Halo Code

My hair is styled in goddess faux "locs", and what distinguishes them from the standard “loc” hairstyles are the curly strands weaved loosely around the more tightly wound straight locs. I am a busy woman, so my hairstyle choices are less about cultural heritage and, quite frankly, more about ease. For example, this style looks high maintenance, but in reality, it is a breeze to install and maintain. Like my hairstyle, I am also multi-dimensional; like the straight locs, I can be wound tight, but like my curls, I am curvy and always ready to add some bounce to life!

Covid lockdowns left me with very little choice but to let nature take control! From years of comb tugging as a child to days lost in hair salons testing various straightening processes to 'tame the mane', imitating the photos in EBONY magazine, I surrendered to the Rapunzel look which, for the first time in years, feels very liberating as my hair has regained its natural identity. Now, having renewed my friendship with my 'Halo', we face good (styled)/bad (head wrap!) days together opting for plaited styles in the colder months and becoming 'follicle-confident' knowing that natural expression is possible with leave-in conditioner.

I attended a racially-diverse school in South-East London. It was normal to fashion hair in various styles; plaits and natural curls, "cornrows", blow-out afros etc. Decorative bobble hairbands and a cheeky grin in my school photo made me feel like a kid on a 'Dark & Lovely' moisturiser bottle. Later, I moved to Kent and became the only one with afro-curly hair. Feeling alienated by Eurocentric beauty standards for hair: straight…and blonde and policies prohibiting 'aggressive', 'big' hairstyles my confidence crumbled. I struggled to wear my natural hair down for years. Thankfully, today I wear my crown boldly.

My earliest memory of braids reminds me of long holidays in Ghana to visit family during the summer break from school. Towards the end of my stay, I would always take a trip to the nearest salon with my mum and sister to get our hair done. This was a fun experience as although I spent nearly 5-6 hours at the hairdressers, I would have the most interesting conversations with those braiding my hair. Topics ranged from general life advice, lived experiences in the capital city Accra and me sharing what its like to live in London. I would not only leave the salon with a new hairstyle, but knowledge passed down from many generations which made me reflect on my life and understand people better. Braids not only remind me of how strong community can be with the power of storytelling but the importance of engaging in discussions with different people, sharing your experiences and keeping cultural ties to Ghana.

My hairstyle is a wig which is a covering comprised of human hair that I wear over my natural hair. Wigs can come in all forms of hair textures, curl patterns and colours and are a convenient form of protective hairstyling which keep my natural hair healthy. They allow for versatility without manipulating my natural hair which is susceptible to breakage and daily wear and tear. I can prevent damage that can result from harsh wind, cold, and more. Wigs provide a creative opportunity for me to express myself freely through various hairstyles and colours, whilst allowing my natural hair to grow and flourish.

For as long as I can remember my parents have taught me to love my hair. Through all the negative stereotypes that push the assumptions that afro's, locs and cornrows are 'unprofessional' my hair perseveres, in all its colours, beads and fluffiness and fullness, it perseveres. I am of Ghanaian and Cameroonian heritage, and I will wear my hair proud to represent that inside and outside of the corporate landscape.

As long as I could remember it was drummed into me that straighter hair was more acceptable than my natural hair, as a child it was the hot comb, in my adult years it was relaxer. Unless my hair was straightened, I did not feel attractive. I read a quote that said "your hair does not make who you are, it enhances who you are" this stuck with me and 3 years ago I cut the relaxer out and went natural and haven't looked back. I have learnt to embrace the hair I was born with, this is me!!

Braids have a very long history – they have been traced back as early as 3500 BCE and are considered to have started with the Himba people of Namibia. Braids, to me, are a protective hair style I wear often and forms a huge part of my identity. They can be worn long or short and styled in multiple ways. In this portrait, I am wearing long knotless braids, styled in a bun updo (also known as a "donut" style in Nigeria). I enjoy wearing braids as they are low-maintenance and keep my head warm, especially during the cold winter months.

For as long as I can remember I have loved experimenting with my hair and trying out new hairstyles. It's freeing and brings out my creativity thinking about what to try next. But it hasn’t always been this way. As a young girl I had to develop a relationship with my hair and understand it (the texture and care it needs) because I didn’t see much representation in the media. Now my hairstyles are an expression and a part of who I am. This specific one (ponytail) makes me feel confident and empowered, and in a few weeks I'll probably have braids which makes me feel youthful and spontaneous.