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The New Normal in Hair Industry
Time happens to everything. But when it comes to fashion, it happens so fast that what was fashionable yesterday may not be fashionable today.
I have observed that beauty though a thing of luxury suffers from the ever-changing time and trends. Hairstyles too being a beacon of beauty with varieties suffers this constancy of change.
Usually, there’s nothing in time that is entirely new to that time, especially in our time. But everything that is in time is unique to that time. It is the uniqueness added by each age that speaks volumes of the spirit of that age. Braids are common in our age but they did not start with us. Braiding dates back over 30,000 years ago.
In the Ancient days before civilization, hair was a symbol of a person’s background, marital status, tribe, and even fertility. Today we’ll be seeing the origin of braids. By the origin of braids, we mean where braids came from. The evolution of braids and where we currently are in the world of braids.
Where did braids start from?
Africa: Braids originally came from Africa. The history of braids dates back all the way to 3500 BC. Africans have been braiding their hair for centuries. In different parts of Africa, unique braided hairstyles were made to identify the different tribes. Literally, all women, children, and most men braid their hair too.
What Are Some African Hairstyles?
Ghana Braid (Cornrows)
Africa has been in the game of braids since 3500 BC. The hairstyle of African braids is popularly known as Cornrows and it is a form of hair plaiting/weaving done to lay flat on the scalp. The African braids (cornrows) are believed to have originated in Egypt around the Nile Valley, from where they spread to other parts of Africa, including among the Fulani, Hausa, Bantu, Maasai, and Yoruba.
Cornrows in Africa have been dated as far back as 3000BC. It was and remained a very popular hairstyle throughout Africa, specifically in West Africa.
Images of women with cornrows have been found in stone age paintings. There are also Native American paintings that show cornrows as a popular hairstyle.
African Threading
As with braids, threading hairstyles were used to depict socio-cultural affluence, as some of the styles are made to resemble crowns or skyscrapers. This hairstyle involves the use of cotton, rubber, silk, or wool threads to completely cover sectioned hair from root to tip.
Egypt
The Egyptians also popularly known as the Northern Africans brought about the development of a braided hairstyle that their people wore. This hairstyle has evolved over centuries and is what we have as the Box braids.
Box braids
This hairstyle as we know it today may be dated back to ancient Egypt at least 3,000 years ago. The braided style was a hairstyle the Egyptian ladies made with the use of extensions to hide greying hair while also making their hair look longer.
During that ancient time, hair was sometimes weaved with extensions and was decorated with jewels, beads, or cowrie shells.
Braided Wigs: The New Normal
The braided wig is the new normal in the hair industry and has stood against the odds of the constant change in history. In other words, braided wigs have only evolved in styles and don’t seem it is going to phase out anytime soon.
A good hair day these days starts with a braided wig and ends with another braided wig. The reason is that we women no longer have the luxury of time to sit stuck in a hair salon shop for a hairdo to suffer tucking by two or more hairstylists while our business suffers from our absence.
We have learned not to braid our natural hair and suffer or endure the accompanying pain but to flirt with differing styles of light and natural-looking braided wigs ordered from vendors online unlike that of our grandparents that were heavy and ugly.
Braids have always and will continue to be in existence. It started with elders braiding their children and these children watching and learning from them.
Styles have changed but braiding patterns have remained the same. Women of all ages are still in the art of braiding hair. The art of braiding has evolved and it just keeps getting better, making it possible for women to have braided wigs and maintain that beauty.
Braided wigs are easy and a pleasant way to forget about hair styling for months, give your hair some rest and protect it from harsh environmental factors. Besides, with the awesome hairstyles in our current era, you will attract attention, admiration, and beautiful smiles.
Braided hairstyles make space for creativity. There are many interesting braiding techniques to make every head unique. You can also experiment with highlights, natural or curly texture, clips, patterns, and shapes. Want to get a view of some Braided wig hairstyles? Check here.
