Au Natural

Au Natural

The minute that Arianna said that she wanted to swim with the dolphins, I knew that I wanted to, really bad, but I didn’t bring stuff to do my hair if it got wet.

My brain went into overdrive. I could make a high bun and even if it gets wet, it will still be cute and not too wild I thought to myself. I thought about it when she initially said it, as we walked to the plane for the first time. Yes, the first time. We were deplaned twice and had to wait for 10 hours before we could board a flight to Charlotte and then we had to stay in a hotel courtesy of U.S Airlines. The airline lost my luggage and I was forced, again, to think of my hair. I didn’t have my scarf or my shower cap and I didn’t want to flatten my hair sleeping on a cotton pillow. Thankfully, I was with Arianna who shared undies, toiletries and a shower cap, but it wasn’t long before I would have to confront the issue again. I put my high in a high but loose ponytail and got in the bed. I could shake it out in the morning for our flight to Jamaica (finally!).

I was so excited to be in Jamaica, and Arianna too, that we dropped our suitcases off in the room and headed for the beach. We laid out and waiting for the remaining friends to find us. This is nice, I think, so far so good. I didn’t have to wet my hair.

“Are you prolonging wetting your hair?” Stephanie asked snapping me back to reality when she finally found us. “Guise, I’m scared of my hair wet, I’m not sure what to do with it.”

wash-and-go-on-vacation-Channing-Hargrove-Blog-Channing-in-the-City-2

“We can help!” Stephanie proclaimed before she and Arianna dunked me in the water as I sat at the swim-up bar. Guess this is happening sooner than I thought. They weren’t lying. The two of them reminded me to put leave-in conditioner after getting my hair wet, helped me wash the sand and chlorine out of my hair each night. Stephanie even went as far as to come in during my shower, section my hair and apply the conditioner herself so I knew the proper way to do it.

Throughout my time in Jamaica, Steph would put her hands in my hair and tell me to embrace the curls, “this is really pretty, I feel like you’re not owning it,” and I liked it, it was reaffirming.

I braved wearing my hair wet from the shower with a little product and letting it air dry while we were out for the night. Au natural. I’m not saying that I’ve mastered this hair thing, in fact, I’m going to schedule a consultation with Carol’s Daughter’s new salon in Harlem. Right after I schedule my hair appointment at Drybar. While it was freeing to let my inhibitions go in Jamaica, especially all the hangups associated with hair and how it could or couldn’t make me feel pretty, I’m back in the real world, and I don’t want to scare my co-workers.

But I feel like this was progress in the right direction. And I’m grateful to my friends for literally forcing me to embrace me, completely natural.

oh, and p.s. I did end of swimming with the dolphins. And it was amazing.

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42 Comments
  • Jhéanell (Jin)
    Posted at 11:28h, 19 August

    I’m so happy that you got to go to my little homeland and experience some of it’s greatness. I’m also super excited that you did own your curls for the time you were there. Feeling free is definitely part of the Jamaican experience but I definitely know when you mean when you say you’re back in the real world and don’t want to scare your co-workers. When I worked in a corporate environment I didn’t know what to do with my natural hair to make it “presentable” so I wore weaves until I got tired of that and finally showed up one day with my own hair out. They barely recognized me, it was kinda funny lol. But they loved it! They did have LOTS of questions though lol. When it comes to natural hair and perhaps finding styles that you’d feel comfortable with at work if you decide to wear it curly – youtube is your best friend! I can definitely help point you in the right direction if you need me 🙂

    • Channing in the City
      Posted at 11:01h, 20 August

      Ahh you’re Jamaican? I LOVE that place and the culture! I need to bring some of that ‘no problem, mon’ attitude into my everyday life. It’s so funny you say that you’re coworkers loved it once you finally braved showing up in your natural state because I left my blog open and my co-worker saw the picture and was like ‘oh, my God! I love your hair’ and she was one of the main ones I was worried about. So funny how that works, huh?

      I’ll definitely visit your YouTube for some pointers!

  • Ariel B
    Posted at 11:35h, 19 August

    You look to cute and that bold lippie. Yes Ma’am! I like that big hair with your outfit. It goes with the look.

  • Arianna
    Posted at 18:28h, 19 August

    Yay! It was so cute watching you let loose (literally!) I think you had way more fun NOT worrying about your hair : )

    • Channing in the City
      Posted at 10:58h, 20 August

      Thanks Boo! I couldn’t have done it without you 🙂

  • eclechick
    Posted at 18:52h, 19 August

    Your friends sound fabulous! So sweet of them to usher you along your natural hair journey and quell your woes during your trip. You looked so happy swimming with the dolphins.

    • Channing in the City
      Posted at 10:58h, 20 August

      They are fabulous! You would love them 🙂 I was so excited to swim with the dolphins, it was surreal!

  • Christy
    Posted at 03:35h, 20 August

    If there is a place to rock that fro Jamaica is it and it brings the cool out of your cutesy lacy combo.

    Christy of:
    http://www.cleancutgoutchic.com

  • Ria
    Posted at 22:03h, 20 August

    I’m getting ready for a vacation and I’m definitely worried about what to do with my hair. I’m natural but I have a sew in with partial leave out. Water is my kryptonite lol. It’s good to hear that you managed completely natural though. You look super cute swimming with the dolphins too!

    • Channing in the City
      Posted at 18:01h, 22 August

      Thank you, Ria! I can’t wait to see how you wear your hair on vacation 🙂

  • Yasmein
    Posted at 12:53h, 21 August

    I love everything about this story. You guys seem like you really had a good time and I cant wait to here all about it. So happy Steph and Arianna helped you. I have been rocking the fro too and I have been surprised how many compliments I get. I love how your fro looks textured and wavy.

    • Channing in the City
      Posted at 18:03h, 22 August

      Thank you, Yaszy! We did have a really good time, I can wait to tell you everything! Doesn’t it feel good to get the compliments when you might be a little insecure about something? I can’t lie, it makes me feel good. 

  • Simone
    Posted at 17:09h, 02 September

    So stoked and a wee bit jealous that you got to vacation in my homeland. It is such a beautiful place. You should watch ‘Life and Debt’ if you haven’t already. I totally understand your dilemma with your natural hair and how to embrace it. I have been natural for about 10 years, and I have rocked many hairstyles. Yet, as of the last 6 months I have been wearing a ton of wigs and noticing how different the interactions with people have been. One black man came up to me and said “…that my mom always said you could tell a real lady by the length of her hair…” I wanted so much to rip off my wig at that moment and show him the length of my hair ( I recently did a big chop about two years ago, then bleached it platinum; resulting in a ton of length loss. So, I rock a short cut). That moment is forever imprinted in my mind, yet I just spent an hour styling my short/natural hair and fell in love all over again with ME! Follow me on bloglovin’ or check my site at http://bflysouljah.com

    Thanks for sharing. Embrace your natural hair and yes check youtube these Natural Hair Guru’s are my favorites!

    http://www.youtube.com/user/taren916

    http://www.youtube.com/user/FusionofCultures?feature=watch

    Blessed Labor Day!
    xo
    -Simone aka BFLY

    • Channing in the City
      Posted at 01:06h, 12 September

      I  haven’t seen the Life and Debt but I will definitely look for it on Netflix now! And ugh, completely disgusted by that man. I think that makes for an interesting study, how people treat you depending on your hair. 

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