Its amazing how ignorant folks can be about Black women and their hair in the year 2009. Yes, we can grow hair from the root without the assistance of yaki weave imported from southeast Asia. Any fool can see that Oprah is not wearing a weave right now and I say Hallelujah after getting tired of seeing the ringlette wig she’s been wearing since Halle Berry started that trend. So apparently people on Twitter were telling Oprah that they like her “weave.” She responds in this video “this is not a weave”
If you wear a weave, knock yourself out. If you like it, I love it. Ever since I chopped off my perm, I’m loving it, despite the near obsession certain folks now have with my tresses. There was universal cheering from the peanut gallery when I took my BPF back down to a TWA. Either that or the fire engine red color who knows.
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I had a vitamin deficiency which made me lose my hair. After being corrected with a regimen of prescription and over the counter vitamins, my hair has grown back so long that I no longer need any type of weave, or piece. Just yesterday at a ‘Jersey Boys” launch reception, I passed by a mirror and said to my friend, “I need a brush.” She said “Just shake it honey but don’t shake it off.” I chuckled and then told her that it was all me. It is as long as Oprah’s and looks very nice and lasts almost a week before I have to flat iron. Vitamins were my saving grace here and my hair came back stronger as a result. I wasn’t looking for long hair, I was looking to save my life. I’m sure if I took even better care of my hair that it would grow even longer.
Oprah’s hair looks lovely and yes, we can grow our hair long from the root (should one so desire) without the benefit of Yaki-permed straight-tangle free weave from Korea. Although I don’t knock that either if someone wants to do it. It’s all good.
I was one of the 8 million natural hair sites and everyone is wondering what she uses. There is no magic product to make you hair grow and someone needs to tell those woman that there is no non chemical product that can turn you Florida Evans fro’ into Amy Holmes curls
oooh, oooh, post a pic of your hair! the last time i saw a photo of you it was to accompany your story in essence mag.
I wanna say props to Oprah for being 100 with it!!! I’m happy she even showed that pic of her in the morning. BLACK WOMEN WITH REAL HAIR STAND UP AND BE COUNTED……all 15 of you, lol. I love real hair, especially, STRAIGHT long hair in a wrap, or in a ponytail, or ……I just love real hair.
I approach plenty of black women with weave though, so I can’t speak to badly on it.
Why do we have to objects to be picked apart?
And the rigglets were hers, too. Not a wig. she addressed that one as well. She has to address it everytime she changes her hair or it has the “nerve” to grow.
I am a black woman with natural hair but, I thought Oprah’s hair was weave too. In the above pic, I think it’s her real hair but I just thught that in general she wore weave. I was under the impression that all celebs wear weaves at some point.
Yes black women can grow their hair long. It’s just that so many of them are always frying, dying, and relaxing it that the hair becomes weak and frail and they end up bald headed with a weave. You can thank capitalism for that.
Lawd Jeebus, I am so over the hair debate(s) and whether or not it makes a black woman more “real” or whatever. I do not understand….what is the big deal? Hair grows. Period. It may not be as fast as some would like, but it grows (assuming no medical issues). As long as you take care of it, you keep your length (whatever that means for you). This is not rocket science.
I’m beginning to wonder if a lot of us are just too lazy to care for our hair, whether it be a weave, relaxed, natural, etc. And then want to play shocked, shocked I say, when a woman has a healthy, full head of hair. As if it magically sprang up on her head. Shoot, Oprah has her own stylist to care for her hair daily – she ought to have healthy hair.
As it is, I’ve done well for myself because 1) I took the time to really learn about and take care of my hair when I couldn’t afford regular trips to the salon, 2) I developed a budget for a hair stylist, who is fabulous (it only took several years, hee). Oh yes, I developed a budget – to heck with the Gucci, Louie, Juicy, etc. All of the expensive clothes and accessories mean nothing when your head is akin to a bird’s nest. I’m just sayin’. I see too many women rocking the expensive outfits with the hair looking a hot mess. Stop the madness.
It. Is. Just. Hair. Can we get past this? Please?
i’m with you Tracy…it just seems like sad proof of our discomfort with ourselves, and a whole lot of wasted energy.
And the converse is true. Many non-black women wear hair pieces.
Then how come I really like short hair? You know, that East African runner-girl short-short hair.
Reds even better!
But not on me. LOL!
… Y’all know this is all Beyonce’s fault right? ….
What does TWA stand for???
