I’ve seen it countless times; people bashing hairstyles they would not wear, hairstyles regarded as outlandish. Just check social media and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Why can’t some of these hairstyles just be regarded as creative? Why does someone have to be regarded as a hoodrat when they dare to think outside of the box? I’ve never quite understood it. Sure we all have different tastes and are bound to have preferences, but do we really need to cut down someone else because their taste doesn’t mirror ours?
I have no clue what authority sets us up to dub things “ghetto”. What does that even mean anyway and where was it derived from? As far as I know a ghetto by definition is:
1. (n.) an impoverished, neglected, or otherwise disadvantaged residential area of a city, usually troubled by a disproportionately large amount of crime
2. (adj.) urban; of or relating to (inner) city life.” [Urban Dictionary]
Another definition states that “A ghetto is a part of a city in which members of a minority group live, especially because of social, legal, or economic pressure.”[Wikipedia] The term was first used in Italy to describe segregated Jewish settlements. It is believed that the term was derived from the Italian word “ghet” which refers to slag or waste. There are also theories that suggest that it comes from the Hebrew word “get” which means separation document.
So then, as it is with so many other words- blackie and nigger immediately come to mind- we’ve taken this label intended to perpetuate prejudice, classicism, marginalization and slapped it on to ourselves, owning it. Whatever happened to celebrating the beauty of diversity and the uniqueness of our culture? I get that people think the allusion is somewhat clever but it’s not so cool when it’s intended to be an insult.
Let us look at some of the hairstyle related characteristics that people claim to render a style certifiably ghetto.
- Extreme lengths on weave or braid installs
- Vivid colors
- Glitzy elaborate updos
- Unusual haircuts
- Incorporating the use of products considered to be cheap
- Styles that are attention grabbing
Well I dare say that this tacit agreement to label these things ratchet or ghetto is a bit hypocritical given the history of our ancestors. Before our ancestors were ripped from the land of their origin to populate the western world and build its empires, our people had elaborate styles that depicted who they were and where they were from.
Idk about “ghetto”, but there is a time and place for certain colorful hair styles, particularly when working at someone else’s company.
What makes a hairstyle ghetto? Trustafarians young WASPs working at Elle/Vogue/Vanity Fair who dictate when black hair can look acceptable on young white girls.
Flatline @ farewell
Hair is art. A style might not be for everybody but why label it as ghetto? Labeling is the issue. Let people just express themselves. Who does it hurt?
I so agree
That being said why is there a #teamnatural ?
In fact why is hair such a thing in the black community that it actually segregates us within us?
These are the important questions !
who said we are talking about black people, we are talking about ghetto
Why is the label negative?
Make believe baby hair
Lmao! @ make believe baby hair
Nothing. All I see is creativity that I may not wear but still
Stereotype….that’s what people live by. Be yourself don’t care what people think.
Nothing all cultures are different.
Well said!
People crazy minds
I think it’s the person who makes something Ghetto like having colored hair isn’t ghetto but when you as a person behave in a ghetto fashion lol then your hair represents ghetto I mean you can have a regular cut and style dress nice and pretty but if you behave ghetto some women are put together but their attitudes and nonsensical actions make them ghetto ghetto to me is an attitude and actions
I don’t know where your from but here you dont see anybody with bright crazy colored hair sitting in a corporate position. Double standards I Dont think so. Idealism of professionalism and an appropriate image for the company Is what they’re looking at.
In conclusion people should wear their hair the way they choose to judgement free I don’t believe its ghetto. Hair is art and everyone has a different way of expressing it.
Hair styles aren’t ghetto, unprofessional or not for a particular workplace because a particular workplace may not want certain colors or certain hairstyles and they have to let it be made known when you apply for the job. If you work in a creative environment, your hair isn’t a factor. Ghetto is a person’s wrong actions. Their hair has nothing to do with it.
Nothing, just other blk folks calling it ghetto… Smh
ITS WHAT SMALL MINDED PEOPLE SAY BECAUSE THEY DID NOT THINK OF IT FIRST AND IT CAN BE DONE WITH LIMITED RESOURCES EVEN POOR PEOPLE CAN DO IT IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HOW YOU ACT
Women wearing weave until its matted to death! #Tacky
Ignorance makes a hairstyle ghetto, hairstyles should be your own…no matter where you come from or where you live.
*doobie wrap
This is Robert Patterson girlfriend.
How can one be ghetto though? I thought a ghetto was a city with a slum area, occipital by a minority group of people? Smh..
I do believe people’s actions, things they where and some hairstyles can be ghetto.
Ghetto is the WRONG word here! Ghetto simply means a group confined to a geographical area, usually lower median income.
