Instgram Inspirations

Here are are a few pics I grabbed from Instagram

that gave me free this week:

Glowing skin+big curls+gradient lips+holigram nails

Foiled lipstick+my spa day in BK+purple lips

Beyonce's Box Braids Are Too Dramatic

picture via lorensworld.com 

So I know I have not blogged in a month of Sundays (why do I feel like I start every blog saying this lol), but it is a great explanation for that. I have recently moved to the city of my dreams, NYC!

But that is not the purpose of this post.

So I was checking the news stories of the day online and the first story that pops up was a picture Beyonce's new box braids holding baby Blue Ivy with a headline that reads something to the effect of "Beyonce's Dramatic New Look."

Now one, why is this considered top news of the day, and more to point, why was news of Beyonce's wearing braids considered dramatic according to the media?

Now I am FAR from a Beyonce stan but I happen to love the Beyonce's latest look, partially because I have been jonesing for the throwback Janet Jackson "Poetic Justice" box braids for the past year or more-and now it seems everyone is going box-braid crazy, and I think it is absolutely a gorgeous look.

Perhaps I was reading too much into a headline, but it was something about the way the news story was framed that struck me. What is so dramatic about braids? Or is it just shocking to see BEY in braids? What was more disturbing/disgusting was the negative comments I came across on natural hair forums that seemed offended at Bey's return to hair braids, like she had been long casted out of the natural hair style island. How soon we forget that Beyonce rocked imitable honey-toned braids, twists, afros pre-world domination in her Destiny Child days.

Vintage pic of Bey's natural look via http://charcoal-ink.com/

I believe one of the things that is so great about being a girl is the liberty to change your look.  Black women in particular take pride in being able to switch up our look, so I'm not surprised to see  Beyonce, or any other sista' with a new 'do, especially braids. Hell I am ready to snatch this weave out and get some myself in this heat. But it seems to me that it is something about Beyonce wearing more "ethnic" hairstyles that makes people uncomfortable. Beyonce herself was even quoted back in the day saying how self-conscience people made her feel when she wore her hair more natural circa her "Austin Power" movie days. Fast forward a few months later, we slap in a straight blonde weave, come out with "Dangerously In Love" and the rest is hair weave/music history.

I know I would be quite annoyed if people criticized me every time I changed my look or rocked my natural hair, but it is price of fame I guess. *shrugs*