Reintroducting VMichelle AKA My Natural Me - I have NEWS!!! Celebreating my 1 Year!

Hello Ladies,

I know it has been a while, but I had to come back and show love to wear it is do. I first discovered the CurlyNikki forum when I was a fresh newbie to this natural hair thing a year ago. Therefore, I find it only fitting that I share this news with you FIRST! I will be featuring a post on my blog tomorrow featuring my 1 year Naturalversary. I am super EXCITED. However, this is not your usual 1 year post. It is bit more drastic. Read below to find out more. I apologize in advance for how long it is.

V

That's right ladies!!!! A second BIG CHOP!!! I am ecstatic and so humbled by the experience. It all came spontaneously after I watched a BC video on one of my Soror's FB page. I had thought about what another big chop would bring but I was too scared to actually do it. I had witnessed my hair grow quite a bit since last December, but not as near the potential that it could have!

So you ask, when did the contemplation occur? A day after Xmas. I was on FB and saw a video about 2010 Big Chops. It was an advertisement from a salon in NY that showed a number of ladies who started their year off to a fresh start. The funny thing is that I have always wanted to do the short short TWA big chop, but the first time around I was terrified! I had already experience a horrible natural experience with my self esteem before I decided to embrace if fully for the past year. This was going to be BIG if I ever got up the courage to do it.

I was sitting talking to my Soror as she explained the process of taking down her locs. I was suffering from hand in head syndrome (more so about how damaged some of my hair was from the constant pulling and mistreatment) and said "I think eventually I will have to cut my hair some more". She said "No, just let it grow". I mentioned to her that I had been contemplating for a while, but wanted to BC at my next big life's' transition - Ph.D or first child. Well neither has occurred as of yet. LOL. After watching the video, I said to myself, "I am going to do this!" I started browsing tumblr pages, did Google searches of TWA's and couldn't really find my match of what I wanted. I started to pull a couple pictures together for the style that I wanted when I finally came across the golden one (see photo below).

I wanted to do it so bad, but refused to have myself looking a mess so my next decision was salon or barber. I knew that I didn't want a fade or anything like that and I didn't want my hair to have a masculine shape to it. I thought about it long and hard. I contemplated going to the only natural hair salon in town, but didn't feel like the hassle. I also thought about a nice high scale boutique/salon by the job, but couldn't fathom spending $60 for them to cut my hair! I didn't want to go to any ole' body and around my town, there are not a lot of options for those who are experienced with black hair not to mention NATURAL black hair. So what did I do? I called a local chain of Holiday Hair crossing my fingers that SOMEONE in there may have in their lifetime had some experience with black hair. All I needed was a cut so there was a very small chance they could "beep" that up right? I heard a lady on the other end say "Holiday Hair, Yolanda speaking". I bolted down in my seat and asked that bold question. "Do you have stylists there who have experience with African American (had to be political just in case lol) natural hair? She responded by saying "Yes we do". I immediately felt a sense of relief, but I didn't get to comfortable. I told her my dilemma and that I would like to stop in so she could see my hair and the picture that I had.

After hours of continued struggle, I got on the bus and traveled just two short minutes up the road to a local mall by my house. I walked in looked for the Holiday Hair and approached the salons counter. "May I speak with Yolanda please?" "Ah, yes she said, I remember speaking to you over the phone." I showed her the picture and she said "No problem, we can do that for you."

As I sat in the chair I was terribly NERVOUS. I watched as she added leave- in conditioner to my hair so that she could comb through it easily. Little by little my hair fell to the ground. I could see the entire thing in the mirror. As she cut more and more off, I could see the shape of my TWA forming. I told her after she was done and before she washed it, "You can take a lot more off!". She giggled and said that she would after she washed it and I could see the length from the shrinkage.

I saw the results after the shrinkage and I was amazed. My hair was gone and I LOVED it! I thought to myself, how in the world am I gonna style this mess now LOL. I didn't fret to long because I could feel the weight lifted form my shoulders from years of baggage that had left me in the form of my hair being cut off. Now those who know me, know that I love my hair and always have. This new short doo would be something drastically different. Yes, I have worn my hair Fantasia short before but that was with a relaxer. This on the other hand will reveal my true natural curls.

