by
Black Girl With Long Hair
Solange often opts for curly wigs and braid extensions, but from time to time she gives a glimpse of her real curls. She was spotted rocking her fro while attending the Tibi show at New York Fashion Week with son Juelz (who has a cute head of curls himself!) Ladies, what do you think of the look?
102 Responses
I’m just entertained by the look on her sons face. Not even focusing on her hair.
She’s rocking that ‘fro. She’s gorgeous. Her hair is gorgeous. I am in the process of growing out my hair. It’s been a little challenging with dryness issues, but it’s worth it. Rock on, sista!
My sister’s hair is that color and curl pattern…a little thicker though, and that’s just how it photographs. It does feel like cotton candy when you touch it, but it looks dry no matter how “moisturized” it is. And my sister rocks the fro too. So sorry to those of you whose natural “standard” Solange doesn’t fit. I’m glad she (and my sister) have accepted what their hair does and have realized a long time ago that approval from the masses, natural or not, is just not going to happen.
Wow, its kinda weird seeing all the comments. My hair is exactly like hers, even when moisturised. It doesn’t mean its unkempt, just means thats what my hair is normally like. Just because someone keeps their hair differently from you, doesn’t mean they don’t look after it. Stop acting so self-righteous.
her sons face is hilarious!!!!
I know right!! That is the first thing I noticed. 😀
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/pretty-patterns-13_347x520_19.jpg[/img]
We have the same hair color. I remember years ago when I was relaxed; I used to hate sitting in the hair salon clearly seeing the difference in my hair color from the other patrons, because I considered it dry and mousy. All through my teenage years I would dye my hair for SHINE (permanents, semi-permanents, jazzings and rinses) which remained elusive. Nothing ever worked! My hair always regressed to its natural color all to my dismay. One year, I allowed my stylist to do a permanent color 2 weeks after a relaxer and it all broke off. I soon came to realize that altering my hair and it’s color was a losing battle. Now I love my natural hair texture & color and I find that they work together beautifully. It’s so wonderful getting compliments on my hair from people, but I especially cherish the ones from other black women the most, even more so if they’re fellow naturalistas! 🙂
You can tell when someone puts some time and effort into caring for their hair and you can tell when they dont. Her hair does look dry and unkempt IMO. It looks like she barely made an effort to make it look halfway decent. I’ve seen some other pics of her natural hair and it’s the same way 9x’s out of 10.
Um that just looks like unmanipulated 4b hair. I’m 4b thats what my hair looks like. No shine and looks dry.Also her hair is a lighter shade of brown than most.That hair color always seems dry. Its suppose to in its natural state. I dont see an issue with it. Some naturals are very self concious about looking “unkept”.I think for many that was the deal breaker in becoming natural. Some of us rock it and could care less for others its just not their look. They prefer a controlled state of nappy. I think that is just a personality thing and her hair fits her personality. To each its own, but lets not call some ones raw hair dry and damaged because its not our ideal. Thats just how her ( and many of us) hair grows out of her head.
“controlled state of nappy” – what a statement,,u hit the nail on the head.
Wow. When she went on that rant about how people seem to criticise her undefined hair, I thought she was reaching but looking at a lot of these comments, it seems that we are still a long way from texture acceptance.
Is it weird that I have no emotion towards her hair? No comments or anything…lol, I don’t really care, like her top though!
I dont like her hair it looks like she didnt even do it her hair looks like mine in the morning minus it looking that dry it looks matted,dry,and broke off in the front and I wonder how she could even get a comb thru that junk if someone was to send her out looking like that she would have a fit but its her hair and everyone is entitiled to express theirself and of she likes it thats really all that counts
??? What? As far as I can tell, she has a fuzzy halo of hair/afro. How does that translate to being dry or matted or broken off? She just doesn’t have a perfectly rounded fro and I am okay with that. I can understand it not suiting your personal aesthetics but dry and matted it does not make.