An old boyfriend called my hairstyle that phrase…
@Wanna: twa = teenie weenie afro
I came of age in the “pre-weave” time, and am still a little uneasy (shocked, actually) about the idea of sewing or gluing someone else’s hair onto my head. Ultimately, I say go with whatever floats your boat.
I have been natural for the last several years and am enjoying wearing locs right now. I have been asked by strangers (nicely, btw) if it’s my own hair. It is, and sometimes the questions and answers have led to interesting conversations.
Someone asked can’t we just get over it because after all it’s only hair. The fact that we continue to have lengthy, deeply felt conversations about hair means there is a lot more to it than “just hair” for many.
I wish we could just “get over” the hair thing. But every Saturday when I see half the black female population with their weaved-out do’s, I’m reminded what a love/hate relationship we have with our hair. We spend money we don’t have getting and maintaining weaves – enough for a downpayment on a house, or even on a car, to rent a nicer apartment in a nicer neighborhood or to start a nice 401K – but many of us feel forced to spend that money on weaves (to compete for the brothas, of course). It’s to the point now that it’s hard to find a hairstylist who knows how to care properly for relaxed hair that doesn’t have a weave attached. Hairstylists are now either weave experts or natural hair experts. I wear my hair like Oprah (but with a relaxer, not press and curl) and it’s so difficult to find a good hairstylist who will help me care for my relaxed weave-less hair.
@ Sandra,
I kind of understand where you are coming from but why should what some other person has on their head bother you? I mean did these ladies ask your opinion or are you just giving freebies out? If you don’t like weaves then don’t get a weave. Just cause you are in the all natural camp does not mean every other Black woman has to be.
I saw that Oprah episode and figured it would be a topic of discussion amongst us eventually. I wasn’t sure if she had a weave but knew she had long hair as a child and could certainly have it as adult. She said she gets a press and curl so her hair isn’t relaxed either. Not having the chemicals probably helped a lot for retaining the growth.
Sandra,
I think you hurt “Kelvin”’s feelings when ya went and did the
(to compete for the brothas, of course).
LOL!!!
@ Uh Me – I Guess,
I don’t follow. Sandra didn’t hurt my feelings at all. I just couldn’t understand the basis for the comments. I realize I’m on the ladies turf here and I’ll keep that in mind. Sandra, I was just curious so please don’t interpret the comment as one with a hostile intent or nature.
“getting tired of seeing the ringlette wig ”
nah..that wasn’t a weave, that was Oprah’s real hair
Wow I never would have thought those locks were real! She showed us… hahaha classic!!!
There are hundreds of Korean families along 125th Street and throughout Manhattan praying that weaves never go out of style.
We are lifting thousands of extended relatives out of poverty and into the the upper classes and paying for the private school education for many Korean children.
Woo Hoo for weaves
Teenie weenie afro
Sandra,
So true, I often tell folks that my twa costs less money and time to maintain…
and I hear you about the salon and weave (like anything else manolos, starbucks, season tickets) may need to go especially during these tough economic times.
@deborah:I came of age in the “pre-weave” time, and am still a little uneasy (shocked, actually) about the idea of sewing or gluing someone else’s hair onto my head. Ultimately, I say go with whatever floats your boat.
Me too. I was a teenager when Tamara Dobson and Pam Grier had natural hair; I went natural in the early 70’s and have worn it several ways since. I just don’t get the weave thing though; not to mention I can always smell a bad weave, and it’s not a nice smell.
KOC ~ it isn’t the wearing of the weave.
It is lack of control of the industries. There is a doc online about that.
My Oprah fantasy ‘tweet’:
Hi everyone! I’m tying back my natural hair/wig/weave/whatever and me and Bob are going for a run to try and control my “thyroid problem”. Cya!
Now, when we start having in depth, soul searching , knock down drag outs about that subject, I’ll start to care again……
I’ve worn my hair in braids for years, but due to advanced, incurable Alopecia areata, I’ve been forced to wear wigs. Currently, I wear a weave to cover the bald spots in my scalp. I’ve been to every hair specialist there is and they have said the same thing: They don’t know when or if my hair will ever grow back to it’s regular length. Not everyone uses their hair style to make a political statement. I met this White guy at a Halloween party with these waist-length Bob Marley dreads. He just said that he grew his hair out because he was too lazy to get it cut. Authenticity should not be determined by how someone wears their hair. It’s about what you are comfortable with.
@ La Jane
I would like to take a peek at the doc you mentioned about the hair industry.
I have not seen documentation but I can imagine the industry has few controls or standards.
Many African hair braiding and weaving shops here operate seemingly without any health or sanitary over sight.
