Search:

The Timeless Art of Cornrows

Have you ever seen someone with beautiful braids that lay close to their scalp? Oftentimes these braids can be decorated with shells and other types of beads. If you know what I'm talking about, then you have seen "cornrows." Originally from Africa, cornrows are known for their low-maintenance regime, and the style is popular on men and women alike.

During the ''Black Power Movement'' of the early 1970s, cornrows became a staple of our popular culture. This period of time left many women proud to sport their natural hair, for they no longer felt insecure when leaving home without their hair styled. During this time we were also introduced to other African American hairstyles, including the afro. People loved cornrows because of their low-maintenance regime and intricate patterns and styles.

The actual designs in the cornrows have been known to stand for multiple factors of an individual's life such as religion, kinship, status, age, ethnicity, and other attributes of identity.

Here are some other interesting facts:

1. In 1963 most African American women loathed to be seen in public with unstraightened hair. That was the case until actress Cicely Tyson decided to sport her very own set of cornrows on the popular television show East Side /West Side. Some people believe that this act contributed to the end of the ''straightened hair'' trend.

2. With proper care and maintenance, cornrows can look beautiful for about two to four weeks. However, keeping them longer may result in the hair becoming locked or matted.

3. Cornrows have been disputed in the workplace for several years due to their ''unprofessional appearance.'' Some employers have completely prohibited the style while others have simply stressed their disapproval.

4. The ''straight back'' design for cornrows is seen the most, defined as braids laying flat on the scalp in a front to back direction. The versatility of cornrows makes them popular because this basic style can be manipulated into thousands of different designs. Complicated parts, like the zig-zag, means that some styles can take up to 13 hours to complete.

Since everyone has different hair care needs, the maintenance of cornrows varies from person. With this in mind, there are some general tips to remember if you're considering cornrows. First, cornrows can damage your natural hair if they are braided too tightly. Tight braids can literally pull your hair out from the root, so make sure your stylist is educated about cornrows.

You can wash cornrows using a dry shampoo, but make sure not to use regular shampoo. If you wash your cornrows like normal hair, they will unravel before your eyes. You can also use a mild astringent to clean the scalp. For any stray hairs that pop up, just rub a little bit of gel on the cornrow. Before going to bed, make sure you wrap your hair in a silk scarf to keep the style intact while you sleep.

The next time you see someone sporting a set of cornrows, think about the origin of the style. Cornrows are popular on everyone from young children to adult men. You just never know who you'll see sporting cornrows next.

Article Source: http://www.uberarticles.com/articles

Owner of Braids By Breslin, Marquetta Breslin is a licensed hair braider and has been braiding hair for over 12 years. For more tips and tricks about cornrows, please view Marquetta's website. You can get a unique content version of this article.

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License, which means you may freely reprint it, in its entiretly, provided you include the author's resource box along with LIVE links (without "nofollow" tags).

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated