Are you in that awkward phase… a little too long to rock a TWA, but a little too short to achieve a bun or ponytail? You know, that phase where many get the itch to chop… again.
If so, send me a pic of you rocking your favorite style and a short blurb about how you’ve coped with this stage in your natural hair journey.
Email contests@curlynikki.com and use ‘awkward’ as the subject line! Thanks!
I am chomping at the bit to see the results of this post! Every time I look in a mirror I want to grab the scissors, it hasn't been a year yet and I know I should be grateful my hair is growing so fast, but does it have to look so busted!?!
My hair is soooo thick! I have resorted to the Afro Puff… So convenient and easy to just go! In Summer I was a fan of the wash and go, but with the cold, east coast weather, I cannot 🙁
I transitioned for 10 months and it has been 4 months since my big chopped this past September. Currently my hair is about 7 inches long and the back is neck length. At the rate my hair is growing, I think I'll be able to do a bun by the end of this year. I mainly wear twist outs and braid outs because I don't like the way 2-strand twists look at this length. I look forward to wearing more protective styles, primarily for convenience, as my hair gets longer. I think the key to retaining length is to keep the hair moisturized, stretched, and detangled, and really baby those ends–they require extra attention! 😉
What is funny is when I got to this stage I shaved my head. Life… I don't know what I am going to do once I get there again
Hey Bree!!! Are you moisturizing everyday with the products that work for your hair? Are you gentle while detangling and not using heat? I had a friend who was natural longer than me and wasn’t seeing that much growth. She found that protective styling and moisturizing daily helped her retain length. As far as the stringy ends I would definitely cut them off before they split to your roots. I hope this helps.
Kim
i am about 2 years no perm and my hair is soooo slow growing and idk what to do. i wear a wig or weave but my hair is twisted or braided underneathe.my roots are thicking back up but my ends are split i think and really stringy.. can someone please help me i am on the verge of just getting clipper and shaving myself bald…
my hair is actually at armpit length when stretched and i am not even 2 years yet…. is that not normal?
(yes, i big chopped ALL of my hair down to a fade)
Same here. I wish saw this article yesterday – I definitely cut off four inches of hair and now I'm back down to the nape again -_-
am soo there…mine grows a lil faster, so am 8months and ths hair left me speechlees, sometimes i feel like i wanna chop it off again, i dunno wat tha heck to do with it!! mayyn..help here! so most of the time i jus wash n go…it shrinks but oh wells!
Exactly how many inches was the 'awkward length' for people? I dont think I've ever had an awkward length… I'm natural and currently 20 months post relaxer.
During year 1 I was at the awkward stage. It's been two years since my last big chop.
My hair is currently long enough to comfortably do a mini-bun. When it was at an awkward length, I wore twist-outs. And headbands.
I am at 1 1/2 years. Definitely missing my pony tails with my relaxer. I am rocking braid out and twist out for a week at a time. I sometimes do big mini twists and wear those for a week. Can't wait until my twist and twist out hit my shoulder. I must have the slowest growing hair. It seems like everyone on the web has my goal length in 2-3 years. But my hair is longer than it has ever been. So I plan to not make any rush decisions until 5 years natural.
definetly in this stage. i am like o.kay.what the heck do i do now?
I am so there right now. Will be doing a cassia treatment and then an attempt at either twists or finger coils!
I call it the awkward tweens. Not quite a little kid, but not nearly an adult.
My many textures may have more to do with this awkwardness than the length though. Either way it's a pain.
I'm almost 11 months post relaxer, 4 months post big chop and am definitely in the between phase. My use-to-be signature style, the twistout, does not look hot on me anymore..nor does braidouts unless i fluff the crap out of both styles and rock a textured fro which, consequently, has become one of my favorite styles. If I do a braid or twist out, i have to have either the front of my hair braided, in a two strand twist headband, or with a regular head band so that it looks decent. Putting my hair in twists and rocking beanies for weeks also helps when i get tired of dealing with my hair. Knowing that my hair will, eventually, grow out of this phase and the fact that it is healthy and shiny helps me cope with this awkward stage in my journey.
I just bought a wig because I am definitely at that stage, except i'm a little more than 1 year. Either way, this is no fun! 🙂 Until my wig comes, I will be pinning my hair up. After than, I will rock cornrows and the wig for at least 1 to 2 months. Maybe longer depending on the quality of the wig.
Does a 3 year itch count?? lol… I received my last relaxer in December 2008. So it has been 3 years since my last relaxer, but not quite 3 years of completely natural hair. And I am still in that awkward stage. The stage is only more awkward because the back of my hair is a different texture than the front so i Have MORE shrinkage. SMH. Right now I have these micro/mini twists. Hopefully I can have a fro that touches my shoulders when dry soon.
I just had my two year nappiversary! I tell you, I'm sick of this stage and my hair shrinks up to 1/5th it's length! Talk about a bummer. Anyway, I've decided to wear protective styles every year until May or June. If I don't I might go crazy and chop! I already had a mini freak out a month ago and cut off two and a half inches.
My hair isn't at two years.. just one. But it is at that stage where its not long enough to do the really elaborate styles, but to long for the short and simple style…
Nikki can we come up with a cool code name for this stage of hair… Then post style ideas for it. It seems we either focus on twas, or bra strap lengths. And in now way am I hating, I just feel like I'm in no man's land a lot of the time.