way, has anyone seen that amazing,brilliant political commentator on CNN who has the most amazing totally wild, frizzed, kinky mixed-race yellow hair sticking straight out? WOW! I love it!!! SHe looks great! What a brave and brilliant trail blazer she is! If I straighten my hair I fell like I am betraying the likes of this young woman?
    In other words, do I say “Curly/ frizzy/ kinky-haired women of the world unite!” Or do I see if I can’t make my school year easier by straightening my hair?

  84. Domicka 10 years ago

    I love my curly hair but I dont think its long enough to let out and I dont know what products to get to make my hair moist and not so dry,

  85. Maggie 10 years ago

    My hair is extremely kinky and coily and I used to think something was ‘wrong’ with it and it needed to be fixed. I was jealous of all the girls who had sleek, straight hair or even those with looser curls than mine. I wore my hair in braids most of my life and when it was not braided it was hot-combed or flat ironed, I wouldn’t dare leave my house with my hair out in it’s natural state. when I was 16 I decided to relax it , partly because I wasn’t brave enough to wear it in it’s natural state and partly because I wanted a ‘drastic’ change in my appearance . Now I’m 19 and I’m currently transitioning back to natural. I’m starting to accept my hair the way it is and I now realise there was nothing wrong with my hair, I just wasn’t educated on how to take care of it properly. Now that I’m growing out my hair , I realised what a big mistake I made relaxing it. I will NEVER let a relaxer touch my hair again. I cannot wait for it to grow out to a length I want so I can get rid of the relaxed ends =]

  86. bree 10 years ago

    I have big curls that looks like porcelain doll hair, as everyone tells me. They even ask me if my hair is real. I love my hair I just wish other people didn’t think it was broken or wrong because when I straighten my hair people always say, “oh wow, you “fixed” your hair!” um, there was never anything wrong with my hair before. I like it curly and sometimes I like it straight, its good cuz I can wear it both ways when I want and im not ashamed of my curly hair.

  87. Rawan 10 years ago

    Wow I love this article I too am described the girl with the hair I gotta say I do love my big hair my nickname is lion king lol…. It’s funny though I’ve had several people tell me that I’d be taken more seriously if I had straight hair of if I had straight hair I would find a boyfriend sometimes I can’t help but wonder if this is true but then I think why the heck do I have to change…. my hair is my thing so I say let’s keep our curls.

  88. Ary 10 years ago

    Wow this was actually really inspiring. At the moment I’m 15 and absolutely hate my curly hair. It looks nice in the morning and then 3 hours into the day it feels like a huge ball of frizz. I usually iron my hair about once a week with some touch ups during the week. I haven’t had my hair curly in about…. 3 months I think. But anyway, this post really is making me want to embrace my curly hair. It’s true that it is unique and special and my grandma is ALWAYS telling me how people pay for their hair to look like mine. I’m gonna start wearing it curly more often because it’s a part of me and always will be. I guess it’s about time I learn to love it. Thanks for giving me the inspiration and courage to do so <3

  89. bernille 10 years ago

    Hello every body
    My Name is Albert dolson from Port Land .I will love to share my testimony to all the people in the forum course i never thought i will have my girlfriend back and she means so much to me..The girl i want to get marry to left me 4 weeks to our wedding for another man..,When i called her she never picked my calls,She deleted me on her face book and she changed her face book status from engage to Single…when i went to her place of work she told her boss she never want to see me..I lost my job as a result of this cos i cant get myself anymore,my life was upside down and everything did not go smooth with my life…I tried all i could do to have her back to all did not work out until i met a Man when i Travel to Africa to execute some business have been developing some years back..I told him my problem and all have passed through in getting her back and how i lost my job…he told me he is going to help me…i don’t believe that in the first place.but he swore he will help me out and he told me the reason why my girlfriend left me and also told me some hidden secrets.i was amazed when i heard that from him..he said he will cast a spell for me and i will see the results in the next couple of days..then i travel back to Germany the following day and i called him when i got home and he said he’s busy casting those spells and he has bought all the materials needed for the spells,he said am gonna see positive results in the next 2 days that is Thursday…My girlfriend called me at exactly 3:15pm on Thursday and apologies for all she had done ..she said,she never knew what she’s doing and her sudden behavior was not intentional and she promised not to do that again.it was like am dreaming when i heard that from her and when we ended the call,i called the man and told him my my girl friend called and he said i haven’t seen anything yet… he said i will also get my job back in 3 days time..and when its Sunday,they called me at my place of work that i should resume work on Monday and they gonna compensate me for the time limit i have spent at home without working..My life is back into shape,i have my girlfriend back and we are happily married now with a baby boy and i have my job back too.This man is really powerful..if we have up to 20 people like him in the world,the world would have been a better place..he has also helped many of my friends to solve many problems and they are all happy now..Am posting this to the forum for anybody that is interested in meeting the man for help.you can mail him to spiritualherbalisthealers@gmail.com I can;t give out his number cos he told me he don’t want to be disturbed by many people across the world..he said his email is okay and he also have a web site if you want to visit him there’ he will replied to any emails asap..hope he helped u out too..good luck. Dr Zuma zuk of spiritualherbalisthealers@gmail.com is a great man..

