Choosing Healthy Hair over European Style

This picture was taken July 2011. This is the European, exotic style that the average man on a day to day basis have grown accustomed.
This picture was also taken July 2011. (It is an article update.) So I finally reached my six months without using a flat iron and was comfortable cutting the "stringy, heat damaged" ends off, and I have had quite a few men ask me so "what are you doing with your hair?" So my response is "riding out this heatwave." Their response is that you have a great smile; you can pull off the "motherland" look. It took me about a week to get a regimen down that works for me. Please see my article on "Day 2 is a charm" to learn more.

So of course, I have been struggling with conforming with what is more easily acceptable or choosing a low maintenance look that yells "culture."

By wearing my hair in a more natural looking state, I don't have any extra weight from hair extensions stressing out my scalp. I don't have to worry about it frizzing from humidity. I don't have to worry about sweating out my curls. I don't have to worry about a rainy day. I don't have to worry about the wind blowing it out of place. It can just grow, grow, grow.

Or I can choose to style it in the more socially acceptable way . . .

If I had a million dollar photo shoot, then I do prefer the European look. If had a million dollar presentation to give, then I do prefer the European look.

However, for day to day operations, I am going with a healthy low key routine until I grow it long again. I will continue to texturize as needed and then eventually fully relax it.

So I am choosing health over style for now. In the long run, healthy hair always has style. Patience is a virtue. Within another year, I will have an extra six inches to play with. I am looking forward to the future!