Grounded Narratives

2013: Afro I have been natural for about 4 years now. My decision to go natural was mostly because I wanted to reduce the amount of money I spent doing my hair. The other reason for my decision was to get my hair healthy again since putting chemicals on it had made my hair dull and limp. I don't regret going natural. If I could go back in time I would do it all over again. However, there are a few things that I think would have made me approach my going natural differently. 2017: High puff Below are 3 things that I wish I knew before I went natural. 1. It's important to know your hair texture. I have a friend who has hair that curls naturally while mine just doesn't. No matter what I do to my hair, it never looks like hers. So I have had to learn how to style my different textured hair so that it looks good and intentional. Otherwise it mostly looks like a hot mess. 2. Shrinkage My hair shrinks A LOT! I hadn't noticed this too much before but now tha...

As with my personal style as pertains my preferred mode of dressing, I have come to prefer certain protective hairstyles, which I tend to rotate year in year out. While there have been countless options made available these days, I find myself always turning to these hairstyles mostly because of their affordability and also because of the various options available as regards styling. 1. Human Hair Weave This was the first weave that I ever willingly agreed to put on my head. I have always had a fear of weaves. I always imagine I will feel terribly hot under the Nairobi sun or that as it ages it will end up looking like a bird's nest. I can also never convince myself that it will not start smelling after a week or two. But with human hair weaves, I can go for a wash whenever I feel like it and I don't have to worry about the bird's nest because the weave is very easy to manage. I didn't buy this particular weave, it was gifted to me. It's Indian Remy Hair...

When it comes to hair care, nothing is more important to me than maintaining a full, healthy hairline. One of the factors I consider whenever I style my hair or put on a protective hairstyle is its impact on my hairline. I won't just let anyone plait me and when it comes to styling, I try not to pull the hair too tight. Quick Fix For A Damaged Hairline My simplest trick for repairing a damaged hairline is to leave the hair unplaited for some time. That is, avoid plaits of any sort even protective hairstyles. In other words no braids, cornrows, weaves, etc. I usually do this for at least a month. In this period of time, I try to up my hair care regimen by first and foremost keeping my body healthy (eating healthy and drinking plenty of water) and keeping my hair moisturized constantly (a task I need to perfect). The next step is to ensure that your newly repaired hairline stays that way even when you decide to plait your hair. What I do is I pay close attention when ...

I have always feared being in a work situation that restricts me in the wardrobe department. Being limited to wearing only suits or clothes of a certain style, say skirts and dresses only, feels like it could be the worst form of torture. But, there is no escaping wardrobe rules. I think that no matter who you work for, be they in the creative industry or a bank, you will be subjected to some wardrobe scrutiny. You might be told you can wear anything, but we all know that there are some things that if you put on to go to work, you can be given a nudge, be it big or small, in a more appreciated direction. After a lot of thought and observation of the working masses, I thought I would revive the 'How To' posts by beginning with this interesting but sometimes difficult topic. So how do you add personality to your office wardrobe? 1. Colour This can come in the form of a single piece or an entire outfit. If you can opt for suits in a variety of colours not j...

I have mentioned here on the blog how I love the challenge of coming up with new and exciting hairstyles. I am a self-diagnosed Pinterest addict and can you believe in spite of spending so much time pinning away, as I gather ideas, I have never created a board dedicated solely to hairstyles, until recently. You can take a look at my board here , and see some of the other hairstyles that I have been eyeing. This is my most recent find. I wanted something that would get finished quickly, wouldn't take an eternity to undo and would be a good protective style. So I opted for Ghanaian lines which I could tie into a high bun a la Janelle Monae. They are basically lines that go to the centre of my head and a few braids (rastas) at the front. I used three and a half packets of Abuja long, number one. I wanted another colour but I couldn't find any in my hurry. Anyway, there's always next time. Since I LOVE turbans, you can imagine my excitement at being able to ke...

This is the simplest hairstyle I have tried in a long time. All you need is a couple of pins. I like it a lot because it's a mohawk that doesn't call for a hair cut. Like any hairstyle that holds all the hair up, I like to pair it either with a statement necklace or some big earrings. Faux Mohawk Tutorial 1. Comb all the hair upwards. 2. With the side lying as flat as possible, place a row of pins on one the right side of your head. Pin all the way round to ensure the loose hair should come at the crown of your head. Do try this out and let me know how you like it. Thank you for stopping by.

I've gotten a bit lazy with my hair styling challenge. It has been a whole month since I last plaited my hair and I am kinda tired of having it this way. I hope to get it done this week. But in the meantime, here are 6 other hairstyles from my hair styling challenge. Remember these hair styles are not only for those with natural hair. You can also try them out if you have permed hair. This is my way of showing those with natural hair that you can go beyond the afro and bantu knots and actually style that kinky hair! P.S. For all of you who have asked, I am working on tutorials starting next month. Which is your favorite? Day 13 Day 14 Day 15 Day 16 Day 17 Day 18 Day 19 Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Hire Me | Shop

As announced earlier, I have embarked upon a hair styling challenge which I am documenting on Facebook and Instagram (@inches2style). I have challenged myself to look for and redo hairstyles for natural hair. I have been looking for inspiration on Pinterest and have found quite a good number of hairstyles for kinky African hair that are quite easy to redo. I try to give the hairstyles my own spin so that I use my creativity a little instead of just copy-pasting something that has already been done. Most of the hairstyles I have tried were quite simple and can be put together in under 5 minutes (when you have someone watching you impatiently, Elly, you try and work fast and look for shortcuts). All I used were plenty of hair pins and when it called for I used a hairband. I hope you enjoy the pics and try out some of these hairstyles yourselves. P.S. Sorry I couldn't find the photos for day 2 so I'll redo the hairstyle and post it later. Which is your favorite ...

 The moment I convinced myself that I could wear a piece of cloth on my head and not look like a mama (older woman), I was in heaven. Thanks to stylish people like June Ambrose and our very own Nancie Mwai, I have learnt how to tie this piece of cloth in a fun, youthful way and even have a Pinterest board with ideas on how to tie turbans (as well as more inspiration on natural hair). I turn to turbans when I need to cover up bad hair days like when my braids need undoing or my natural hair is uncombed because it is driving me mad. Since becoming a mum, I have turned to turbans more and more because I now have less time to get ready and to make time to go to the salon and get my hair done. But I am changing this. I am trying to include turbans in my day to day style and hope to  feature them more here on the blog. I have been using my scarves to make turbans since I don't get to wear them as often as I used to. I like that I am able to stretch their usability and...