your image as a dreadie

Props for being truthful is what I was implying.

Everyone on here (myself included) say we don't care, but I'm sure deep down we all care about our appearance somewhat

 

thanks pat! i think a lot of people here are just a bit self righteous, or they're just lying to themselves. or maybe they just want to wear the whole "disaffected" thing on their sleeves. either way, i was just trying to find out whether their routine has changed since they started their locks.
personally, i always made sure i looked great when i left the house, but now i make an extra effort.

 

By saying I try to look nice, I don't mean I follow fashion trends or anything. I just wouldn't ever go out wearing ratty sweatpants or dirty clothes- but I wouldn't do that whether or not I had dreads. I don't really care what people think about what I wear, I dress to please myself, and that means clean and pretty clothes.

 

i think having dreads has made me much more aware of peoples perception of me.. i was never a fashionista anyway, im a jeans n tee kinda gal no matter what the occasion or weather. im aware that people look at me and sneer and tell me to wash/brush my hair cause im a dirty tramp, but whatever. its like water off a ducks back now, i ignore it. before dreads, it was wash hair, blow dry, straighten, put stuff in it, and then cry when i had a strand outta place. now all my strands are outta place, and i can honestly say i dont care. i feel much more confident when ive got a birds nest on my head, and i really really hated having normal hair. not just the upkeep of it, but i hated being like every other fucker on the street with straigtened, perfect hair..

i know people hate my locks, but i also know that people love them.. when people come up and say 'ohh ill never have the courage', i ask them why not? its not exactly a brave thing to do, its just another hairstyle, if you want it, do it


*ramble*

 

nope, letting my hair lock has not changed anything about me in terms of my routine, how i perceive myself, and especially how others perceive me.
do people actually change completely separate aspects of their life around their hair? lulz.

 

haha, i didnt purposely change cause of my hair.. but i think im more relaxed about myself now..

 

I got my dreads did when Riloh was 2months old. now that I'm a wife and a mother I feel like I have to be perfect at those,,,that my baby should always be happy and my house always perfectly clean. AND that I should look 'presentable' instead of looking like I've barely slept (which is true) I'd love people to think I was a dirty hippy but I'm not one and even w the dreads don't look like one! Even when I first get outta bed in my pink pj's...

 

oh no, thats fair enough that wasnt directed at you at all smelly.

 

s'alreet =]

 

how do you know whether it's changed people's perceptions?

and how is preparing you clothing for the day any different than styling one's hair for the day? they're both about appearance.

 

so I want to reply to this but I can't get the words out right.....

 

hey, say everything (everything!) that comes to mind. everyone else does!

 

I put very little thought into my clothes, hair and appearance in general. When I was younger and in high school I was very concerned about appearance, but as I grew up and gained more confidence, I was able to stop caring about what people were thinking. My mom is a hair stylist and VERY concerned about her personal appearance and what people think... this was a learned behaviour by me and it took YEARS to change my paradigm. I always wanted to look carefree to suit my inside, but was not prepared.

Now... in 100% total honesty, I do not care. I have no one to impress nor do I care if someone talks about me. Actually, that is a lie... I want to make sure I'm presentable enough that my son's school does not call Children's services. lol But that's a pretty easy to do.

I take a full three minutes to get ready in the morning... The only thing I take time for is to brush my teeth and put on deodorant. Clothes... I have three pair of pants that currently fit me. Whichever pair is clean is what I wear.

I totally believe that some people do not care about their appearance.

But in saying all that... of course there are clothes that I prefer. I mean there some awesome looking threads on ebay and etsy that I would love!! But not because I care about what others may think or say, but because I think they are damn gorgeous.

Not sure if i had a point... just more rambles.

 

I guess I just feel more aware than ever of how I look. That awareness leads to extra attention to detail.
I guess since I care about how I look = I care about what strangers think? NOPE!

 

I feel like it has but at the same time hasn't. I want to look good sometimes but most of the I don't give a damn because I'm too lazy to care about how I look day in and day out. I use to try to look good almost everyday. now its like two-three times a week that I try to look good. like right now I can garentee you I look like shit.

But there was always this thing my grandmother would say:
"It doesn't matter how poor you are there is no reason to go into town looking filthy and stinking. You can always keep yourself clean by going to a creek or the likes to wash up."

Her and my grandfather really made sure that I always took care of myself.
I was named after my grandmother so I feel as if it is disrespectful to go anywhere dirty and stinky. I may not wear make up but I'm always sure to be clean. but also my idea of clean doesn't mean scrubbing yourself with tons of soaps it means getting in the shower under really hot water and rinsing your body off. A lot of the soaps out there take away what your body needs naturally.

clean really has a different meaning for every person

but to me being clean means that you are representing the dreaded community image
wearing make up doesn't mean you appear any different.
being clean though really says something and changes the way people see dreads.


sorry if this doesn't make sense or is completely off topic.

 

exactly! "always make sure you're wearing clean underwear incase you get into an accicent" is what my mom always told me.

I guess what it all really boils down to is you are either perpetuating the the "dirty" stereotype, or you are not. I make it my goal to look clean and kempt for the the benefit of others that are starting their journeys.

besides, i enjoy being my glamorous self, and i want to show others that dreadies can be glamorous just like everyone else.

 

Very well put. But I would tend to think that many people that take care of themselves are not doing it for them, they are doing it for society. But totally get that this is not what you are doing.

And I dreadedsunflower... that's how I am. I know I'm clean... but I likely do not smell clean to many because in their eyes clean = squeaky clean smell or clean is a perfume smell. But I do not reek of body odor!! lol



And you mean to say that you wear underwear vigilanteherbalist2!! I always though that if they didn't find any, they couldn't be dirty! haha j/j

 

lol, i haven't quite gotten brave enough to put my tenderbits unprotected against zippers and whatnot.

 

I'm glad that made sense I've never been one to really care about smelling like flowers and such, but again that could of from my grandpa being really sensitive to certain smells.

 

I can understand what y'all are saying (DSF and daisymelan). I quite enjoy the smell of my hair after it HASN'T been washed for a few days. mmmm smells like human. But, I also like yummy smells too.