Ever since I’ve chopped off em curly hair and rocking my short crop (which looked like a longer crew cut version by now) I’ve been out with gelled / moussed / non – gel or non – moussed hair peppered with 1 of my longtime love : African Head Wrap. Many times I’ve fantasised about Erykah Badu’s mane (did you notice the height and bulk?).

The ever fabulous Ms Badu

I’ve always thought of African head wraps as alluring, sexy and well, I love wearing my colours and prints too (so what better way than that huh?). I’ve never worn any sort of head wrap back then only because I love showing off my permed curls (I wish I have em black girls’ natural hair, rocking it like Ashley Everett).

Ms Everett rocking em sexy natural

I’ve worn em wraps (only with scarfs, gele is so hard to find here) and so far, I love it! What can I say? I just love the look, it makes you feel even more like a queen with it (plus you can protect your head from the sun). I’ve been complimented by strangers and friends alike, asking me to show em how. Malay girls (in the case of strangers) would top the list by being the 1st to compliment / ask for a how-to and I was more than happy to share with them.

Trust me, I’ve unwrapped and re-wrapped it dozens of times and of course I’ve also asked them to go to Youtube.com (for your viewing pleasure I’ve included it down under) and searched under African head wrap (where they could learn a few styles from all these wonderful ladies on Youtube.com) :

And of course with the lack of volume, this video is most relevant for people just like me :

I do agree with 1 of the ladies who did these tutorials; you could wrap the same way but it turns out differently each time. Marvellous isn’t it? At the end of the day, keep adjusting those lines and play with your looks. It is really not unlike make up application even though this is way easier (for me at least). You’ll get it right 🙂 (got it done from my 1st attempt, it’s really that simple!).

Here are some pictures of me with my wraps and I’d like to share more of it but I always have a tendency to forget taking pictures, especially my own :

Sis’s wedding banquet – Front (double scarf)

Left view

Casual weekend afternoon (single scarf)

Family dinner – Left (double scarf)

Right view

Friend’s birthday celebration 1.0 – 1st wrap (double scarf)

2nd wrap on the same outing
(I re-wrapped it but see how diff?)

Friend’s birthday celebration 2.0 (triple scarf)
– 1 for volume, 1 for hold, 1 for style

Several tips to keeping it real :

1) Use a pashmina or wig cap to protect hair from being damaged by your wrap material (if its coarse, such as materials like cotton).

2) Keep the materials light, you don’t want achy shoulders or head with heavy stuff.

3) Wrap them all tight and secure but not so tight that you cut off circulation. You don’t want to pass out, have migraine, aching shoulders or back now do you?

4) You don’t even need any types of pin, just tuck it all in! If it’s done properly you can even swing your head without it coming off!

I hope you will enjoy exploring your looks with African head wraps as much as I did! Hopefully next time I’d go out looking like this :

Who knew the after shower wrap style could be so hot?