Why Weave?

Low self-esteem, white wannabe, ugly without it. These are all accusations thrown at weave wearing women and though the topic has been analysed, dissected and is eternally coughed up again for good measure, more often than not, why a woman who wears weaves wears weaves is best articulated by a woman who wears weaves.

Like any other woman, I love to experiment with different hairstyles, colour, length and textures. I like how weaves add that flexibility and boosts your self-esteem. It doesn’t necessarily mean I lack confidence, I prefer to wear a weave for protection and to allow my natural hair to grow at a much more rapid pace. You can’t ‘use’ up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.

I love wearing my weave because it’s just practical for me. If you sweat like I do having my own African hair, it’s terrible. The minute I go from the salon, my hair looks a mess because I’m sweating from my roots. I don’t want to relax my hair thus I’d rather treat it and weave it.

I have received many comments from especially black guys thinking a woman wearing a weave wants to be white. I don’t feel like that. I feel a weave is just like putting on make-up. You just enhance what you already have, making you stand out. The weave does not make me beautiful, it just brings the beauty forth that was already there.

A weave is easy, practical and you can do so much in a short period of time, especially in my line of work. I love my weave and there ain’t no way I would feel intimidated by people who feel the weave makes me. Certain people buy expensive handbags and clothes, expensive cars and jewellery. I invest in a good weave to complement me. It’s each person’s democratic right to get false lashes, weave their hair, wear a wig, anything to make your life easier. If you look in the mirror and you are satisfied with the end result, that’s all that counts. As long as I pay for my weave, I can rock it.

This photo is of me in my natural state. I’m not embarrassed of my natural hair at all, in fact, I know that I look much better with my natural hair. I honestly don’t have the patience to deal with the admin of sleeping with rollers and Bantu knots, etc. My weave is a protective style for my natural hair and it’s because of my weave that I’m able to grow my hair. I love heat styling, one day wet, one day straight, one day wavy, another month curly and weaves are so versatile! I’m a weave girl for life even if my natural hair sits in my ass crack while on the potty!

I love wearing weaves because they give me the most choice when I want to be rebellious or glamorous. Not that my natural hair can’t but I cherish my own painstakingly-grown strands way too much to cut and colour on a whim.

I have had weaves in many conceivable ways which is testament to how dope they are. They are also a sign of just how versatile black women can be. I’ve had lots of colours, lots of lengths and lots of curl patterns and weaves have helped me match my mood. For example, when I was feeling fierce and in the mood for something bold and glam, I had a 24-inch platinum ombre weave last winter. A month later it was grey and a bob. When you have a great stylist (Hazel Creations), it makes looking like a slayer all the more easy.

I wear weaves depending on the hairstyle I want to wear because there are some hairstyles I’m unable to do with my own hair. I feel weaves are so much easier to maintain than my natural hair and I live a busy life. To me, weaves are an alternative just like braids, twists, cornrows, etc. So whether I’m rocking weaves, braids or my natural hair, I’m rocking me.

– martha@namibian.com.na; @marth__vader on Twitter

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