  90. Sandra 10 years ago

    So this is to anyone who reads this. I work in a place where there is great inference/pressure to straighten my permed hair. Management comments on professional staff that have straightened their hair, make a point of pointing their hair out in front of me. Any ideas what I should do? I do know I’m not straightening my hair.

  91. Judy 10 years ago

    I’ve been loving my curls for years and years. I think when I get my hair cut, they rave about them (maybe to get a bigger tip) but of course, I eat it up, and they always ask me “curly or straight?” when they style it. I’ve been having a hard time finding and keeping a job. This, of course has NOTHING to do with my hair, but for the last year, I’ve been thinking of selling my soul to the devil. What I mean is, give in and wear my hair straight to be more respected professionally. Finally, I’ve decided to use the straitening iron, and I DO feel like people take me more seriously. To the point where I take myself more seriously. So, when for years I have said to the haircutter, “give me a cut that will enhance the curl,” this time I’m going to say, “Give me something that will look good straight.” I feel like I am betraying my curly sisterhood — biological and otherwise. But I’m not going chemical, so I can shock everyone now and again if I want to with a mane of wild curls. My daughter is away at a Jewish camp, and everyone there is embracing the curl! Long, wild flowing curls is the “in” thing instead of the “out” thing. There’s an ethnicity there that allows girls to be free and embrace who they are, where in regular society we feel the need to conform to the norm. Kind of sad. Finally, I do agree, people do judge you for your hair — if your hair is disorganized, untamed, silly, fun, risky, sexy — all the things I love about my curl — employers, supervisors and clients (in my case kids) see you the same. As a teacher, I need kids, their parents and my administrators to see me as organized, firm, strong, disciplined, serious, reliable and professional. It may be deceitful, as my curls match my personality. But after a few failed attempts in the classroom, with the fun Judy getting walked all over, it was time for a change. So, far, with the straight hair, imagined or not, I feel like I’m getting more respect. And I am demanding more respect and credibility from others.

  92. becca 9 years ago

    I think you are spot on with the conform part. People always bother me about straightening my hair. I realize now that they are uncomfortable with themselves and dislike that I feel comfortable with myself enough not to conform to the “straight hair norm”. The reasons I don’t straighten my hair? I am too lazy, I like my curls, I look bad with straight hair, and because I am a bit of a rebel and because people keep telling me to straighten it I won’t. Maybe curly hair does signal wildness but guess what it shouldn’t be discriminated against. I may have a free spirit but I know how to behave in proper situations and can behave appropriately at a job my hair has nothing to do with my capability at working.

  93. Melissa 9 years ago

    I am 17 & i am always getting asked “is your hair natural?” “How long does it take you to straighten it?” “Why dont you brush it?” ” can i touch it?” And that is so annoying. I used to want my hair to be straight because everyone had it like that but now i like it. I just can never find the perfect product for it but i guess thats because everyday it looks different & i haven’t gotten a haircut in 2 years because i feel like they won’t cut it right. Despite some difficulty i love it and always get complimented because of it.

  94. Tatiana 9 years ago

    I don’t think straight hair is more “normal” but it’s definitively sought out more. I’ve always believed the reason for this is because in nature straight hair is rarer than curls and waves. It doesn’t seem that way because of artificial straight hair :/
    I have naturally straight hair and I never apply ANY heat to my locks. I feel like my hair fits who I am. I’m always on the go, always staying active, therefore high-maintenance hair would slow me down. I wish more girls would rock their curls and waves because I’m a little sick of seeing clones all around me. Long, straight hair is kind of my thing.

