Welcome to Texture Talk, a weekly column that celebrates and deepens into the dynamic world of curly hair, free of a curl crown that is tucked into a protective style.
In this day and age, wigs have become a staple accessory, especially within the Black Beauty culture. More than ever, women — celebs included him — wore him proudly and praised him for his versatility. Just take it from Montreal-Bread, Toronto-based sisters Gayle and Leslie Thompson.
For Leslie, hairpieces are timeless and chic protectors that protect her from daily styling and breakage. And for Gayle, the opportunity to add variety without making any major commitments, such as his current crown of perfectly sized corkscrew curls, is what attracted him to the wig game. Both find their hair a powerful symbol of self-expression in their corporate careers in finance and government, and the same goes for fashion.
Last year, the siblings launched The Long and Short of Style, a passion-filled side hostel, the duo’s second venture in the blog world. Her first Fub Four was a four-year-old fun filled with fashion, a style platform she created with two girlfriends. Leslie said, “The focus of the Fab Four reflects the stunning image of black women of all different sizes who are looking fabulous and expressing themselves and highlight each conflict of our style and how we beat them” . “Because whether it’s in a magazine or a blog world, you don’t have that representation. Making this was really important to us, especially to the younger generation: growing up, we did not have examples of black women in fashion. “
The sisters continue to blog about their personal style journey, but they are taking the representational narrative one-two steps further. “An important aspect of the long and short style that I didn’t really push before was the representation of people with disabilities,” Leslie says. “I want to normalize that dialogue, because it’s normal – there are so many of us out there.” Diagnosed with macular degeneration, a common eye disease, Leslie has been slowly losing sight over the years. When she was younger, blending in with the crowd set her style options. “Once I realized that I was really different from other people and I didn’t have anyone who was like me in terms of disability, it was really important for me to be fit; Fashion was my tool, “she shares, citing baggy high-waist pants a la ’90s girl group TLC as an example.
“I am very open about my visual impairment and am willing to tell people what I want, but time and again, I have found that when I go to an interview, people immediately think about my style. Let’s talk, “she shares. “They see fashion first. I sometimes feel like Houdini: Fashion has actually allowed people to see me and my personality before my disability. “What’s more, Leslie’s wistful methods have highlighted the ignorance surrounding blindness.” I’ve learned a lot about people’s behavior, “she says.” It’s almost as if people don’t count this fact Can make you look stylish and be blind. “
Gail’s relationship with clothes has evolved a lot. As a plus-size woman and long-time style lover, she says that many years of being ignored by the fashion world are still fresh in her mind. “Ten years ago, I no longer had a plethora of options available,” she recalls. “The shopping experience was very painful: you would fall in love with something, but then it didn’t get into your shape. Now looking back, I feel very sad for that young woman, because there was so much that she expressed Wanted to do. “
The fashion industry still has a lot to offer when it comes to size exclusivity, but with it is a growing number of retailers that offer plus-size and a new host of cool-girl brands Emerging, this is a completely different genre game. “It was like a flower,” says Gayle. “I think I’m finally able to express what I’m really doing now with all kinds of different colors, patterns and costume combinations.”
She says it is equally important to promote age diversity. “The fashion and beauty industries are very young driven. We are women in our mid-40s, and it seems very important to put out a positive image that fashion is for everyone, no matter what age. “
And being willingly with the Thompson sisters, as opposed to hush-hush, about their ways of wearing wigs, they show off and confirm that there is less variety of hair – countless styles that are hairstyle- Textured hair is capable. It all comes down to making a choice that seems comfortable and convenient for you.
“I don’t like to manipulate my hair too much,” says Leslie, whose go-to solution is a half-wig that reflects your natural texture. “It likes moisture and being left in a style that I like Not to mess too much. “Unlike full wigs, which cover your entire head, the popular half wig only covers the rear half, exposing the front to a seamless-looking finish “I always choose wig styles that look like my hair,” she adds.
“To me, it’s absolutely funny,” Gail says of her hopscotching relationship with her hair. “I have tried every hairstyle under the sun, from jhairy curls to braids to dreadlocks. Currently, I’m wearing a wig – and who knows? -Maybe I’ll just shave my hair! The natural hair movement has definitely helped make your hair more accessible for how you want to wear it. “
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