Why Did I Get More Hair Compliments When I Didn’t Wear My Fro?!

I don’t know a woman who doesn’t enjoy getting compliments. It undeniably feels good. So why did going to work and getting a ton of compliments on my hair make me feel some time a way?

I typically wear my hair in some form of a twist out or braid out just about every day. It is my signature style. I love my curly fro and how I’ve come to embrace every part of it.

Earlier this week, I woke up and my curls just weren’t acting right so I decided to quickly brush it out and do a simple crown twist style. Not my favorite but it’s typically the style I go to when I’m having a bad hair day.

As soon as I got to work I started getting soo many compliments. Like the numbers were exponential, and after the first 10 or so I started feeling uncomfortable. One, it was way too much attention, and two, what’s so great about me wearing my hair in basic twists?

I immediately started feeling self conscious and asked myself repeatedly, are they complimenting me because they don’t like my usual fro? I can count on one hand the times I’ve gotten compliments from my fro and they have been from my other natural sistas in the lab. We are definitely a minority. Why today am I getting all of these compliments, predominately from my caucasian colleagues, about my style?

I decided to wear my crown twists for the remainder of the week, but it wasn’t until Friday that I finally realized what the big deal was.

I ALWAYS wear my curly fro. Side part; curls. Every day.

I think I’ve worn my crown twists twice the entire time I’ve been at the company.

I wasn’t getting compliments because they hated my fro, I was getting compliments because of the style change. Something different! While I was looking at it being a simple basic style to get me through a bad hair day, they instead saw it as something new and innovative.

Being natural has given me a confidence that is indescribable, and this little instance this week served as a gentle reminder that I need to switch up my style and step out of my comfort zone a little more because people will love it!