  95. Kaitlin 9 years ago

    my hair is curly/frizzy, and I feel that the next few years of my life will be made more difficult due to my type, as well as getting a job, finding a husband. these are things I shouldn’t need to worry about at the age of 14. I have straightened my mess since I was twelve, around the start of year8. I believe strongly in first impressions; and thought that showing up at a new school rocking my long, blonde ***STRAIGHT** hair, would make me more friends. but what I didn’t think of, was that people would get used to seeing me like that. I didn’t want to leave my hair natural as I was scared I would lose friends. and the one time the rain got to it before school, I was told by 2 ‘close’ friends that it was ugly. I went home and cried. I’d gotten myself caught in a vicious cycle. from then on, I woke up an hour earlier each day to straighten my hair. I became obsessed. what I didn’t realise was that my hair was gradually becoming shorter. I had split ends to the max, and straightening these ends made them break off, causing my hair length to decrease. my long hair was always a part of me, and I felt like i was losing it. however, I kept straightening. I lost about around 4 inches off my hair, I was distraught. I decided a cut was in order, so I got about another 2 inches off. after this, I began wearing my hair in buns. i stopped going out, because I didn’t want to straighten my hair. for about a month, I didn’t leave my hours for anything except for school/occasional family visits. my hair felt healthy, but I didn’t like it. now I’ve regained some kind of a social life; but have been straightening my hair a few times a week. I don’t think I will ever be fully comfortable with going out with my curls. it seems like I am an alien in a world of straight hair. I feel abnormal and insecure. straightening my hair makes me feel more sophisticated, confident, and more beautiful. I’ve had multiple crying fits about my ugly hair, which is so pretentious, when I think about it. I wish that I loved my curly hair, I wish I could embrace it. but I just can’t. thank-you for this great post x

  96. JESSICA 9 years ago

    I have curly hair too. Mine is the type that is in tight coils and poofs. I have a love hate relationship too. Sometimes I look like a poster child for a magazine with my wild unkept curls and other times I have to tie it in a bun with three ties for it to look decent. I can stick a finger in my curl and it tightly wraps around it. When it’s curly it reaches my shoulders and upper back. When it’s straighten it reaches my lower back. People think I wear extensions! I’m inly 14! They bully me about it. And the boys say Jessica you look hot with your hair straight and give me looks when I have it natural saying what the hell happened! I hate that I can’t go to the street with my hair out because everyone is staring. LEAVE ME ALONE SOCIETY!! If I want my hair curly I’m going to have it CURLY!!!!!

    • Michelle 8 years ago

      Hey Jessica. We have the same texture and length hair. I am 28 years old. Take it from me…You have beautiful curls and you will learn to appreciate them..take care of them..when you get older and all the girls w stick straight hair are out paying for old lady perms..your going to be a natural bouncy haired beauty..? We are unique princesses and do not blend in w the “basics..” ?

  97. Savanna 9 years ago

    I have wavy hair. Its a pain to make it go pin straight or really curly so i don’t even try anymore. people look and i smile and keep walking i’m really stubborn so i don’t listen to people complaining. i just leave. well when i got in middle school i started actually paying attention to my hair instead of running a bush through it and tie it up in a ponytail, i would straighten and straighten and curl and curl. Because i was told that was when all the boys were going to start liking us back. what a rip off. if anyone’s reading this don’t listen to other girls and what they say if you want your HAIR CURLY OR STRAIGHT SO BE IT, MAKE IT HAPPEN. if you don’t that’s fine don’t listen to SOCIETY, IT HURTS….. it also ruins your year…

  98. Kimi 7 years ago

    I used to have really straight silky hair as a kid and it became curly when I was a teen so I combed it, trying to make it straight (straight haired person thinking haha) but now that I know how to kind of care for it, I still straighten it sometimes because I like how it looks but I also wear is curly half the time. Although I would probably leave it curly more if I didn’t think other people would think I was being unprofessional or unkempt haha .-.

    • Kimi 7 years ago

      Although curly hair means you get to be an awesome 80’s queen every day 🙂

      • Michelle 7 years ago

        ?? they need emojis w curly curls!?

  99. Raya 7 years ago

    After many years of straightening my beautiful natural curls. I’ve promised my hair to love it, respect it, thank it, and care for it naturally. It’s a part of ME.

  100. Amanda 7 years ago

    I’d recommend the Karmin Hair satrightener 🙂

  101. Meghan Schuler 7 years ago

    I know I’m late to the party, but my thing about straightening is It’s for special occasions. Much like a dress. I wouldn’t wear a dress otherwise, I’m not that girl. I agree my locks make me, well, me. My thing with the professional part is simple, wear it half up or even just a bit up and the keeps those untamed crazies from going too wild when u want to semi control it. U can never totally control it, it like a stoned hippy on ur head. As for the younger readers, i HATED my curls until i was in my early 20’s and learned how to deal with it. Including the irritating pony tale bumps. I finally got even that figured out. My suggestion to anyone who wants to control the hair with out drying it out with hair gel btw, use oil based lotion. It’s perfect. Most Victoria’s secret ones work perfectly fyi. Plus smells fantastic all day.

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