Curly Hair styles

Hi,Another thing that works is to wear your hair very very short so that the curls form very loosely on your head and it gives a Greek god kind of look. This is very popular right now and a lot of ethnic men like the look and the ease of caring for their hair. Right now men are actually moving towards the very short clipped looks OR they are growing their hair very long.Depending on your profession, the very short clipped look would be easy to care for, very chic for the moment and a new look.The dreds are an idea, but you are right to consider the impact on your job and boss. Hair does matter, I am sorry to say, but it does.Best wishes,Karen> I've got a full head of really tightly curled hair> that I've always worn short say, 1 to 2 inches in> depth. It is chestnut brown with a few natural> highlights come the warmer weather. This winter I> developed a full beard and moustache. So while my hair> has been pretty much no fuss, as I near my 25th> birthday I'd like to sport something other than this> closely cropped fuzz ball. My girlfriend really wants> me to begin dreadlocking my hair. She says it would be> a real attractive asset with beard and that with my> build (I'm 6'-1", 210 lbs) I can carry the locks> well. My stylist agrees and says that my hair texture> is such that it will loc-up readily and because it> grows rather fast, should be able to se some length to> the dreads by the end of the year. I'm comfortable> with the new image I see 6 months out, but I'm> uncomfortable with what comes in between. I've heard> the look can be pretty slummy and unkempt those first> few months as your locs form and your dreads> establish. I've got about amonth of vacation time> coming, but I still will have to face bosses and> clients thereafter, until I'm fully dreaded. Can> anyone here offer any advice or share your experiences> concerning your locs and the early developmental> stages. I would also appreciate any suggestions for> other ways to wear my hair.

Man, what are you waiting for? Just do it! I mean, do you realize how lucky you are to have the kind of kinky, curly hair that naturally locs. Many guys pay me big dollars just to back comb and matt their hair with hope that it'll lock up. And half the time they're doing it against their girlfriend's wishes or else they're hoping that the locs will make them more attractive to nab some women. But you've got a woman who truly wants to see you dreaded. And to top it all off, you say your hair grows fast so you'll be able to see some real development soon. All I can say is many guys would be rightly envious of your position, man.If you have the power and will to let your curls dread, don't worry about the critics out there. Screw them! I mean you grew a friggin beard, in public, so to speak. I'm sure you enjoyed the compliments and discarded the critics along the way. Actually, the locking process, that early developmental stage you refer to is a special time of inner strengthening and empowerment as you outwardly begin to let the world know you're self-confident enough to dread. I know it sounds kinda heady, but every person I know who has chosen to dread will say something like this, so there's got to be some truth to it.The one thing I seriously advise is that you find yourself an experience loctician who can - even with your great hair - properly establish the growth patterns and the actual density or thickness of your locs. The loctician will also be valuable in cultivating the sprouts or "baby locs" so that they are all evenly formed.Best of luck and enjoy your gift, man.Write me if you've got anymore questions.> I've got a full head of really tightly curled hair> that I've always worn short say, 1 to 2 inches in> depth. It is chestnut brown with a few natural> highlights come the warmer weather. This winter I> developed a full beard and moustache. So while my hair> has been pretty much no fuss, as I near my 25th> birthday I'd like to sport something other than this> closely cropped fuzz ball. My girlfriend really wants> me to begin dreadlocking my hair. She says it would be> a real attractive asset with beard and that with my> build (I'm 6'-1", 210 lbs) I can carry the locks> well. My stylist agrees and says that my hair texture> is such that it will loc-up readily and because it> grows rather fast, should be able to se some length to> the dreads by the end of the year. I'm comfortable> with the new image I see 6 months out, but I'm> uncomfortable with what comes in between. I've heard> the look can be pretty slummy and unkempt those first> few months as your locs form and your dreads> establish. I've got about amonth of vacation time> coming, but I still will have to face bosses and> clients thereafter, until I'm fully dreaded. Can> anyone here offer any advice or share your experiences> concerning your locs and the early developmental> stages. I would also appreciate any suggestions for> other ways to wear my hair.

Jean, I know exactly what you mean. I find myself sexually attracted to a good looking guy with a head full of writhing, rope-like dreadlocks. The longer, the better. For me the locs convey a very masculine mystique, a primal sense of strength and confidence. This I find warm and protective. At the same time I find irresistable and stimulating the very kinky texture of the endless coils because - quite frankly - they remind me of overgrown pubic hairs. Kind of a forbidden fruit. I guess it's the beastial, animal instict that lurks with in us all.> First I have to say that while I can't offer you any> advice on how to deal with the loc formulation stage I> absolutely love the fully dreadlocked look on a guy.> My college room-mate dated this guy with a virtual> forest of chest length dreads and when he infrequently> visited it was all I could do not to reach my hands> out and stroke his kinky black mass of tightly wound> coils. I can't explain why, but for me there's> something very arousing about a healthy cascade of the> medussa like locks on a guy.> Second, I have to admit that after reading your> message I became jealous of your girlfriend. Does she> realize how lucky she is to have a guy who is so> flexible and willing to both listen and hear what she> has to say and then to act upon it by resolving to> change his hairstyle based upon that input? I hope she> knows what a rare find she's got!

"...fashionable in a tribal, kind of way, but very> comfortable and cool in these hot months." Say, Taila, I your idea lot! After reading your message my girlfiend and I did a little net surfing and found some web-sites with pics of guys in terrific looking cornrows. And then today after a liesurely brunch we went shopping at the mall and saw quite a number of dudes with terrific cornrows. One guy told me that he'd had some mighty dreads which he reluctantly cut off because he's doing manual labor, road work, I think he said and even when he tied the locs back they were too hot. So he's braiding his hair now and it's tremendously cooler and more comfortbale under his hardhat. Another guy we spoke to had a real fussy pattern that he said it took almost 3 hours to have done! His hair was pretty thick and kinky like mine, so I learned that while I won't have alot of maintainence, I will have to sit still a good afternoon when I get braided - and no way could I braid it myself (fortunately my girlfriend really wants to)! And still another guy had colored his various cornrows a few diffrent shades of amber and blonde. Wow! You are right about the endless variety of patterns, too.I'm so excted about this that I'm going to see my stylist tomorrow, get supplies and then take the rest of the day off so my girlfriend can start doing some trial braids and patterns.Send me your e-mail address and I'll send you a photo once the cornrows are finished.Thanks again for the great suggestion!MArk> *************************************> Here's a suggestion for a new look as you grow out> your hair this Summer. You can have it braided into> neatly coiffed cornrows. there are any number of> attractive patterns young men your age are displaying> these days. Some prefer the ease and simplicity of> just a handful of thick box braids running from the> forehead and temples, hugging the scalp and continuing> to the nape of the neck, where depending upon their> length, the braided strands extend loose a couple of> inches or else are gathered together into a short> ponytail. Still others prefer a dozen or more cornrows> of finely woven braids arranged in any number of> patterns, including a center part with the braids> running down the left and right side of the head.> You can keep the braids in for a couple of months with> minimal maintainece, as your curls grow. You will need> to get them tightened every other week (or more, if> your an active sportsman. I think you'll find it to be> fashionable in a tribal, kind of way, but very> comfortable and cool in these hot months. Then when> the cooler Fall wether comes, if you still want to> start dreading, just take your braids out and you'll> find you have that much more hair to work with. also,> once your associates in the work place have seen the> cornrows, thedeadlocking will seem like a logical> progression and I think you'll feel less self> conscious as your locs develop and take form.> This was the way I began a few years ago and if I ever> cut my locs - which I doubt seriously will happen -> this is how I'd replant and redevelop them.> Good Luck!