4 Tips You Can Use To Help You Get Comfortable With Awkward Length Hair

Oooh the awkward length! Many naturalistas know about this and have gone through this stage with much apprehension. The awkward length is the point where your hair is not long enough to put in a bun, but not exactly a TWA for those cute styles you used to do a few weeks after your big chop.

Your hair is too short to be shoulder-length, but too long to be ear-length. Your hair has finally grown from being a TWA, but your go-to styles are just not working anymore. Oh yes, the awkward length is…dare I say a dreadful stage?

Wow, that sounds really dark and depressing so let me lighten this up a bit for you. The awkward length is also known as the “in-between” stage. You hair is just long enough to be stretched to your chin or even your neck.

You know you are in the awkward length stage when your go-to styles do not look quite as good anymore, and you have 50 bobby pins* overlapping in your hair.

I believe the ‘awkward length’ can be a tough stage for many ladies. Even though our goal is to grow our hair out in a healthy way we may have less patience especially at the times when we are less comfortable with how our styles look.

Nikki of CurlyNikki, wrote in her book “Better Than Good Hair” that the awkward length stage is also called the “Terrible Twos.” There are all kinds of crying and tantrums going on when doing your hair.

You just found out that your hair grows upward and not downward. You try every product you can to either “tame” or “wildly grow” your hair to end this stage. Basically, your hair is in purgatory…just stuck. You just find that you are simply at a loss when caring for your hair.

Let me just say that all is not lost. I know that is easier said than done, but you can definitely care for and fiercely style your hair at the awkward length. Here are 4 tips to help you overcome and be comfortable with your hair while at this stage:

1. Find motivation

You aren’t getting motivation from staring at your hair in the bathroom mirror looking sad and depressed. Go on YouTube and find others who are in the awkward length stage and are overcoming it to give you that ‘umph.’ Write goals and regimens to try for your specific kind of hair.

Additionally you can start a Pinterest board and add different pictures of women with awkward length hair who give you happiness and life.

Find that motivation and good feeling that makes you want to do your hair. Once you find yourself bopping your head up and down to no music at all like, “I got this,” then get yourself ready for caring for your own awkward length

2. Practice different styles for your hair length

You don’t always have to get braids and weaves* to get through the awkward length stage. Try a twist out or a perm rod set to give you that funky, curly look.

Rock the flat twist halo or the tuck and roll for the sophisticated, working girl look.

Go for the wash n go to just let your hair be free with no kinds of restrictions on her. You can stretch your hair by banding, braiding, or threading, if you have great shrinkage. Just be creative with your styling.

3. Use hair accessories

When you get your style in check, adorn your hair with cute accessories. Use clips, headbands*, and flowers to jazz your look up. Purchase some turbans and scarves just in case you have a bad hair day, but still come out looking fly with your hair wrapped up.

Become more artistic when doing your afro puff with cute stretchy headbands*. Don’t forget the bobby pins*! They are an awkward length girl’s best friend and you can never have too many.

4. Keep a hair diary

Write down the styles that worked for you and the ones that didn’t. Create a list of styles to try and how you felt in the ones that you’ve already tried.

You will find yourself coming back to your hair diary more and more. Do this on YouTube, in your notebook, on your phone, or with a picture collage.

Keep this diary always, as you will find yourself referring to it more often to the point that you become your own motivation. Then when you get to year 4 or 5 of your healthy hair journey, you can look back and see just how far you’ve come.

Remember that the awkward length stage does not have to be the death sentence for your hair. Yes, you want to grow your hair long, but enjoy where your hair is at now.

Experiment and have fun with your hair. It takes patience to figure out what works for you and your hair so don’t stress, follow these tips and you will be just fine.