Candi,
That’s a pretty passive-agressive reply. Your opinion, of course, but given her celebrity status, it’s safe to say she has people (hair and wardrobe stylists, management, etc) who, as you state, “sent her out looking like that” but she clearly didn’t have a fit, and look! She’s in the front row at NY Fashion Week with natural hair in its most organic state.
So your final point is valid-everyone, Solange Knowles included, is entitled to express themselves. I’m willing to bet that if she had a looser texture, you wouldn’t have made comments about her hair being matted, dry, broke-off, junk can’t get a comb through it.
But as I stated, your opinion 🙁
1. Who cares if someone can get a comb through her hair? Many naturals, including myself, can’t.
2. Nah, I’m not even going to waste my energy thinking of replies to this.
Her son looks weird, not a great picture of him…
even the boy isn’t exempt.
He’s a little boy, leave him alone. It’s a candid image, catching him in action.
This is supposed to be a natural hair blog and we should be talking about Solange’s hair, not about her son “looking weird”.
Shame on you.
I have to agree, the most disturbing thing about the picture is the face her son is making. Its a mix between genuine glee and possible possession. He’s still cute though.
lol @ Barbara with her “atural hair messiah” .that expression cracks me up. Yes I know Solange is beloved by many naturals, but if someone doesn’t gush over her hair, that doesn’t make them a hater. I for one do not love every natural hairstyle and that’s fine.
Back to solange…She always pulls the effortless look really well and this is no exeption IMO. I love the shape and fuzziness of the hair. It just seems a little dry as some have mentioned.
Some of you need to bring it down 100 notches, criticism and opinion is not hate RMFE not everyone bows down to the “natural hair messiah” (lol) , and that’s a-okay. Some are acting as if there are threats to hold her down, spritz her dry * ‘fro with moisturizer and oil then pick it out. Bwaaaaah!
too funny!
I think the main problem here is the assumptions being made that its “dry” or “damaged” because its not shiny or wet looking or whatever persons assume healthy hair looks like. As others have said, you can’t tell whether its dry or not based on pictures. Or that it’s damamged for that matter. What you can say is that its not shiny. But hair not being shiny doesn’t mean that it’s dry =/.
I can also speak for myself when I say that not matter how much I moisturise, making my hair as soft as can be, it still pretty much looks like hers. Persons will touch my hair and be amazed at just how soft and silky it is, it simply does not and will not “shine”.
Here’s a better look at her hair.
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/2q21tg8.jpg[/img]
It looks a bit dry to me… but how many natural celebs do we have to look up to? not many. i’ll take what i can get!
So all naturals get an automatic pass just for being natural?
Interesting…
There is so much hate towards her – this is ridiculous. Why can’t we just support each other as black women regardless of how we where our hair? I agree that you cannot tell if someone’s hair is dry just by pictures. My hair is healthy and shiney and it doesn’t not show well in pictures. Don’t know who made anyone the know-it-all of all things black natural hair. The petty criticism and hate is RIDICULOUS.
I agree Noire, I cannot believe the words that are coming out of our mouths. We actually think its okay. Just don’t respond if you don’t have anything positive to say. Shoot somedays mine doesn’t look that good either.
yeah there was a post about her on CN and it was a mess. She’s had similar responses to posts about her hair on here too. I think it’s interesting how people respond to her hair. It really does expose alot about what women still truly think about natural hair. Women are still really getting used to their hair (despite what many tout) and it’s not surprising but still quite sad to see.
I feel like some of the mentalities we had when we were relaxed has translated into our natural movement. Why do I feel like everyone expects Solange to have her hair in a twist out AT ALL TIMES in order to have hair that isn’t “unkempt”?? Loose-curled naturals can do wash-n-gos but when it comes to 4b/4c hair we have to have some “organized” curl pattern to have “neat” looking hair? Elle Varner has “great hair” but Solange doesn’t? Okay…..
