Michelle: Hey, Meghan. You know how it’s common for people with straight hair to wish they had curly hair and people with curly hair to wish they had straight hair? You were born with straight hair. What do you think about that?
Meghan: Hi Michelle! Well I’m fortunately able to easily manage and comb my hair, but I sometimes want to try a prettier hairstyle such as curly hair because straight hair can seem basic. Curly hair gives more volume in the hair as well as it makes you stand out a lot more because with straight hair all people see is just flat hair.
Michelle: I never thought of it that way. Being born with curly hair, I always wanted straight hair as it always looked so silky in advertisements. While curly hair is a little less common, I never thought of myself as fortunate to have unique hair, wanting to fit in with the norm. I straightened my hair about a year ago, and was really happy. I totally agree that it’s much easier to tame. I used to have to wrangle my hair into a ponytail, but now it happens in two seconds.
Meghan: I agree with your point, I think straight hair is easier to put up, but curly hair can be styled in ways that might not look as great with straight hair.
Michelle: Yes, there are certain hairstyles specific for straight or curly hair. I remember lots of straight-specific hairstyles trending, like the wolf cut, a few years back. They looked so pretty and made me think of people with straight hair as lucky to have more options. That part of the internet showed me all the things I couldn’t have, feeding into my belief that straight hair was superior.
Meghan: But the wolf cut highlights layers which you can do on both curly or straight hair. If cut wrong, curly hair hides the mistake better than straight hair. The same goes for when hair gets greasy. The extra oil is very apparent in straight hair, but curly hair seems to retain the oils better; if anything, ends up looking nicer.
Michelle: I feel like there’s a common phenomenon that doesn’t just translate to hair. It leads into the theme of beauty. We’ve gotten a lot better in the past few years, but beauty is still a big part in how we are perceived. I saw straight hair as the standard for beauty, coming from an Asian household where everyone had straight hair. I never saw the beauty in my curls until I lost them.
Meghan: I see your point, for me I always wanted to try new hairstyles but mainly making my hair curly because I liked how it looked and felt but it wasn’t what I was born with and who I am.
Michelle: I think hair is such a big part of the beauty standard nowadays. When I look at someone that I find conventionally attractive, it’s usually because they have really really nice hair.
Meghan: Your point is very relatable for me. I enjoy looking at silky and curly hair. There are different types of curly hair: wavy, loose curls, and tight curls, which are my favorite. Perms are also trending now and look amazing on both girls and boys.
Michelle: I know teen boys who have splurged money to get their hair permed and styled. The fact that people spend so much time, effort and money on hair just solidifies the major role it has to play in appearances. Not only do we want to look good for others but also for ourselves. I relate this a bit to dressing up. I seldom do, but on the rare occasion I do, I get giddy looking in the mirror and appreciating the outfit I’ve put together. I wasn’t thinking about how people at school would admire it, but more how I felt wearing such cute clothes. Each one of us has to find an equilibrium for our appearances. While going through my own hair journey, I discovered that I feel most “Michelle” with curly hair. I believe that each person has their own authentic self. Hair is just another way to bring the you inside to the outside for others to see.
Meghan: I agree that hair shouldn’t define who you are, I think curly hair is a beautiful hair type and hairstyle, but I think straight hair suits me more.
Michelle: Yeah, but just because we fit well with our birth hair types doesn’t mean that everyone will. Again, I think everyone just needs to find their own style.
