The Nappy Knot

When I was in college in Boston, say 2000 or so, all of my straight haired and mostly white peers had embraced a style that I called the "nappy knot". They would take all of their straight/wavy hair, tousle it up and tease the ends if needed, and then sling it into a messy textured bun or loop. It used to bother me because it seemed to be an attempt the get the very same hair I was diligently and painstakingly straightening and then protecting from "going back" in the humidity or rain. I was going through great lengths, even wearing my covered wrap in class, to keep my freshly done hair straight and smooth and here they were messing their naturally straight or wavy hair up on purpose.

Eventually it got to the point where having no money and no time meant no more straight hair, and I went natural (chemical free) by necessity and logical thinking. Years later when my hair got long enough, I too was wearing the nappy knot, but mine was more so a "less nappy" and subdued knot- a smooth bun on my hair being near impossible. Now, even more years later (sigh...) my hair is even longer and I can achieve an impressive, sculptural, nappy statement of a knot- and I love it. It's a somewhat smooth and collected style with a flair of wildness that saves me time and energy some mornings (or even club nights!) Check mine out today.

Birth of the Buff™

IJH PROCLAMATION:

As of August 7, 2012, the hairstyle formerly known as the “nappy knot,” shall henceforth and forevermore (or until we come up with a doper name) be known as the buff™.

In the natural hair “world” of 2012, apparently everything has to have a name (or even a crazy acronym). While I think most of this is real extra, naming things does have a purpose. As a lazy hairdo enthusiast, I am always looking for ways to not do anything to my hair. Tucking the ends of my “pineappled” hair into a bizarre bun/puff hybrid has become a regular occurrence as of late. Honestly, I just can’t be bothered. I’m exhausted just from watching all of the marathon detangling, twisting, bantuing, wash-n-going, prepoocowashsteamdeepconditiondefineandbraidout-ing which seems to happen on Youtube. Nope. I ain’t doing all that. I’m lazy and my hair doesn’t listen to me anyway, so... *kanyeshrug*. Thus, the buff™ was born.

 

Feel free to spread the term far and wide (just remember who coined it and give credit where it’s due). You should also feel free to emulate our epic laziness and rock your own version of the buff™.  As a matter of fact, send us your best buff™ pics so that we can share them with the world. It’s time to get buff™ people!!!

Peace,
Nuri 

A little styling and a Puff- REMIX w/ flowers

Yep- I got lazy. No braid and curl. I sprayed my puff from yesterday with water, added some shea butter. Combed it through with my shower comb. Then I took some IC Fantasia "Olive oil green variety" gel and used a finishing brush to pull it all to one side and made my good ole nappy knot (here too). Today it was a "flower" however, and I took the ends of two of my twists and coiled them into a smaller "flower" to keep it company. I used two pins to hold the small flower.

One day I will buy or make some real flower accessories. Once I get over feeling too un-girly for such adornments lol.

and one shot of the other side.

Catching Up and a very slick high bun

I have a serious backlog of posts, and some of them are getting old, and some missed their window of relevancy- like what I have to say about the darn Psychology Today Article.... SMH... Alas.  I'll publish it when I finish writing it anyway.

Meanwhile I have some picts to post to start catching up. yey!

First Update:

My hair is long enough again that I can get all of it into a high bun (low buns have been possible for months now) with only help from a brush.  I have been killllling this style.  So much so that the front and sides of my hairline need a break before they take one lol.  The bun itself is just a half-pulled-through pony. Nothing fancy at all, a nappy knot.  But for the edges and pulling it into the pony I used the KMF gel with some grapeseed oil... can I tell you how slicked up my hair was?  After 2 days it wasn't even wavy like usual.  It was straight.....  Like Straight.  Note following exhibits:

I had a headband on here and it helps a lot with the fuzzys that come by the end of the day without it.

I have a few picts of the fuzzies from another day.  I was just about to take off my makeup here and go to bed, and had even begun to take my hair down when I thought to take these. I snapped a few flicks in the poor lighting in my room but I think you can see the fuzz lol.  This was the very end of the night of the Amel Larrieux show at Park at 14th in DC.  I have a video of her FABULOUS fro-like hair that night I am posting next.

LOL see the halo of fuzz.

What has everyone else been up to?  I think I am loving the bun so much because I am planning on a styled hair cut in June and have kinda been putting my hair away while I hold off on that.  It keeps me from getting scissor happy myself lol. I trimmed almost 8 weeks ago though. I think I am going to try and stay on top of those 8 week trims.  I didn't think it used to matter, but in growing my hair long I think that will help eliminate knots and splits if I decide to grow it out after this cut.  It's a good habit for me to form.  Fairy knots are my hairs arch nemesis.

Staple Style

I just can not escape this style. I have been wearing my hair like this for as long as I could catch a ponytail after BC #1. I come back to it whenever I'm rushing for work, have no time to wash and go, or not time to de-tangle. Thus it's sort of lazy and sort of protective, but not really either lol. Alas. I find myself doing it this week again. Yesterday I did the old standby- a side part, and huge flat twist on the big side, and a roughly gathered tangled knot bun to the back, right side.

Today, again, I didn't de-tangle the back but I took down the "bang" area and did 4 single twists. I used another old standby- Garnier Fructis Style Soft Curl Cream, which I now get on Amazon because I can not find it in stores. Its super thick, gives a nice shine and hold and smells great. It only works on my edges and ponytails though, like a thick, tacky gel. It's all much smoother today because it had been trained straight by yesterday's style. I like the twists in front for the texture. The whole style is kind of like the bump in front look that has been popular lately.




The nappy knott just gets bigger and bigger!!!