baldies: Darra Thomas
“For me, it was just something I wanted to do that made me feel in charge of my own life.”
name: Darra Thomas
social media: Twitter: darra100 IG: darra10
How long have you been a self-proclaimed baldie?
About 2 or 3 weeks now.
Did anyone inspire you to cut your hair? (include @ name if possible)
This gorgeous girl I used to work with named Nara (@narania_ on IG) definitely inspired me to go short. Seeing her rock her own curls and be so proud of it really helped me with my own hair esteem.
What made you decide to cut your hair?
All throughout High school I would get my hair relaxed and straightened about every month. When I got to Howard, I decided on growing my hair out for about a year and some change just to get my curls back. I decided to cut it because I could see the line of demarcation in my hair going from curly to straight so I just figured it was time.
What reservations/fears did you have about cutting your hair?
Definitely my head shape and making sure the hairstyle I wanted fit the way I looked. I was worried that if I went too short my head would look gigantic.
How did you prepare yourself for your hair cut?
I made sure that I deep conditioned and did a protein treatment before I went in for my hair cut just so the curls could look healthy and strong.
What was your initial reaction to seeing yourself with short hair?
...I was definitely in shock. I've never had short hair so it took me a little to get used to it. But it was very refreshing to see my natural curl pattern again and I felt a bit more free after getting it cut.
Did cutting your hair symbolize anything to you?
For me, it was just something I wanted to do that made me feel in charge of my own life. I wasn't going to let my willingness to control or "tame" my hair in order to feel more normal run my life anymore. I used to hate that my hair was so hard to manage and when I was younger I wished for so long to have straight hair like my white friends. Cutting my hair helped me embrace my natural beauty so much more and gave me an amazing amount of confidence.
Do you plan on ever growing your hair back out?
Definitely, I'm actually on the process of trying to grow it back out. I want it to grow back all the same length so my hair isn't uneven.
Did cutting your hair hurt or help your self confidence?
It boosted my confidence ten times higher, especially with the support of my HU family and friends.
Do you regret your decision at all?
Definitely not. I would do it over if I had the chance.