I personally aren’t the most patriotic person when it comes to my country. I do love my country and my continent but I don’t get all weirded out about the heritage that comes with it. However if the heritage entails fashion and looking good, then I guess am as patriotic as they come. Braids have always been and continue to be a symbol of African heritage. Just like the whites have blondes, brunettes and red heads, the women here love them some braids. Braids have caught on of late that even white people are plaiting them. You know how white people nowadays try too hard to be black? Well they didn’t rule the braiding out either. Khloe Kardashian and Kylie Jenner for example love to braid their hair a lot. Not the simplistic braiding but the African penso braided hairstyle kind of braiding.
Braids are now becoming hip and cool due to inventions from artists in the entertainment industry. Out with the boring, black colored braids and in with the new multi-colored braids. They are many trending types of braids right now; first are the mixed coloured braids. One can plait black braids but have like five braids in a golden color. Then there are the braids that scream attention. If you’re the drama queen, attention seeker type, then these will do exactly what you need. Am talking about green, grey, pink, red. Whatever color floats your boat can be plaited. Tanzania’s Vanessa Mdee did the all grey braids and dazzled the look. Also our very own Sheebah is rocking the green braids right now and glowing while at it.
Some may choose to go all out and mix grey, red, blue, orange. Yes- people are doing it. It’s a little to edgy for my taste but then again am an old spirit in a young body. The other kind of braiding is having a different color up and another at the tips of the braids. You start off plaiting with coffee brown and then make tips gold. This can look real good especially when one does a do-up ponytail.
Ladies please do get with the program and braid up. The long hours of siting may be horrendous but the chic African look will be worth it. If you can’t do it for fashion then do it for your African heritage [Rolling eyes]. I bet our ancestors are urging all the ladies to head out to Gaza land and get the new hair do. Another salon that’s so good with braids is Desire Salon in Wandegeya market, muchala Rita and her girls will not disappoint. So go out and braid up.
