Favorite Thing Thursday: Why My Curls are a Reflection of My Soul

Last week, a good guy friend of mine insinuated that he preferred my hair straight, rather than curly. He further added that overall, guys respond better to me when I straighten my hair.

Although he meant well, this got my blood boiling a little.

Firstly, why should I straighten my hair simply based on someone else's perception of me? Furthermore, did he really use 'impressing guys' as a foundation for his argument? Really?

Adding onto those two points, my anger stemmed from somewhere even deeper than that. In high school, I used to straighten my hair everyday. It became a ritual out of obedience to a society that told me straight hair was in. My Seventeen Magazine would come in the mail, and religiously, I would read it front to back, soaking in all the make-up, hair and exercise tips.

Somewhere along the line (probably in college), I realized that trying to obtain perfection was not only exhausting, but insatiable. Reaching that epiphany allowed my personality to bloom in a way it never could before. It also got me thinking, "What if I air-dryed my hair?" It's funny, I had never thought to do so before.

The first day I wore my hair curly, I felt free. My curly hair is one of my favorite features. Despite it's unruliness, it's a reflection of me, a unique identifier of Ashley.

I don't mean for this to sound like a complete feminist manifesto; however, there is something so very satisfying about accepting a part of yourself in its natural state. This rings even truer if you're a woman, because we're always being told that we have to change ourselves. Whether it's to impress or to compete, there are a plethora of reasons why women are convinced to strive for "more."

Of course, I still like make-up and fashion. And occasionally, yes, I do straighten my hair. To say that I don't care at all about what others think would be a lie. However, the trick is learning that it's all in my hands, and no one else's. If I feel like wearing a cute dress one day, I will. Adversely, if I feel like venturing out in sweatpants and without an ounce of make-up on, I will. It's my choice.

I choose my hairstyle, I choose my life, I choose my destiny.