“Natural hair is just so much more interesting, so much more fierce, and requires so much more confidence! It’s a definite challenge, but that’s why I love it so much.” ~Krystal
Where are you from and what do you do?
K: I’m a Jamaican born in Brooklyn, New York, and I grew up in South Florida. I just graduated in May from the University of Florida with my Master of Public Health.
So, a lot of naturals don’t like styling. Why do you like to style?
K: I love all aspects of style and fashion. I think natural hair can really set off an outfit and make it extraordinary. Plus natural hair is soooooo BEAUTIFUL! Why waste all that beauty in a ponytail puff day in and day out! I couldn’t live my life like that—I need variety! And I’m sure it may sound cliche, but styling my hair really does give me the chance to express myself!
How would you describe your blog?
K: The Feisty House (thefeistyhouse.blogspot.com) is a place where women with natural curls, kinks, and waves can experiment with fashion and style. I co-blog with my friend J (yes, another J!), and we wanted to have a blog that wasn’t dedicated only to hair or only to fashion. Instead we paired them together–natural hair is definitely the icing atop the cake of style, so we thought it was important we addressed both hair and fashion on our blog.
You’ve been natural all your life. Was that deliberate?
K: NOPE! LOL…I literally begged my parents for a relaxer all through middle school. My father never allowed it (he’s a strict, old-school Jamaican man; I’m sure some of you understand what I’m talking about). All of my friends at that age had relaxers, and I wanted to do styles they did: slick ponytails, waterfalls, and especially wearing my hair down. It was really frustrating for me because I didn’t feel my hair ever looked as nice as everyone else’s.
It wasn’t until I got to high school that I became completely comfortable with my hair: we had a “Wacky Tacky Day,” and my dad blew my hair out into a HUGE FRO! The response from my classmates was RIDICULOUS! EVERYONE LOVED MY HAIR!!!! I realized at that moment just how special my hair was–it was special because it was different, it was mine! I had never experienced those feelings before, and from that day on, I vowed never to relax my hair. I thank my father all the time for not allowing me to get a perm :o)
What advice do you have for naturals who want to give styling a shot and are just starting out?
K: Practice, practice, PRACTICE! Practice makes perfect! You won’t get every style right the first time (although there are instances where you may get lucky :o) Also, just remember that your hair will very rarely come out the same way you saw it on someone else, so don’t get discouraged by that! Every natural is different, and my braid out may not come out like yours even if we use the same products and do it the same way. You also have to let go of your fears of looking “a mess.” LOL, some of the best natural styles are wild and free, so don’t be afraid!
Finally, why are you pro-natural?
K: Natural hair is just so much more interesting, so much more fierce, and requires so much more confidence! It’s a definite challenge, but that’s why I love it so much. I love standing out and being different, and I can do that every day I wake up without any effort!
Look out for some of Krystal’s tutorials on BGLH in the near future… In the meantime check out her blog http://thefeistyhouse.blogspot.com/
