The afro is a natural hairstyle popularized in the 1960s and 1970s by black men and women rejecting the need to look “white.” It is achieved by tightly braiding and tousling curly hair, creating a matted effect. Longer hair requires more curl to achieve the look. The afro has seen a resurgence in fashion trends, but it is sure to come back again as fashion recreates various eras.
An afro is a hairstyle that is often easier to achieve in people of African descent. It’s a natural way to style your hair that allows tight, short curls to surround your head like a cloud of hair. An afro can be relatively small or very large depending on the length of the hair. The look was a reactionary response in the 1960s and 1970s for black women and men who rejected the need to look “white” and apply hair straighteners to achieve Caucasian hair.
Anyone with tightly curled hair will be able to get a better afro than someone with straight hair. Some people can get curly enough with a perm to achieve the style.
After the hair is tightly braided, it is tousled using a special wide-toothed comb or pick. This takes away some of the curl, causing the hair to stay almost straight out of the head. Overall the effect means hair is matted all over. Some have likened the afro look to a natural helmet, as there seems to be little space between each hair.
As hair gets longer, it needs to be very curly to achieve the look. Some people have notably sported huge afros by growing their hair quite long. Jimi Hendrix, deceased guitarist, was known for this look. Diana Ross also had an impressive afro during the 1970s.
The Afro has become even more popular with the advent of disco. Like any other fashion style, the look has grown due to the demands of fashion. Then it got ridiculous, with the comedians wearing extremely large suits. Jokes abound about going through doors and getting into cars while sporting an Afro.
Overall, these jokes weren’t a fling with black people or meant to be racially motivated. In fact many of the comedians who poked fun at the style were black. In 2005, fashion returned to the 1970s for inspiration in clothing and hairstyles, and people once again sported a somewhat demure afro. Also, Farrah Fawcett’s hairstyle revisited the fashion world and flared jeans were once again “in”.
Though most people no longer wear the afro, even after the recent fashion trends, it is sure to come back time and time again as fashion recreates the “look” of various eras.
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