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Cornrows

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Written by Marquetta Breslin

Friday, 25 April 2008

by MarquettaBreslin

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.

Cornrows became a part of our popular culture in the early 1970s during the ''Black Power Movement.'' Millions of African American men, women, and children started rejoicing and celebrating their natural hair. This sparked the return of popular, ''natural styles'' such as the afro. Because of their minimal maintenance regime and intricate designs, many people prefer cornrows.

Also, during pre-slavery times, design cornrows often represented several different factors of a person's life such as religion, kinship, status, age, ethnicity, and other attributes of identity.

Here are some other interesting facts:

1. Before the ''Black Power Movement,'' women feared being seen in public with unstraightened hair. Some people believe that Cicely Tyson, who stared in the East Side/West Side television show in the 1960s, sparked the end of the unstraightened hair trend when she appeared onscreen wearing cornrows.

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. Some people consider cornrows ''unprofessional'' for the work environment and have disputed the style in the workplace for several years. Some employers have banned them altogether.

4. There are several different designs for cornrows, but the most popular is the ''straight back'' design. This consists of braids laying flat in a back to front direction. However, the design can literally be manipulated thousands of different ways, resulting in many different styles. Very intricate styles like the zig-zag can take up to 13 hours to finish.

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.

With such fascinating origins, it's no wonder that so many people have fallen in love with cornrows over the years. For men, women, and children alike, cornrows have stood the test of time, and they have become a stylish icon for African Americans.

About the Author:

Marquetta Breslin, owner of Braids By Breslin, is a licensed hair braider and has been braiding hair for over 12 years. For more information about cornrows, please visit Marquetta's website.

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