Picture this, 'our first lady' -Michelle Obama walking down the promenade towards the White house, hand in hand with our newly inaugural-ed, -President Barack Obama. Picture also, millions of women of colour around the world, tentatively watching and praying for Michelle's crowning glory to -'behave'. And it did. The relief -as our first lady's beautifully, relaxed, shoulder length hair (Neat? Check. Soft? Check. Shiny? Check) -moved slightly and gently bounced back into its rightful place (on that windy and momentous day) -must be applauded. Because, we all know, -there are certain occasions (or days) -that demands, -nothing less than [head to toe] perfection -and bad diva hair, -just won't do. Such days are called -Power days. And they require, -'Power Dressing' and 'Power Hair'.
Of course, -some sisters have been rocking 'Power Hair' for years -and guess what? They are all 'Power Players'. Our 'first lady'- Michelle Obama, Valerie Jarrett (Senior Adviser), Desiree Rogers (White House Social Secretary), the former Secretary of State -Condoleezza Rice, Baroness Amos, Attorney General -the Rt Hon Baroness Scotland QC, -news presenters; Zeinab Badawi (UK), Christine Kelly (France), Katarina Sandstorm (Sweden), Vivian Brown (USA), Isha Sesay (CNN), Rachel Roy (designer and socialite) -Thandie Newton (actress), -George Pau Langeuin (member of the National Assembly of France), Rula Jebreal (Italian news reader and journalist) -Thelma Golden (art curator), and many more, -all have power hair.
Black or dark brown; -healthy and natural, -beautifully relaxed, or a subtle weave-on (a small amount of top quality weave -hidden underneath lush, healthy, shiny and well relaxed hair) or, -keeping it, -as close to what God gave you, -as possible -[a la Thelma Golden and Baroness Amos]. Power Hair does not shout or detract attention -away from the matter at hand. A beauty editor once said, 'Condoleezza Rice's hair was helmet like and didn't move'. And I partly agree -but, I had to point out -the obvious, -mainly, -even though, Power Hair is healthy and soft and moves -it also knows its place -and the more successful its owner, -the more 'Elnett' it demands.
Power hair speaks -volumes. Having Power hair, -means success, power, and living, 'La Dolce Vita', -because; unlike badly bleached, 'piled-on-top-of-your-head-like-a- pineapple -blonde hair or a full head of, 'in-your-face-weave', -it does not intimidate, alienate, segregate, eliminate, jar or, -block out the light of the person seated next to, -or in front of you.
The loud, brash, errm -avant-garde, glued down, over processed, brushed up, nutrient lacking 'street gal do' [-so prevalent on the streets of London], -is the antithesis of -neat and perfectly coiffured, -Power Hair . Wrong (maybe) or just blatant prejudice, -but the, 'part-up-part-down-over-the-top-jagger-jagger' hair, -funky plaits (yes they can be lovely), bleached blonde hair (I have done it, bought the t-shirt and moved on), Ghetto Red, Ghetto Blue or Ghetto Pink or 'whatever' hair, -will never read the news, be a broadcaster, marry a millionaire or turn on the Christmas lights (Oxford street -folks). Also, the aforementioned errm styleees -just doesn't work in the real world of business, or the upper echelons of politics and academia (professions we now excel in) -and taking a gamble, will keep you [firmly locked] outside. So remember, if you have an interview next week -keep it neat, healthy, shiny,soft and -firmly in place.
