Friday, August 10, 2007
Happy Birthday to Me!!!
How could I forget!!!??? Next year is the BIG one!!! HooooOOOOO!!!!!! Let's have cake!
The Lace Revolution is being publicized!
I have to laugh when girls go out of their way to remove fliers and adverts for lace wigs. Have they not looked in the back of their latest black haircare magazines? When I was in London week before last at WHSmith's magazine stand, I looked in the back of Black Beauty and Hair and saw loads of adverts... all tooting natural hairlines. Some even called it a "lace weave".... they even advertised "Black American" style weaving and hair... obviously black Americans have access to the "good" hair.... lawdie! I remember my aunt who lives in London saying to me that they used to look to the Black Americans who could really do their makeup nicely. I just think it's funny, is all! Even here in the states, Hype Hair had articles on it and adverts in the back. WOW! The revolution is going all the way LIVE!!!!
My trip to India...
Sunday evening I left for Mumbai... a working trip with Delta. Mumbai/Bombay... technically the same place. The thought of going to a new destination was exciting, but the amount of time on the plane daunting. Fifteen hours going over and sixteen hours coming back. I told the crew that I was a "virgin" and to break me in gently... LOL! When I got to the flight attendant lounge, I realized that I left my makeup bag home. All I had was face powder, black eyeliner and lipgloss. Oh well! I worked coach both ways... I knew that I had a mission once I got to Mumbai... I had to get my prescription drugs... they are much cheaper over there. I was too angry at my Duane Reade pharmacy when my co-pay for my Advair asthma meds was $50. I paid $25 in the pharmacy in Mumbai... and furthermore didn't need a prescription. I got Elidel cream and Zyrtec syrup for my son at such a nominal fee... all meds that I had to refill for him here. All I can say is that the pharmaceutical businesses here in the US are making a killing!
On the way back home, we had to divert to Newark airport for fuel because we had been in a holding pattern for so long looking to get clearance from Kennedy airport here in NY, but due to the horrible weather, not possible. Quite a number of passengers, mostly young males, were headed to the States to do their Masters studies... engineering, the majority. They were going to school all over... Iowa, Alabama, Texas... they had me chuckling. The other flight attendant and I were giving them tips to "life" in the US. I asked them if they weren't going to have arranged marriages. They said yes, although some didn't know who their spouse would be. I told them to save themselves and the girls heartaches by not getting seriously involved, only to return to India to marry someone else. This other guy was talking to me... quite Americanized... saying he was happy to be leaving Mumbai because he had to use so many products in his hair to tame it. (It was monsoon season there, so it was VERY humid and rained constantly)He said it would get big like an afro, which I took to mean frizzy. I told him "I know EXACTLY" what you mean, as I wore "Naomi" down and it started to get frizzy. You'll see what I mean in the pic below. I had to laugh when I say some of those Indian guys looking at me and smiling... probably thought I was a "darkie." I got that word from overhearing another one use it. HUMPH! I think I had objection to the word, to be quite frank. When I was on my way back home going through security in India... I saw a security girl that was like 5 shades darker than me with shiny, jet black hair pulled up. She coulda been my sister... my hair pinned up and all. I didn't really do too much in India as the rain was a big deterrent. The downpours had me soaking wet!!! UGH! I hate walking around in wet clothes. I will tell you this... this country from what I saw was poor. It's either you have it or you don't. Loads of people sleeping in the street... the buildings were like... I'll let you be the judge from the pic...
In front of the hotel...
The view from my window....
OK... forgot to give you the joke. I was working in the back with these two male flight attendants, both white, and one asked me if this was all my hair. Once again, I clutched my imaginary pearls and shrieked... he was gay, so he should have understood. LOL! He's like, "I know it's not a wig, because I see your scalp and it's flat on your head." I toss my head back in true drag queen fashion and asked, "Do you do drag? Do you want me to hook you up with some hair? If not, I can't divulge secrets. You NEVER ask a woman about her hair!" The other guy wasn't around during this conversation, but he was an older guy and my eagle eyes knew he was wearing a lace piece as hair replacement.... I told him about my conversation with his co-worker in regards to my hair. He was like, "He asked you that?" I told him that I sold lace wigs and do wear them,etc. He said he had a friend in the business who wanted him to invest and go in with him, but he didn't. I didn't come out and ask him about his own hair, because I just didn't need to. Then we started joking with each other... "Your lace is showing!" This meaning that you were acting up or acting an ass. We kept going back and forth... he was like, "You left some of your lace on the side of the sink in the lav!" OK, how would he know that if he wasn't a wearer? I would go to him, "I've got urgent news for you..." "What?" he'd reply.... "Your lace is showing!" It was funny! Names will not be mentioned to protect the innocent!