And newsflash: our hair is naturally cottony and appears dry. Just because it isn’t shiny and in a twist-out doesn’t mean its not healthy.
Solange can do whatever she pleases. She isn’t worried about your head of hair, so why does everyone’s opinion on her hair matter?
Love,
A concerned natural
+1
Agree %100…. Lenny kravitz, Macy gray etc wear or wore fros that look like this.. Now that natural hair is popular.. Everyone has to have some curl pattern or be extremely glossy.. Lol her hair Looks like it was picked out dry and it looks fine
Quite ***** obviously*****, anyone can wear their hair how they see fit, not everyone is a hair spokesperson, ‘kay? That being said natural does NOT = unkempt, so lay down the pearl clutching when it’s pointed out that a hair spokesperson chooses to walk around w/ unkempt hair. Oh,
the horror of it all, GMAB.
XOXO
I completely agree…I guess people are not ready to face the truth about kinky hair …. 🙁
I love this site and enjoy the comments, but this is the first time i think most of you are slowly going crazy…….criticizing her because it is not as shiny or as long as you think it should be after 3 years after her b/c…….UMM FOR REAL? are you people serious?…….im shaking my head in disgust…..Wow
+1000
I like her fashion style.
However, her hair looks as though she might have picked it while dry. I doesn’t necessarily look unhealthy though.
She obviously isn’t into that super glossy, juicy look and is not a product junkie trying everything so that her curls can “pop”.
It looks unkempt but it suits her and it shows a different side of natural hair.
OMG, her son is too cute!! And she looks fab per usual 🙂
How are you a hair “model” & your real hair ALWAYS jacked up? LMAO, I guess if her sister can advertise hair products w/ other women’s hair on her head. Must be nice!
who cares if it looks dry to you ? The girl isn’t new to her hair so she’s taking care of it the way she sees best and it’s not breaking off and she’s obviously showing retention.
I’m not saying people can’t have opinions about her hair but already dictating that her hair is dry and damaged because it doesn’t look like what your hair (because you’re both supposedly the same type) is a bit much.
Anyway, I’m happy she’s showing another style our hair can take and she’s actually NORMALIZING black hair that isn’t super manipulated. It would be awesome if we saw more varieties of hairstyles with our hair apart from twist outs, wash n go’s and braid outs.
I totally agree. Everyone needs to get off the girls D**K!! It’s her hair, and she can do whatever the hell she please with it. What really bothers me, is the fact that every time a pic of her is posted the question is “What do you think of the look?” Who gives a flying F**K!! Leave the girl alone!!!!
She really isn’t showing that much retention; she did her big chop in 2009. I don’t think she’s actually retained as much length as you would expect from three years of growth, but it’s entirely possible that she keeps her hair at that length on purpose, or that she just doesn’t care that much how long her hair grows or doesn’t.
What is this obsession with retention? I may get stoned for this but I think this obsession with “seeing length” is a sister issue to black women’s need for extensions and relaxers. Barring any medical issues, every one of us can grow long hair, but most of us with afro-textured hair will not see that length due to shrinkage. It is not a coincidence that a lot of naturals deem shrinkage an issue and obsess about ‘seeing their length’. I will leave it at that.
Okay.
Thank you for the ‘normalizing’ comment. It’s pretty much how i wear my hair 80% of the time. I don’t have anything against twist and twist out i sometimes wear them myself, but when i see a sister with her in
this style i get a feeling that she has little to no hang ups about her natural hair. Pity we all can’t have the same mindset.
people would just die inside if they saw my hair.
sometimes dry. sometimes not. sometimes “unkempt”. sometimes not.
oh well.
not everybody is into having all hairs in “their place.” lol. i certainly am not.
Yup, me too. If I wanted every strand meticulously placed, pinned, slicked, or tucked I’d be relaxed, not natural. Natural hair is FREEDOM.
+1. Normalizing is right.
