Black Hair and Bows: A Southern Girl's Search for Inclusive Beauty Trends
How it’s going… how it started! Photo credit: Mary Anderson
The Tiny Superheroes
I am in awe of the tiny superheroes
The ones who wake up day after day
Continuing their routines, pushing on
Holidays, birthdays, recitals
Marking important milestones with smiles behind their eyes
Laughter echoing beyond a mask
Finding joy in a new normal
The only normal many have ever known
I see superheroes in the making
Ones that will persevere in spite of the unknown
Their hope and optimism pushing their elders
And the world
To a better future
In the south, the phrase, “the bigger the hair, the closer to God” is similarly applied to hair accessories — the bigger (and brighter) the better. And as a young Black girl struggling to fit in within suburbia and rural Georgia, I quickly realized that my darker skin and braids lay outside of the southern, Eurocentric standards of beauty.
My mother would braid my hair every few months in a protective style, so that I, an outgoing elementary school girl, could run and play without being worried about what would happen to my hair in the midst of cartwheels and kickball. It would take her hours to incorporate hundreds of braids into my hair so that each morning I was ready to go to school, each one braided with love.
Once I reached an age where I could add some of my own personal style to my look, I decided to start wearing bows like my classmates. Whether it was for school or third grade cheerleading practice, I would gather my braids at the top of my head, choose an iridescent piece of ribbon, and tie it with precision in my hair — fluffing and adjusting the accessory as needed (meaning that each bathroom break served as an unofficial bow check).
I would scan hundreds of ribbons at craft stores for the most unique patterns. I would even save some from Christmas and birthday gifts for future hairstyles, each fabric swatch carrying a special meaning.
What was thrilling about this trend is that anyone, no matter their hair texture or length, could participate. Girls with kinky hair, curly hair or straight hair, all wore them while running to class — causing beautiful streaks of color as they ran through the halls.
Bows highlighted our differences, while simultaneously celebrating our crowns. In the sixth grade, one friend would tie her onyx curls up with a ruby bow while practicing the cello during orchestra class. Another would wear hers in her bright red curls while competing at 4-H competitions with her prize-winning livestock.
Although I’m far past my schooling years, this trend is still alive and well. Sometimes I see kids running on the playground, bows askew, and I smile, since it’s more important to have fun than worry about what you look like. My younger sister still wears the accessory with her dance team, and she incorporates them into her hair whether it be a sweet afro or striking braids.
My childhood hair staples may now be bundled together in an endless knot in the bottom of my vanity drawer, but the lessons I’ve learned from them are everlasting. Wearing bows at an early age taught me that trends can be inclusive, and these hair accessories can serve as priceless heirlooms long after you wear them. Whether covered in diamonds and precious stones or purchased from a vintage store, it’s the wearer that brings true value to these treasures.
Photo credit: Mary Anderson | Marissa Pina
Mary Anderson
Mary Anderson is a freelance fashion/beauty reporter, stylist, and brand consultant based in New York City, who has written for InStyle, Fashionista, Harper’s Bazaar, and Revelist. While at the Millennial women’s lifestyle site Revelist, she managed the brand’s fashion-focused Facebook page and produced many photoshoots and video shoots, in addition to reporting news and long-form industry coverage.
Twitter: @AlanaMaryGrace | Instagram: @WhatMattersToMary | whatmatterstomary.com
Recent publications include: robbreport.com | bustle.com