On the way back home, we had to divert to Newark airport for fuel because we had been in a holding pattern for so long looking to get clearance from Kennedy airport here in NY, but due to the horrible weather, not possible. Quite a number of passengers, mostly young males, were headed to the States to do their Masters studies... engineering, the majority. They were going to school all over... Iowa, Alabama, Texas... they had me chuckling. The other flight attendant and I were giving them tips to "life" in the US. I asked them if they weren't going to have arranged marriages. They said yes, although some didn't know who their spouse would be. I told them to save themselves and the girls heartaches by not getting seriously involved, only to return to India to marry someone else. This other guy was talking to me... quite Americanized... saying he was happy to be leaving Mumbai because he had to use so many products in his hair to tame it. (It was monsoon season there, so it was VERY humid and rained constantly)He said it would get big like an afro, which I took to mean frizzy. I told him "I know EXACTLY" what you mean, as I wore "Naomi" down and it started to get frizzy. You'll see what I mean in the pic below. I had to laugh when I say some of those Indian guys looking at me and smiling... probably thought I was a "darkie." I got that word from overhearing another one use it. HUMPH! I think I had objection to the word, to be quite frank. When I was on my way back home going through security in India... I saw a security girl that was like 5 shades darker than me with shiny, jet black hair pulled up. She coulda been my sister... my hair pinned up and all. I didn't really do too much in India as the rain was a big deterrent. The downpours had me soaking wet!!! UGH! I hate walking around in wet clothes. I will tell you this... this country from what I saw was poor. It's either you have it or you don't. Loads of people sleeping in the street... the buildings were like... I'll let you be the judge from the pic...
In front of the hotel...
The view from my window....
OK... forgot to give you the joke. I was working in the back with these two male flight attendants, both white, and one asked me if this was all my hair. Once again, I clutched my imaginary pearls and shrieked... he was gay, so he should have understood. LOL! He's like, "I know it's not a wig, because I see your scalp and it's flat on your head." I toss my head back in true drag queen fashion and asked, "Do you do drag? Do you want me to hook you up with some hair? If not, I can't divulge secrets. You NEVER ask a woman about her hair!" The other guy wasn't around during this conversation, but he was an older guy and my eagle eyes knew he was wearing a lace piece as hair replacement.... I told him about my conversation with his co-worker in regards to my hair. He was like, "He asked you that?" I told him that I sold lace wigs and do wear them,etc. He said he had a friend in the business who wanted him to invest and go in with him, but he didn't. I didn't come out and ask him about his own hair, because I just didn't need to. Then we started joking with each other... "Your lace is showing!" This meaning that you were acting up or acting an ass. We kept going back and forth... he was like, "You left some of your lace on the side of the sink in the lav!" OK, how would he know that if he wasn't a wearer? I would go to him, "I've got urgent news for you..." "What?" he'd reply.... "Your lace is showing!" It was funny! Names will not be mentioned to protect the innocent!
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Why don't you just wear your own hair???
For me personally, this has got to be the most annoying question. Either my hair is always in a bun or I wear "phony ponies", wigs, hairpieces, etc. When I do wear my hair down, it's like, "Why don't you just wear your own hair?" I have several reasons:
1) I'm into healthy haircare, so that means no excessive heat, no coloring, nor excessive perming.
2) Versatility... I can wear different colors and textures without damaging my own hair
3) It's a form of protective styling for me....
Here are some of my pics without any additions...
I used to like to wear my hair braided, but I keep getting major tangles. I go a good while in between relaxing (can we say 4+ months at a time!), so you better believe the poor hairdresser works hard for her money. As you can see, I'm repping for the Shaka Zulu tribe.. type 4a/4b... ain't no water wave hair up in hurrrr! LOL!
Before relaxer..... after relaxer and trim...
This is my favorite back shot... it has been my avatar on many haircare forums. This was taken November 2004.
This is the longest my hair has ever been December 2004. I really dropped off the meticulous haircare bandwagon...
My "pickney" moment!
I've done the "big chop" twice... back in the early 90s...1994 & 1996, to be exact.
All this to say... not all people that wear "fake" hair are bald... nor do they hate the texture of their hair... I love mine so much, that I want to protect it. As India Arie sings, "I am NOT my hair." My bachelor's degree had concentrations in Biology, Sociology and African Studies, so I don't need anyone to tell me about the socio-economic/ psychological impact of black women and their hair. Why do I wear "fake" hair? Because I WANT to... it's the freedom of choice that we are afforded living here in the good ole' USA.
