Surviving the Awkward Length
- Nike Anderson
- Nov 14, 2015
- 2 min read
I was very excited when my natural hair started to flourish. Once I’d learned which regimen, products, and hairstyles worked best for my hair, I pretty much declared myself an expert when it came to the health of my own hair. But then there was that stage. The phase when the length of my hair was not quite short anymore, but didn’t qualify for being considered “long” either. I called this the awkward stage because the styles that once looked so cute when my hair was shorter, now looked, well…awkward with the new length. And to make matters worse, I couldn’t figure out which hairstyles suited the new length of my hair. For me, this awkward length was between the collar bone and the armpit.
Thankfully, after many trials and much frustration, I discovered my signature hairstyle—the bang-heavy updo. This hairstyle requires all of the hair to be pulled to the very top of the head so that the tendrils can frame the face. I recommend using hairpins rather than a hairband (typically used to achieve puffs) to achieve this look for three reasons:
You have more control over how the hair falls and frames your face.
If you suffer from alopecia in any way, you have more control over how tight the style will be.
Hairpins are gentler on the hair, as most hairbands are made with cotton fabric which sucks the moisture out of the hair and can cause the strands to split and break off.
The best thing about this hairstyle is that it literally takes less than ten minutes to achieve and it works great with both new and old twistout/braidout styles. I also like the fact that the style is adaptable, so the longer my hair gets it still works for me. Here are three other reasons why this hairstyle is a winner:
It keeps you cool during the summer, as the hair is off your neck and out of the way.
It protects the ends of your hair from harsh coat and sweater fabrics during the winter.
It is workout friendly, as puffy roots can be easily disguised.
So there you have it. This is how I survived my “awkward length” stage without resorting to wigs and weaves. And while a cute lacefront will also do the trick, working with my natural hair not only gave me the push I needed to keep up with my healthy hair regimen, but also to help me learn how to better work with my kinky curly hair.
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