WEAVES vs NATURAL (vote of the wk) 3-3-10

So ladies and gentlemen, my readers from all walks of life.  This topic here has been a great and continuous discussion in the African/African-American community for more than many years.  WEAVES!!!!!!!  I feel as though this is a topic that slightly causes women & *cough* even some men (yes I have been a hairdresser for the past 8 yrs and yes men do wear weaves) to contradict what it is they believe.  I'll start off by saying that a guy once told me he couldn't deal with no "nappy Sh*#!" that his girl needs hair he could run his fingers through.  Now if you are of some African descent, we all know that's far from happening with non relaxed hair.  Then the same guy told me, "Im not with that horse hair either," first I had to set him straight that it definitely is not horse hair but indeed strands made from synthetic micro fiber...and for all the females who think the "human hair" they are buying for $30-$100 a pack is from a ladies hair in India then umm, i dont know what to tell you, that's a bit foolish don't you think?!!?  I mean how many Indians are cutting their hair that there's enough to go around... indeed it's NOT HAIR OFF A HUMAN in fact it is a different form of fiber called human hair so that you can do all the things you would do to your own human hair (curl, straighten, wash, braid etc.)  Anyway back to the brothers who do not want napps or weave.  In short if he is to date a sista he would rather have her dome permed bone straight like that of the Caucasian woman?  Am I right.  Of course I am, I mean too many men don't understand the concept of a black womans natural hair and the beauty it exuberates!  Black Beauty!  Now readers of course, growing up in both London and the United States of A I have fallen slave victim to what "LOOKS GOOD" as most have also done even on the continent of Africa.  I too have worn straight weaves, curly weaves, ponytails, colored weaves, long, short & all that's in between. But you know what the older I got the more I realized that black men found something more exotic in a black woman with flowing locks...well from a distance and at times even up close.  But tugging on those tracks is a NO NO, best believe they will be on the floor!  I too thought that if I walked around with neck length hair it wasn't enough.  And let's keep it real ladies, not many of us have the patience to just sit there, wash & set it every week and just allow it to grow.  We are not white women, we do not produce oil in our hair & so our hair will not grow at the same pace...ever!!!  I can tell you this though, cut off all the relaxer in your hair and see how much faster it grows than if you were to have a relaxer.
Moving on.  Some women like to say "oh, I don't wear weaves to look pretty" or "i just wear weaves because I like them"  I can see the point of view for both.  Weaves are very likable but most especially easier to maintain!  So are we saying we are not willing to put in the work to look presentable before stepping outside? or are we saying "i just look better with hair that's just a tad bit fuller, a tad bit longer, a tad bit finer and maybe even a tad bit lighter"  well, what's your reason for wearing weaves?? Or does it have to do with the many black men today who express the comment "i like a girl with NICE hair-long hair"  Pssh whats nice hair?  Listen if it looks nice to you then its nice ok. As much as many may hate to admit it, weaves are not healthy in any way, but they can act as a substitute.  Do women of color wear weaves so that it appears like they truly do have flowing locks, do they wear them to feel sexy...are they worn as a form of artistic beauty or is it just to impress men?  Don't lie ladies, we have all heard at least two or 3 black men state the obvious, they prefer sleek and...well...hair that hangs lol.  My question is what are we women lacking in our self-confidence that we have come to a point where we are willing to spend hundreds of $$ every month to have a certain "look" why cant we have "our own" look all for FREE...well except the money you pay for shampoo and conditioner.

 So ladies:  WHY DO YOU WEAR WEAVES? - & IF YOU HAD TO BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF, DO YOU THINK YOU LOOK BETTER WITH IT?

To the fellas: WHICH DO YOU PREFER weaves or natural hair? AND KNOWING THAT ALL OF YOU WILL SAY NATURAL HAIR, WHY ARE BLACK MEN THE FIRST TO COMMENT ON THE SHORTNESS OF A BLACK WOMAN'S HAIR OR CONDEMN THE NAPPS TO BEING SO UNFLATTERING & "UN-SEXY?"

               LEAVE UR VOICE!!!!!!!