All in all I did this for a couple reasons:

1) To set myself free of the years of baggage that has been with me. Its spiritual for me. I can only accept what God has given me and my true natural hair can embody that for me totally. It is about me being vulnerable, yet strong and I look forward to this journey

2) To start all over with my natural hair journey. I started my natural journey a year ago after a two year transition (which I did not care for my hair much at all) to a self BC, a trim in July of 2010 and now another BC. This process will allow me to start to know my hair for what it really is. What I was doing before was doing what I knew to make my hair look good. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed the journey because it taught me so much, but now it's time to do it ALL the WAY!

3) To have the experience of loving my hair to hating my hair to loving it all over again. I started this blog to mark my natural hair journey. I will continue to do that and now that I am starting all over, I will have even more to share.

4) Continue to support naturals who are at the same level or beyond. I know that needed someone to turn to when I first started because I was (and still am for the most part - lol), clueless. I am here for you and I hope that you will share your love right back

So there you have it natural lovelies. That was the big revealing. See the pictures below of the process. I will reveal the complete look on New Years Eve!

Its official, December 29, 2010, My Natural Me celebrated her 1 year naturalversary with a second BC!

Hey there! Congrats!! I did it too! Can we see a picture of the finished product please? ok I read more thoroughly you are announcing on your blog tmrw! I will check it out to see the finished product! Based on what you have shared thus far I know it will be hot!

sweetdrk1 wrote:Hey there! Congrats!! I did it too! Can we see a picture of the finished product please?

I know I saw your post on CurlyNikki today and wanted to say something but decided to wait until I posted this. I will post in the AM when I get ready for work! Congrats on yours too

vmichelle wrote:

sweetdrk1 wrote:Hey there! Congrats!! I did it too! Can we see a picture of the finished product please?

I know I saw your post on CurlyNikki today and wanted to say something but decided to wait until I posted this. I will post in the AM when I get ready for work! Congrats on yours too

Hey V!!!! Congratulations on your 2nd BC!!! I cant wait to see the final results!!!

Congrats! Can't wait for the "BIG REVEAL" New Years Eve!


---Reese

Hello Ladies!

So here is your raw and un-styled view of what my big chop looks like. This is after I came home from the initial cut and then went back to the barber today for a blowout (taper) in the back and a little more off the top and front. I will show you it styled for the New Year in another post. Enjoy!

Very Cute!! I cant wait to see how you style it.

Love it!

Looks like everyone's doing a second BC these days. Congrats!

Thanks Ladies!

Okay ladies, so since I've cut my hair, I have gone back to the barber already once to get more taken off the back and front. Soooooo, after talking with the hunny, he thinks I should cut more! LOL.I knew that he would be shocked by the fact that I cut it all off, but I didn't expect him to be this excited. We are talking about my hair today and he goes "Why didn't you get the sides tapered down a a little bit like the back? I think that ish would be dope! LOL. He then said "You gotta be fly like all of them girls you be seeing. Don't their hair be crispy? Do it all the way!"

I showed him a picture of my New Year's Eve inspired look and he thinks I should go that length. Take a look at the picture below compared to the posted one's above and tell me what you all think. I think I'm gonna do it!

I absolutely LOVE Chrisette! She is rocking that cut!

sweetdrk1 wrote:I absolutely LOVE Chrisette! She is rocking that cut!

Yassssss she is!

Didn't have time to go back to the barber today ladies, so I will style my hair like it is currently cut for the new year. I will probably go to the barber tomorrow and then do a before and after shot again. I will still however do the Chrisette Michele inspired look above for the new year. Going to get ready now!

Happy new Year to ALL!

Very nice ... it's starting be BC2 fever around these parts ... work it Ladies!

BlondeByDesire wrote:Very nice ... it's starting be BC2 fever around these parts ... work it Ladies!

Thanks! Yes it is..I am enjoying every minute of it!

where are the pics?? I am going to your blog

Hey Ladies,

Sorry these took a little bit. I am trying to come down with a cold and was in remedy mode all day. Here are a few pics of the styled TWA!

Great pics vmichelle, I also did a 2nc BC recently after 10 months natural. please join us in the 2011 Big Chop hair growth challenge !!!