It sounds like you had a choice. For me there was no real choice, because my hair simply would not straighten. I could spend a day at a hairdresser's and by the next afternoon it looked as if I hadn't gone at all.
When I was 18 I gave up temporarily and cut my hair down to a Grace Jones do. I alternated between that look, braids (with extensions braided in) and occasional relaxers for the next 12 years. Finally at 30 I cut it off and started my locks, and have never looked back.
I think that if I could have made straight hair work, I probably would have, given how conformist I was in my 20s, at least where work and money were concerned. I guess I was saved by completely unruly hair!
Choice? No. I was raised in an authoritative home, and there was an imposed, sizzlin' HOT COMB waiting for me each week. If you had been anywhere near that kitchen, @indigoocean, they would have pressed your hair, too!
I bet the Grace Jones 'do looked great on you. As do your locks. Thanks for sharing your journey.
LOL, yeah when I was a kid I was sometimes forced to get my hair pressed. Thankfully I grew up in the 70s in NYC, and my stepfather was very "black pride" so we go to get afros when I was about 8. After that it was off and on with what my mother considered "normal" for our hair, but mostly we got to choose for ourselves once the new consciousness was introduced.
I did like the short cut, but it was too hard to maintain. I'm really happy with locks now and at one point even my mom had locks. One of my sisters and one of my nieces now do.
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