I don’t have a negative perception of weaves …it’s just another hairstyle choice in my mind. But I guess as I have grown up or older…and been immersed in environmental issues, I always wonder where everything comes from.
So sadly in some ways…everytime I see a weave now I think I wonder where did that hair come from?
Thats right its just hair, get over it.. Its not important.
Kelvin, I don’t care how anyone wants to wear their hair. Each person has full rights to decide how to wear their hair (including weave). My issue is that the popularity of weaves is causing a dearth in hairstylists who know how to care for relaxed ‘unwoven’ hair. Hairstylists (particularly younger ones) are so accustomed to full head weaves with just a little bit of relaxed hair left out at the front and the back (just enough to conceal the weave) that they are no longer versed in hair care for relaxed hair. You can mistreat and neglect a weave as much as you like – when it looks raggedy you just change it. You can apply as much heat and as much product as you want as often as you want to a weave, style it however you want, and it ultimately does not matter. Not true for relaxed hair. I have moved around a lot for work, and each new city I go to, I have a heck of a time finding a hairstylist who really knows how to take care of relaxed hair. I usually end up with an “older” hairstylist – which is fine, but the downside is that she’s not always up-to-date with the latest cuts and styles.
I always thought that her hair was real. She has had thick, healthy hair for a long time now. I didn’t really like the Shirley Temple ringlets though — that’s more for younger women IMHO.
I stopped straightening my hair at first because I was sick and tired of the rude speculations and ‘weave accusations’. (Didn’t you know that it’s genetically impossible for dark skinned black woman to have long hair?) I guess it’s a strange kind of improvement now that young people are sending ‘weave compliments’.
I think that the younger kids have a better approach toward black hair in all of it’s forms than we did.
Perhaps things have improved now that young people are ‘complimenting’ her weave. My only beef with weaves is the gigantic chunk of black female money that’s getting funneled out of our circles.
Some of us need to start selling that hair.
I get the weave accusation all the time, especially when I used to rinse my hair black. As for black women spending “all that money” getting their hair permed, weaved etc. I don’t have a problem with it, I think the problem is the fact that black people, or black women especially don’t have the control to capitalize and reap the financial benefits from “our” own hair industry. I won’t mind supporting a black family owned chemical relaxer, hair rinse, or hair accessories store/factory.
In other words, it doesn’t bother me to see “Laverne” spending her money to get her hair permed or weaved, it more concerns me that she buys her perm and weave from “Mi Ling” and the rude husband.
Go La!! I think Bromer Bros. and Johnson (Fashion Fair) are the only black family owned haircare companies around that haven’t been bought out.
But I gotta say that our “Mi Ling” is a sweetie and their family is very respectful of their clientele…
Please let me introduce you to my hairdresser who as a rule does not weave or all the other “modern” types of hair styling.
I have a healthy head of thick graying hair, which has continually grown. I am soon to reach the 75 year mark and don’t have a problem with my hair. Those of you who live in the Los Angeles area,try Presitta Hair 4 you in Toluca Lake.
Penny, as she is fondly known, will restore your damaged hair. She uses only the best products and cares for and about your hair. Call her at 818-631-4653. You won’t be sorry. Just don’t try to take my standing appointment. LOL
Dark skinned black women CAN grow long hair. My granddaughter has a beautiful curly mop of natural hair on which she refuses to use chemicals. She went natural 2 years ago, and last summer she was a brides maid for a friend. When she rolled her hair on heated rollers to style it, it was below her shoulder blades.
Our hair will grow, no matter our skin tone, IF we will learn to shampoo and condition it properly with products formulated for our hair type.
All is not lost.
Oprah looks too cute with the new hairstyle! And kudos to our Black female BILLIONAIRE for putting the haters in their place!
How do i find a good stylist in Kansas City Mo.
My experience has been that stylist
dont care about the health of your hair
anymore. They are more concerned with
charging for things that use to be expected
to ensure healthy hair. For example, it use to
be that after a relaxer you expected your ends to
be trimmed, not cut, no extra charge.
Now days they want to charge you $10 to $15 just to trim your ends. If someone knows of a good African American stylist that is truely comitted to healthy hair please email with the name and address. I am also
willing to travel a little further. I have relaxed hair that
is in the middle of my back.
Oprah is not really lying.
It is NOT a weave, but it is a “Fusion”.
Point of the matter-It is NOT her real hair.
Fusions can be washed just like your own hair. It can be comed through from the scalp to the roots. You can even perm the new growth.
Butttttttttttttt……….Who cares really?