Julia Roberts: Where did all the curls go?
This weekend I gave myself a much needed break from everything and spent my Saturday night inside watching old movies. It began with the creepy 90′s thriller, Sleeping with the Enemy – starring Julia Roberts. Honestly, I became nostalgic for the days when it was perfectly normal to see the lead actress wearing a floor length sundress that was in no way tight or revealing. Keeping with no theme, I then skimmed my guide and found Steel Magnolias – another great Julia Roberts, Sally Fields movie. It’s a wonder how I’ve gone 27 years without seeing this flick, so my fate was sealed and I was taking the turn from scary to super sappy with some peppered laughs thanks to the awesomeness of Shirley MacLaine and Olympia Dukakis. This movie was perfect – what an amazing cast.
So let me get to my point… as this is a hair blog I must comment on hair… seeing Julia Roberts in these old classics reminded me of the days I would fawn over her carefree locks. My natural hair is not a uniform type of curly… some parts decide to be wavy… some look like baby spring curls… I don’t try to understand it. All through the beginning of Julia’s career she had this long unruly mane that in my young female brain symbolized empowerment. She didn’t need to spend hours doing her hair because naturally it was big, fantastic and made a statement.
Where’d they go? The last trace of her natural curls that I can find is in Erin Brockovich back in 2000. Julia have you given in to the Keratin treatments and daily blowouts? My point is this- does everything have to be smoothed down and shiny to be healthy and gorgeous? In my mind – no… chaos is fun… so shake out your curls, waves, pin straight hair and let your locks do what ever the h-e-double-hockey-sticks they want (at least for a day). And seriously if you haven’t already, go see Steel Magnolias.
Thanks for reading!
Julie
Online Marketing Coordinator, Folica.com
I’m with you Julie! I’m a hairstylist and I at one time had fairly straight hair (just enough wave to irritate you). Then one day in my 20′s the ugly cancer reared it’s ugly head, and I had to have chemo. When my hair started to grow back, you could see there was a huge amount of wave pattern even while it was close to my scalp! At first, I wasn’t sure what to do with it! For several years, I tried blowing it out straight every day, and flat ironing it (which dried out my baby fine hair, and made it look like straw!) Now, I rejoice it! It has given me lots of body, and actually makes me look like I have a ton of hair (well, for me anyway). I embrace my locks, and use the correct product on them (curl definers) to make them soft and movable, yet full. And, I encourage my naturally curly clients to do the same! I have teen clients who are getting ocean wave perms to get the beautiful locks now! Me and my Chemo Curls are very happy with one another!
Love Julia’s locks. I always wanted mine to be like Jennifer Gray, (Baby) in Dirty Dancing. I almost achieved that look.
Those were the days! I knew I too was special because I had hair perhaps not as luxurious as Julia’s, but as full and natural as hers. I haven’t caved to the smooth looks because, frankly, I have much more important things to do with my time. But I do wish that she would let her locks look like that again, be the rebel that us middle aged women can become. *sigh
It is SO ironic to see this! I am watching Pretty Woman right now (one of my favs that I have on DVD) and I am always in awe of her beautiful big curls! I only would love for my hair could to mimic this natural style of hers. I am in the process of hair healthy hair challenge and with that, i hope to grow my hair further- so one day, I will be there. Also, I wondered the same Julie abot Julia Roberts… where are those great curls of hers?! They are fantastic but we have not seen them in so long!
Whitney
African American, Natural, 3b/4a hair