1) I'm into healthy haircare, so that means no excessive heat, no coloring, nor excessive perming.
2) Versatility... I can wear different colors and textures without damaging my own hair
3) It's a form of protective styling for me....
Here are some of my pics without any additions...
I used to like to wear my hair braided, but I keep getting major tangles. I go a good while in between relaxing (can we say 4+ months at a time!), so you better believe the poor hairdresser works hard for her money. As you can see, I'm repping for the Shaka Zulu tribe.. type 4a/4b... ain't no water wave hair up in hurrrr! LOL!
Before relaxer..... after relaxer and trim...
This is my favorite back shot... it has been my avatar on many haircare forums. This was taken November 2004.
This is the longest my hair has ever been December 2004. I really dropped off the meticulous haircare bandwagon...
My "pickney" moment!
I've done the "big chop" twice... back in the early 90s...1994 & 1996, to be exact.
All this to say... not all people that wear "fake" hair are bald... nor do they hate the texture of their hair... I love mine so much, that I want to protect it. As India Arie sings, "I am NOT my hair." My bachelor's degree had concentrations in Biology, Sociology and African Studies, so I don't need anyone to tell me about the socio-economic/ psychological impact of black women and their hair. Why do I wear "fake" hair? Because I WANT to... it's the freedom of choice that we are afforded living here in the good ole' USA.
Backing up a little... June 29- July 2, 2007
I had to back it up a tad to share some funny stories. OK, so I had to go to my brother-in-law's wedding in Jamaica. A lot of folks say the bride and I favor. Anyhow, I did her hair and makeup. The wedding took place at Sandals Negril and boy, was it hot and humid. Seeing like how I was wearing my lace wig that I've lovingly nicknamed "Naomi", I had to be sure ole' girl was in place! I used the Graftobian Spirit Gum as recommended by my girlfriend who also wears them as she faired well in hot weather with it. It held it just fine... no sliding. The bride's own hair is long, so my 22" Naomi made us look even more like sisters. The bride's girlfriends asked if I put in a couple of "pieces" as my hair own hair is a couple inches shy of my brastrap. I told them it was actually a wig and they were amazed and proceeded to get "up close and personal." I didn't mind. Why did one of the male workers come out and ask me "Miss, is that ALL of your hair?" I feigned dramatic "drag queen" shock and squealed while "clutching my imaginary pearls"... "Ohhhhh! You NEVER ask a woman if that's their real hair... that's like asking a woman her age... or if all her breasts are hers or if she's wearing a padded bra... or like a woman asking you if that's ALL you or do you stuff your underpants with socks!" He assured me, "It's all me!" to which I responded "I didn't ask you tha t, so that's not the point! It's the fact that someone would actually ask!" "I didn't mean to offend, but just wanted to say that your hair looks so pretty." "Thanks for the compliment!" I said as I moved on.... I did a wet spiral wetset...here are pics. What I did learn my hasty wash and set that was done in Jamaica is that I should keep the rollers lower and not too high up on the head as it creates too much volume on the top and makes it look a tad wiggy, in my opinion. Can I tell you this? After a weekend in the hot, Jamaican sun... you can only imagine what my tan line looked like around my hairline... it did make future applications easier for the next few weeks as I knew EXACTLY where to put adhesive... LOL! 
Here is the bride and I after a long hot and humid day.
These were the shoes worn for the special occasion... my Manolo Blahnik Sedaraby... this is the pair that was stolen from Carrie Bradshaw when she went to a baby shower on my favorite TV show "Sex and the City". The handbag is by
Faith and was bought on a layover in London. The grass was not kind to my babies as they continuously sunk in the grass. I quickly changed outta these bad boys into beach shoes!
Welcome...
Hello Friends and Fellow Divas...
This is the site where I will share my mental vomit. Sorry for being so explicit, but I wasn't sure how else to put it. So much is going on in my life, but I know there are a few that would truly understand. I am a Delta flight attendant that truly enjoys her job and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I also freelance as a makeup artist... fashion and beauty are my passion. Good skin is a must, so I do have my esthetics license. Lace wigs are also a love and I feel privileged to offer them for sale as they offer change for the average woman and hope to those suffering with real hairloss issues. Did I also mention that I am a cake designer? Artistic abilities seem to be in my blood and I'm one of those Jamaicans wit 50 jobs. LOL! Anyhow, I invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy the journey.
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