MY CELEBRITY TEXTURE STYLING W/ISSA RAE WAS EVERYTHING BUT INSECURE

2018 Summer Trends In Texture & Culture 

By: Pekela Riley

Will Smith’s Summertime anthem chorus has been officially remixed, PK Diddy style, to “Texture Texture Texture Time!” Yes ladies this season’s texture wave is super lit!

The general hairstyling direction from our celebrity sistas going natural nowadays is “I’m all the way team natural, and I want to keep my hair looking natural with whatever you do.” So, to kick off this elevated energy of new summer texture waves, I flew down to South Beach Miami to the African American Film Festival to style our very own #BlackGirlMagic icon Issa Rae!

Here’s the 3 texture looks we did for the culture:

Look 1: Natural Crown Top Bun

Because Miami is so hot and humid, Issa had a desire to wear her hair up. I decided to give her something with more of an organic texture that gave natural vibes of elegance. What reflects royalty and elegance more than a “crown?”

I deliberately chose to put her hair in a soft natural bun up top, versus a style laid down in the back, so everyone could see her texture up high and center. I brushed out her curly hair and frayed it to give it organic elements within her crown, while also leaving a smooth surface area in the front to use as real estate for the next transition.

Effect: Texture Contrast! The sleek vs fray combo of texture is an art within itself. Similar to a beautiful rug laid upon a wood panel floor, it’s two different dynamics that highlight each other’s beauty.

Look 2: Half Up Half Down Wand Curls

After we validated ourselves as one of the ladies in the place with style and grace (*Biggie vox* lol), I told Issa let’s turn the naturalista knob all the way up – so we can get all the way down for the After Party! This 2nd look is a play on the Up/Down with the wand curl, from a pony tail base. I deliberately didn’t smooth the hair out to keep the micro-texture in play.

All the hair used is from our True + Pure Jasmine Coil clip in extensions line. This is the tightest texture to have such a micro-texture of modern aesthetics within a classic wand curl.

Effect: Unique Conformity w/Breakthrough! The half up half down showcases that you’re able to conform to civility for purposes that suit you, but there’s still no force that can take away your texture breakthrough. The natural hair movement lives in me baby! Our textured styles are like braille, it’s more to it that you can see and feel, and it tells its own story.

Look 3: Half Up Half Down + Jumbo Bun & Ornamentation

We brought this natural texture trilogy to a grand finale, with a dope combination of each of the 3 style elements we showcased that weekend. We further embellished the texture Up/Down with a jumbo bun channeling a forward pompadour with tight sides, laced with accessory natural hair ornamentation. This was so distinctively African and telling of black excellence in full throttle.

Effect: Adornment! Ornamentation is a big trend this summer with natural hair. It’s like the beautiful bow on a gift that makes for the entire birthday presentation. What’s a sundae without the cherry on top?

Our unique texture styling is our cute but powerful pink black fist raised in the air, as we continue to celebrate and embrace our black identity expression of beauty this summer.