I like that wild-and-free look; it appears very liberating.
I cannot/will not speculate as to whether it’s dry or not, you simply cannot tell from that angle and distance; it could be softer than cotton candy for all we know!
Love the top, too.
Glad you have perspective on that angle and distance think because I was thinking that too. You can’t see what condition it is in since it’s just a block of colour, it could appear dull because of the stark grey background too. Also some people just DO NOT have shiny hair. Why is shiny viewed as the default ‘healthy’ state for all hair types? My hair does not do shine EVER and it’s 4b. We need to decide what is normal for our own hair and stop using the shine and defined ‘ideal’ as the barometer by which all natural hair is measured and judged.
+1
I don’t care for ‘Solange’, but I was thinking the same thing. How do we know it’s dry? Some people’s hair generally just looks that way no matter how moist, mine included. Dark brown 4b/c hair always looks ‘dusty’. The light from a camera’s flash would have literally had to bounce off of her hair for us to know whether it was moisturized or not. I kinda like the hair…not her…but the hair. It looks like a Saiyan.
Hence why people say it LOOKS dry..not that it IS dry.
That’s just stupid. She shouldn’t dye her hair darker just to keep catty women from calling it dry-LOOKING. Call it what it is. If you don’t like that color with that texture, just say so. However, to infer that she isn’t taking care of her head b/c YOU think it ‘looks’ dry is a transference of blame. Blame yourself for not liking a person’s hair, not the person. I don’t get the divisive elitist attitudes from some people on here. “I’m 4/b, but my hair doesn’t look like THAT…” GOOD FOR YOU!! However, some people’s hair DOES look like that. These are probably the same clowns touting, “I’d rather not put my hair in a catagory….” — Please. I’m not defending Solange. I’m defending black women in general. It just goes to show being natural isn’t synonymous with consciousness. Some of you all may as well slap on a blonde wig and and call it a day.
@JustLeavingaComment
**applause**
It looks like a Saiyan? Lmbo I just died!
Agreed. Some of these comments are sad and ridiculous.
Well put. Not everybody has shiny, or even sheeny hair even when “moisturized.”
I think Solange’s hair looks perfectly fine.
I’ve recently seen a few close-up photos of Solange’s hair and it actually looked surprisingly fine and wispy, compared to how it looks in distance photos of her fro. It also looked like it would be very soft to the touch; “cotton candy” is actually a really good description, I think.
I don’t like the look simply because her hair looks dry. The fact that her hair isn’t defined isn’t a problem, I just can’t stand to see dry natural hair (shoot my hair was dry yesterday after blowing it out and using Carol’s Daughter Loc Butter which my hair and myself hated), but I love to see luscious and moisturized looking locks!
+1
I think it looks a bit dry/unkempt.
I hope no one takes this the wrong way but I really dont think Solange takes care of her hair nor has she retained any length and I dont think she cares to, but thats her business, just doesnt look cared for to me.
Yes i think the same. It seems like she doesnt moisturize or really care for it. The only time I see it with a little shine and sort of like she didnt roll right out of bed is when she does a photoshoot(wearing it completely natural of course minus wigs, etc.). I dont think alot of celebs who are natural care for their own hair, other than a few who have came out and admitted it (ex. Tracee Ellis Ross does her own hair in her personal life). Solo states “hair doesnt matter” but there is no reason to come out looking like that. I can just imagine how it probably feels lol. Just and observation though lol. Anywho I love her style, braids and personality!
+1
You assume she hasn’t retained length. It’s pssible she cuts it. Beleive it or not, not everyone is dying for long hair. Why assume she’s letting it break off.
she cut her hair a year ago, am I correct? I cut mine January 2011 and my hair looks to be about the same ‘height’as hers. I was bald. Dang I thought I was doing good 🙁
She did a big chop in June 2009 – it was all over the blogs then. But it’s possible that she’s chopped again since then, or that she trims on purpose to keep it at that length.
