I've been freeforming for a year and ask myself, do I want to twist my roots. I no longer feel I have to, so the question is more along the lines of... "what would twisting annually give me and is it worth the time expended". Originally, I twisted my locs because I felt I had to in order to look "professional" or "acceptable". Freeforming took me on a journey similar to Cross's Theory of racial Identity and in the process became a loc'd woman instead of a woman with locs.
When I first decided to freeform I diligently styled my locs in ways to minimize the craziness and felt as if I had to have "perfect" locs in order to "prove" freeform locs could be beautiful. But over the past year the styles have lessened and the I let the freeform freak flag fly. In doing so, I've gotten three main reactions. I get a lot of black men trying to sell me pot, black women telling me to twist my hair and white people at work complimenting me. Go figure.
I don't even separate my locs as often as before though I should. Every month or so seems to be the most I could be bothered. I'd rather spend time brushing, washing, flinging and moisturizing them instead. My scalp, while still itchy no long flakes in sheets so I must be doing something right. But now I wonder... if I twist once a year is there any real benefit. It is good to take a deep in depth look at each loc at regular intervals for sure. I need to make sure I'm not popping locs I want to merge and I want to make sure all the loose new hairs have someplace to go. But... It won't last. I'm not willing to give up washing my hair every couple days. I'm not willing to have my scalp flair up. I'm just not. So... on New Years I prepared to twist my hair as I planned all along and changed my mind. Will I ever twist my hair? probably. But not for anyone else and not for any reason I can easily achieve without. If I grow a lot of new hair between my locs I probably will twist or if I get married and want a fancy do or If I decide I want a change and miss that look then yes. But for regular… just because... no. It just isn’t me right now.
My Year of Freeforming
I've been freeforming for a year and ask myself, do I want to twist my roots. I no longer feel I have to, so the question is more along the lines of... "what would twisting annually give me and is it worth the time expended". Originally, I twisted my locs because I felt I had to in order to look "professional" or "acceptable". Freeforming took me on a journey similar to Cross's Theory of racial Identity and in the process became a loc'd woman instead of a woman with locs.
When I first decided to freeform I diligently styled my locs in ways to minimize the craziness and felt as if I had to have "perfect" locs in order to "prove" freeform locs could be beautiful. But over the past year the styles have lessened and the I let the freeform freak flag fly. In doing so, I've gotten three main reactions. I get a lot of black men trying to sell me pot, black women telling me to twist my hair and white people at work complimenting me. Go figure.
I don't even separate my locs as often as before though I should. Every month or so seems to be the most I could be bothered. I'd rather spend time brushing, washing, flinging and moisturizing them instead. My scalp, while still itchy no long flakes in sheets so I must be doing something right. But now I wonder... if I twist once a year is there any real benefit. It is good to take a deep in depth look at each loc at regular intervals for sure. I need to make sure I'm not popping locs I want to merge and I want to make sure all the loose new hairs have someplace to go. But... It won't last. I'm not willing to give up washing my hair every couple days. I'm not willing to have my scalp flair up. I'm just not. So... on New Years I prepared to twist my hair as I planned all along and changed my mind. Will I ever twist my hair? probably. But not for anyone else and not for any reason I can easily achieve without. If I grow a lot of new hair between my locs I probably will twist or if I get married and want a fancy do or If I decide I want a change and miss that look then yes. But for regular… just because... no. It just isn’t me right now.