The Story of My Hair
A narrative about frizz.
My hair has been a trouble zone all my life. I know it's not the biggest of problems in the grand scheme of things, but it can affect peoples self-esteem. Mine has always been frizzy, fine, and damaged. I have to use an array of oils, creams, and lotions to make it look decent. The result will vary between great looking, average or darn right awful, but I will always be ok with any of the three.
Ever since I was a little girl, I had always wanted to grow my hair long, like a mermaid. My parents were against it as it meant more hours of continuous combing to get ready for school. So they found that the best solution was to cut it into a very short bob that made me look like a history teacher. Plus, they added in a fringe for extra fun. It was hideous, and there was no way out of it.
I remember standing in front of the mirror and wetting my hair, thinking that it would grow faster that way. All I wanted was to have it long so that I could get rid of the ridiculous bob. On my 14th birthday, I decided to grow my hair out, and my parents were finally ok with it. I didn't cut the ends until I turned 16, which felt like absolute freedom. I began to feel more confident and happy that I was making my own choices for the first time. All of my friends had long hair way before me, and I had always envied the freedom they had. I wanted to be the girl who wore her hair differently or put it up in a quick messy bun that always looked good. After years of having dull short hair, I started to taste the joys that length gave me. I especially liked how my hair moved on windy days, being lifted and swirled. I felt like a movie star being whisked away into the sunset. It was dreamy, even if I had to spend hours to get it to look nice.
I began to realise that having long hair isn't an easy task. My hair was wavy, unruly and constantly frizzy. I decided to buy every hair appliance on the market to keep it from looking like a furball, from straighteners to curling wands, hairdryers, rollers, and heat brushes. You name it; I had it. Any gadget that promised to turn your locks into silk bliss was worth having. My hair was fine and frizzy, so it took a while for it to look presentable. Serums were my holy grail, and straighteners were lifesavers. After an hour or so of grooming my hair, I managed to make it look incredible. Even if the look only lasted two days, to me, it was time well spent.
At one point, my hair reached my belly button, and for me, this was everything. I was 20 and wanted to feel like every other girl, feminine, sexy and powerful. I had always liked the way long hair looked on women, no matter their age. It was flattering and beautiful. As long as I kept the frizz under control, I was happy to keep it that way.
Of course, there were days when no matter what I did, my hair would look terrible. Humidity was my worst enemy when it came to frizz. Sometimes I could spend hours using hot tools, only to walk out the door for it to jump back to its natural state. It was an excruciating battle, but one I wouldn't give up. As frivolous as it may sound, I loved my long hair. It was like my comfort and security. My self-esteem and confidence were higher when my hair looked nice, and it simply made me feel fabulous. I believe that anything that makes you happy as a woman is worth pursuing; as long as you're not hurting anyone, it's okay.
Hair is one of the assets that I like about myself. I take great care of it and treat it with particular respect. If I were to cut it all off tomorrow, I would be ok with it because I have had years of enjoying my locks, and I always believe any change is good. However, it's not what I would do yet. I still want to carry my long hair around and play with new styles. Of course, frizz will be a constant enemy when it comes to my morning routine, but there are worse things I can think of than having to blow-dry and straighten my hair.
Now in my forties, I still love the way long hair feels. I don't care what they say about needing to be in your 20s to carry it off. Whatever makes me happy, I will do. I believe that long hair is for women of all ages. As long as it is taken care of, stereotypes shouldn't play a part in it. Be free to enjoy your locks for as long as you can. If hair is dyed, curled, straightened, permed, grey or simply unkempt, it doesn't matter as long as it brings you joy. For me, it is the one thing I splurge on because I'm worth it, and so are my long locks.
Next time you feel like growing your hair, go for it. No matter the texture, colour or structure, every inch of it can be beautiful. Be unapologetic for what makes you feel your best, and carry your long hair with pride. I definitely will.