If Solange doesn’t want to talk about hair anymore, why are we still talking about her??
Agreed
cause she is a public figure, cause she endorses a company that a lot of naturals that sells products that a lot of naturals use…
+1
agreed here are a few reasons why she is still a topic 1) everytime I look on the Net she is there modeling a clothing line with a natural wig or this look that she is wear. 2)the Natural Hair community seem to have latched on to this young lady for dear life and endorse her every movement. 3)because of the community she plays herself off as a DJ and then more pics are flooded over the net about her 4) she is getting paid a GRIP from CD to endorse products that alot of new naturals will purchase just becuz Solange endorses it 5) Essence has to cover her Brownstone in Bklyn as if noone from bklyn has never witness a Brownstone before 6) because of the NHC she is in the studio again with another attempt at a singing career that it looks as if her die hard NHC fans will purchase I can go on.. #ijs
+1
Wondered the same thing, yes she’s a public figure and endorses Carol’s Daughter.But it also seems like she wears her hair the same way, all the time (which is fine BTW, it’s her choice). But this pic probably looks the same as all the others we’ve already seen of her (excluding the braided styles), and yeah she did say she doesn’t want to be the natural hair poster child or something to that effect….
You know, that’s a good point.
I’d be more than happy to never see her again but somehow she’s been hailed a natural hair icon, oh & she’s shilling products she clearly doesn’t use or misuses.
+1 I’m sure Carols Daughter isn’t happy about selecting her. She is definitely NOT doing their line any justice. Solange luv u but get that together. I understand the “do u” thing but moisture for naturals is a must.
Moisture is a must for naturals or else what?…… Or else your hair breaks.
So what if it breaks?……… You won’t retain length and your hair will remain short.
So what if your hair is short?………..
Please finish that line of logic for us.
By the way, I replied a lot of comments, but I just want to encourage the conversation to go a little further, a little deeper. It always seem to stop at a certain point, and I feel if people can openly express certain rarely-mentioned opinions, we can understand each other better.
Me, I am not a “naturalista” that feels people should be as organic as the salt from the soil, but I am passionate about people learning to embrace natural hair as just another acceptable option of wearing hair. It hurts when people look at type 4 hair as something that “needs to be fixed, moisturized, stretched” in order to be PRESENTABLE AND ACCEPTABLE. Why can a white chick roll out of bed take a shower without a shower cap, air dry her hair, and keep it moving with her day, and I can’t? It is unfair. It hurts like hell that I have to look at my hair as something that “needs work”. I hate that we put that pressure on ourselves. Furthermore, it makes absolutely zero sense that we put that pressure on ourselves–why do we act like it’s abnormal when soooooo many of us have this hair? Can you imagine if tomorrow all Japanese people woke up and decided that bone straight hair is a problem? And here we see someone living her life, and actually *not* being held back from her career pursuits (like so many people complain about), and instead of us standing behind her, we offer the most critique against her.
I know no one means any harm, but I think people in the natural hair community need to be thoughtful of this.
Yep @ Candice. +1
I love it! Her hair looks like she let it go free to do what it wanted to do, which I totally love. We all know she’s a type 4 texture which has less sheen and shine than curly type 3s, which might explain that “dry” look. She’s working it as it is!
@ Tyrika: It’s her hair and I’m glad that she is wearing it as she pleases–my motto is “do you boo!”
However, I have to disagree that type 4 hair “might explain that dry look”. I have 4a/b hair and my hair never looks or feels dry; I make a concerted effort to keep it moisturized. I know many other type 4’s with shiny hair as well.
+1
agreed. It looks really dry.
My type four hair never looks that dry. Maybe if I used shampoo and didn’t use any product on it afterwards.
