Basic Afro-American Hair Styles

There are a variety of classic hairstyles that African-American women commonly wear. Generally begotten from a mixture of manageability and fashion, here is a short list describing a few variations on these basic styles.

First of all, it’s important to know if the hair is relaxed or natural. Relaxed hair has been straightened with chemicals while natural hair is just that, natural. With that in mind, we go to a style of hair that can be worn by both relaxed and natural hair, and just about anything in between—the bob. Essentially a short, straight across cut that hangs somewhere between the ears and shoulders, it can be worn with a middle part, side part, or no part at all. It is versatile enough to temporarily curl or straighten to try out different looks. The bob can be done up or left to hang and it still performs. It looks good on most face shapes, and can be customized to the individual for personalized style.

The “Halle Berry” look of short, usually relaxed hair is still very common. Halle Berry was the actress who brought this style to the fore front, with its tapered sides and back that gradually get longer as they reach the crown. The longest hair on the crown can be anywhere from one to four inches, which gives this simple cut a variable look as it grows out. You can slick it back or curl it up and get two completely different styles.

With long hair there are just as many options, if not more. Like with all long hair, it can be worn down or tied up. There is always the classic ponytail that works with every type of long hair. For those ladies who leave their hair natural you can break out of the typical braids and opt for the new two-strand twist style that works in hair and extensions.

The two-strand twist is essentially two hair strands twisted around each other, a sort of braid with only two strands. The results tend to look fuller than braids. This isn’t only for long hair; like braids, twists can be done in hair as short as two inches.

Braids are both stylish and, with extensions, relieve the wearer of having to style her hair. Because of this they will always remain popular. Individual braids are more versatile because they hang from their own sections on the scalp and aren’t oriented a specific direction like cornrows. Incredibly versatile, they can be put back, worn loose, braided or twisted together. Cornrows are braids with the top portion French braided to the scalp. They can be braided straight or in various designs, part way down the scalp or all the way to the nap of the neck. They are incredibly versatile as far as style but cannot be changed much on a daily basis.

Afros are a classic, natural style worn by African-American women. The look is nothing more than unstraightened hair let loose around the head. The afro can be from a half an inch to what ever length you can rock. You can also explore different combinations with the afro. Weaving cornrows from the forehead to the crown and letting the afro take over from there is a common design.

The last classic African-American hairstyle we will go over is the flat twist. Usually done with relaxed hair, flat twists are made by taking parallel sections of the hair from front to back and twisting each one under itself. You can change the look by securing the twists either at the back of the crown or at the nape of the neck.

Whatever style you prefer to wear, be sure to use your imagination and follow your natural tastes so you can really get the look that suits you the best.