Humans Suck: Some People Bashed Solange Knowles’s Wedding Day Hair
- belle
- 5 months ago
- featured-post, Newest, Small Box
- 9 Comments
Ugh. Because some humans are absolutely awful.
Yesterday, the Huffington Post ran an article, “Solange’s Bridal Afro Upsets Beauty Standards” on the backlash about Solange Knowles’s choice to wear he hair the way she always wears it and the way it grown from her head, on her wedding day. Apparently, this was bad. Writer Kadia Blagrove compiled a series of screen shots from commenters who called Knowles hair “ugly”, “horrific”, and “scary”. And before you assume “white girls don’t get it”, half of those unfavorable comments were from Black women.
I knew this was coming.
I recall when Wendy Williams knocked Viola Davis’s natural hair on the red carpet for the Oscar’s as not being “glamorous” or “formal” enough, and how enraged I was. Apparently, natural is tolerable for day-to-day, but when it comes to a Moment- capital M-we’re supposed to break out the pressing combs and flat irons like 80s kids on Easter Sunday.
Meh.
I was SO PROUD to see Solange rock her beautiful big hair at her wedding. SO SO PROUD!! She looked beautiful, iconic. Just lovely. A walking statement of beauty and confidence.
The textured hair we were given, the CROWNS that we have been graciously bestowed with, is acceptable for any and every occasion. My (unofficial) motto is,” the bigger the occasion, the bigger the hair!” I never considered straightening my hair or flipping a straight weave, or even rocking a kinky one for my wedding day. I wanted my big, frizzy, kinky, curly, coily (because it’s all of those things) hair to be my halo (and I needed something fancy going on up there because I don’t do veils.)
People are mean. And stupid.
If you’re a naturalista, would/did you straighten for your wedding day?
About Author
Affectionately known as "Belle”, Demetria L. Lucas is the author of two books— A Belle in Brooklyn and Don't Waste Your Pretty; the creator of the award-winning personal blog ABelleInBrooklyn.com; and the founder of Coached By Belle, a boutique life-coaching service, where Demetria helps clients solve their dating dilemmas and build healthy relationships. Demetria is also a contributing editor for The Root, where she pens two weekly columns, and is a contributing writer for the websites of The Grio, XO Jane, Essence, Clutch, Vibe Vixen and Uptown. She was also the star of Bravo TV's docu-drama series, "Blood Sweat & Heels"
I would be open to straightening my hair for my wedding. I haven’t found a natural hairstyle I like for my hair length and dress and veil. I’m still experimenting tho.
I am a naturalista and installed a weave and wore my hair in a chignon when I got married in August. I did entertain natural hair styles for months (especially because I wanted to be free to frolic in the Aruban waters during honeymoon), looking to Pinterest, Instagram, and natural hair blogs for inspiration, but 3 factors led me to take the route that I did:
1) My hair was in that awkward-length phase, which limited my selection of styles
2) I wanted my hair to be professionally done on location and most natural hairstylists come at a premium, especially if you want them to travel (there are plenty of talented stylists/friends that will install and style a weave for cheap)
3) …And this probably should have been first, but I had an outdoor wedding in NY in August. I did not want to take a chance on how my hair would respond if it ended up being a particularly humid day.
I was pleased with my decision. I did a super curly weave, so straightened for the day, then wore it curly for honeymoon. It was more maintenance than I wanted to have on honeymoon, but it worked out well.
I’ve natural for about 5 years. I do so much to make it palatable for others but honestly, when I started wearing it in a fro (mostly due to laziness) I felt more beautiful than ever and others could see it. This is just UGH! When will black women get a break?
How do you know its not a wig and/or that this is the way her hair grows from Her head? There are many companies now selling Afro wigs and you yourself have admitted to wearing hair pieces of this texture for added volume.
You know what? I don’t. But it looked pretty real to me.
And if she did add some hair, I like that it was nappy and matched the texture that grows out of her head, which we have seen multiple times.
I looooved her hair the entire event looked amazing. I will definitely be wearing my own hair for my wedding!! although I may add some pieces for height and such!
I’m a naturalista and I certainly plan to wear my natural hair on my wedding day. I couldn’t imagine why not? It’s fancy all on its own! I’m still growing out my fro but I cannot WAIT until I have that Solange-size natural halo! It’s quite beautiful.
I’m very surprised the comments came from black women. I’m aware some people have issues still with natural hair, but Solange’s afro is usually what many anti-natural hair black people will accept. She has nice length . It’s also a very nice shape. I appreciate all sizes of afros, but I’ve observed the “acceptable” types of natural hair that some people deem more attractive. It’s sad.
But whatevs—natural is better imo, but do whatever you want with your hair! Shoot! After all, it IS on a woman’s wedding day when most people would agree she can do whatever she damn pleases with her styling choices. Th audacity of the lost ones…
Solange was LOVELY, especially the hair. I have a relaxer. Even still, I fail to understand the backlash against her or other brides wearing kinky/curly styles on their wedding days or other Moments. Gah!
I love that Solange rock her beautiful big hair at her wedding. I think the reason that people said her hair was ugly is insecure about themselves. Some black women need to stop comparing themselves to white women because when you take off the straight wigs and perms your hair is kinky and curly and you have failed to accept that because of how you think society will accept you or not.
So again ” GOOD JOB SOLANGE” !