I agree, she rockin’ her fro’! I’m a 4C like Solange, and my hair doesn’t have much shine either [its thick as hell though lol]. Unless there’s a lot of light I don’t see much shine, and my hair is the same length [and moisturized =]
[img]https://bglh-marketplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/myfro.jpg[/img]
Your hair looks gorge..working on that length
Thanks for keeping it real, Chillysea. Haters gonna hate. I think Solange’s hair looks fabulous. Don’t know how much shinier it could look, given its natural dusty brown color and 4c texture. I think Solange is representing for type 4 girls everywhere and normalizing the fro, even in glamorous contexts such as NY Fashion Week. Can’t wait until hairstyles like Solange’s become the norm instead of something worthy of an article headline (keep it up, BGLH!). Type 4 girls should be proud to rock their natural curls everywhere, even high-fashion events, without worrying how shiny or blingy or glossy their curls look. That’ll be the day.
You just said two different things, lol.
“I have type 4a/b hair and my hair never looks or feels dry” …..this supports your initial statement.
“I make a concerted effort to keep it moisturized”……….this does not support your initial statement about disagreeing with the type 4 hair explaining the dry look. Why? Because if you did NOT “make a concerted effort to keep it moisturized” then your hair would look just like Solange’s….. BECAUSE OF YOUR HAIR TYPE.
Solange simply has type 4 hair and chooses not to make the same concerted efforts as you and others to keep it shiny, and from looking “dry”. Not all people with type 4 hair are bothered by it looking “dry”. That’s how the hair naturally behave sans external oils and moisturizers, and that is okay. There is no health hazard in having hair that looks dry, lol. (Now, it may not grow very long with that sort of upkeep, but hey, not everyone cares about length retention. But Solange seems to be retaining length despite her “dry” look, so that is even an added bonus for her!!)
I don’t like it.
Looks dry and heat damaged in the front.
Me either it looks very dry. I mean she doesn’t have to have it looking glossy but that looks like a chip.
Where is the damage? Her hairline is full and thick. I’m glad she picked it out to look full and symmetrical. It doesn’t look dry. Type 4 isn’t super shiny.
Black hair usually looks dull in its true natural state. Why should Solange coat her hair in crap just to satisfy you. Stop being so bloody negative.
Natural Hair: Solange Knowles Part II Remember my post in 2010 about Solange Knowles and her hot natural hair? Miss Knowles is on British Vogue shniwog off her cool style and naturally her hair is included in
What does heat damaged hair look like? From what I understand, heat damaged hair is hair that doesn’t kink back up after wetting it….her hair looks equally kinky throughout. And dry… Is it supposed to look wet? Her hair is sandy brown like her sister’s…could that color give it what others perceive as a dry/dirty effect? I dunno…I just don’t know what people are seeing that I’m not. I’m asking not to be picky, but because this is the hair type I have, and I am trying to better understand the expectations that people in the natural hair community have of this hair type. It seems to me that people expect it to look and behave a certain way other than what it naturally does. (Like when people say it is dry….it is supposed to be dry. It is naturally dry! That is one of the main things that defines the hair type.) Help me to understand.
Kinda looks like she stuck her hand in a socket but it works for her….
It’s comments like that that make black women afraid to wear their natural hair out in public.
Personally, I think if you don’t have anything positive to say you should keep your thoughts to yourself.
Solange looks fantastic I wish I had the balls to wear my afro out.
+1 thank you Natalie!
she looks nice. I think we started on our hair journey about the same time and our hair looks the same.
I like it.I know some have complained below on how dry it is but bear this; her hair not jet black.
We all know the darker the more light is reflected.
Kinky hair will NEVER look shiny as it has LOW reflection of light called sheen so moisturise all day it will not look like our wigged counter parts.
Everyone is entitled to their say so i guess it is personal preference,i think it is good to have afro hair in the limelight period.
We are so consumed with “fixing” our hair all the time and getting it “done”.I like the free look it’s refreshing but i know it isn’t for everyone. 🙂
I am lovin’ Solange more and more!!