Hey all, Im new to this forum but have wanted dreads for about 3 years now. I am currently a university student, but I didn't get dreads previously because of high school and parents. My hair is currently only about 2 inches but it grows reasonably fast. I just have a few questions for anybody willing to help. First, should i start backcombing once my hair is a little over 3 inches, or should I wait and grow it out more first? I've read all over this forum that wax is a no-no so i'll do my best to avoid it. Next... My parents are completely against this idea. Especially since my cousin's wedding is in early June or late May and they don't want me with long hair (especially dreads) for the day. I've already explained the myths about dreads and they know to respect my personal freedom. My question is, If I started dreads in say March, how prsentable would they look for the wedding date. Or.. Could anyone give me any tips on making them look more formal? I'm sure I have more questions but this post is running long so i'll leave it at that. Peace, Love, and Understanding
Lo' there Id wait until your hair was about 6 inches plus tbh as it will just be far easier to maintain otherwise it could just unravel and require LOTS of maintenance. anyway about 6+ inches is pretty much what ,most ppl consider the minimum length. no dont use wax, i was naive and used was first thing after back-combing, i promptly realised the silliness of my choice and washed it (twice) 2 days after i had put it in...never again will it wax touch my locks. my parents werent impressed when i told them about my choice to have dreads, then when i saw them after having it done (and after some friendly banter from my dad) they were actually quite intrigued about my fuzzy spongy poofs of hair. Ppl are quick to accept and re-evaluate there opinion on things when its right in there face. just do it, im sure no one will be against it many will prob just be curious, but expect family members to take the piss out of you at the wedding... on that note, in order to make then appear tidy just get a headband (i use a sleeve from my old black t-shirt) to keep you hair back for work, if its still a bit fuzzy you can get some aloe gel and palm roll your dreads with it, keeps the frizzies at bay. hope that helped
Thanks Tr!pp! The question I forgot has to do with my post-collegiate plans. Does anybody know how well dreads are accepted in the education field?
confidence, good attitude and politeness combined with a good cv/set of qualifications and suitable clothing should distract any negative attention from your locks. rule on with manners!
Dreads and education would depend on the kind of teaching you're planning on. As silly as it is, a drama teacher will get less flack than say a math teacher. Also depends on where you teach - if the place is desperate for teachers, it'll be less of a problem than a place where it's dog-eat-dog to land a full-time contract. People ask my hub why he doesn't dread his hair and he'll tell ya that it's because he hasn't landed the big contract yet and he knows it would be a factor. He's even been advised from other teachers that his long hair might have been a factor in him being passed over on a job that was tough competition. It ain't right but the prejudice is out there in the profession.