Hair can not be ghetto! You can try to label someone as acting like they’re from the ghetto, but hair is just hair period.
Black culture = ghetto bc it’s outside the “norm”
From my observations, anything that white people font understand and worn by black people. But yet again, we see it decides classified as cool on the runway.
Hairstyles can’t be ghetto. Please look up the definition before you use it out of context. SMH
I think what makes it ghetto is the attitude you have while wearing that certain style. All that flipping of the bangs or braids, getting it out of your eyes and face when you purposely styled the hair to be in your face is stupid. We have a tendency to listen and believe what everyone says about our hair when they don’t even sport the style themselves. These magazine writers haven’t a clue what is or isn’t ghetto. Their ideas or opinions don’t mean a damn thing in our world and the sooner we start believing it the better. Why do we let people that don’t know anything about our culture, assume they know so much about our style or our way of thinking and being.
The attitude and actions of the person wearing it.
Rotten edges
When your natural hair don’t blend in with bought hair.
Responding to the part when the definition is presented of “ghetto” and how does it compare to a hairstyle.. It’s a perfect comparison when you simply state both are just “bad” as in every word of the definition .
It being on a black person (sarcastically speaking)
You shouldn’t be able to dictate what makes a hairstyle ghetto! Though I’ve had people comment negatively about my protective hairstyles. Different is a beautiful thing and that’s how I would like to be defined….different because I enjoy my different!
It’s funny cause the term ghetto referred to where impoverished white families in England lived.
This one is beautiful looks 1950’s
when it’s extra and forced like heavy jelled down baby hair
FKA Twigs baby hairs are ALWAYS on point….love that girl❤❤❤
Fka !
If you can’t wear it in a professional environment aka …..to work….lol
When yu got Skittles, laffy taffy, nd starbursts hangin down…
First it needs to be explained what the word “ghetto” means. I don’t use this word, don’t like and it’s a poor choice of words to use.
If a black or Hispanic person wears it. Once it hits the runway or seen on a non-black/ Hispanic woman it’s creative and new. Same as with body shape and facial features. Smh.
A pick in it
You mean, WHO makes it ghetto
it doesn’t matter because all it takes is for a white famous girl or women to do it and its main stream
Apparently someone’s ignorant opinion.
Yes, because we say it’s ghetto, white America will turn it around, and advertise and promote it as the latest Marc Jacobs style, call it chic, cultured, and in the know …
White media until a popular white figure (superstar) wears it, then it’s Colombused, renamed & cute.
See braids, plopping for curls which is really just wrapping your hair, etc
Forcing baby hairs that aren’t there….that’s very ghetto.
I used to do the squiggly sideburn lines and put fake stones at the end – in the 90s tho lol
Watch old Ricki Lake Show, your question will be answered. :-p
A hard pineapple wave with old torn off liquor labels in it.
Teach, Sister Marsha, teach!
Ghetto is indeed a housing settlement that cordons off a group of people from other
people, usually by govt edit; i.e., gov’t housing projects. It is a place, it can never be a person, an attitude nor a style. Another word used out of context and in a derogative manner is the word ‘hood’. ‘Hood’ is simply the abbrevation for the word ‘neighborhood’. We need to take stock and ask ourselves why we are so quick to label and tear down, instead of raising up, that which is a part of us –our words, our places and our people, in such a negative light.
THESE do. It is a STYLE thing. If you don’t know how to wear your hair….go to a LICENSED STYLIST. Stop being the JOKE of the DAY! But these styles…..UHM….NO
Grown women with baby hair!!! No they’re beady beads that have been gelled down.
soooo what are edges if not just “baby hairs”?? Don’t black women usually use not having edges as an insult first?
I have natural baby hair. There is no pulling them back unless I gel them down into ta style or shave them off which wont be happening to appease anothers idea of what my grown looks like. They are fine and I don’t slick them down and accentuate them but still they’re there and we don’t all have beady beads tightly rolled hairline hair either.
Not combing your hair, I don’t think that a certain style can be labeled as ghetto. It’s what that person want and like! Stop with the bulls**t!
The ones that’s judging them!
The attitude attached to the hairstyle
Too much s**t going on. 5 different colors, finger waves, corn rows and twist.
Baby hairs that take on a life of their own.
Great article.
Yeah a great article that clearly NO ONE READ smh
It’s too much. She’s overdoing it. I would say it’s ghetto.
The mouth it’s attached to. Many styles are good til she starts talking and remove doubt about its class.
People just love using that word. If it’s anything different from the ‘norm’ it’s ghetto or ratchet smh.
I agree..people are quick to call something ghetto when only certain types of black people do it, then you see it on vogue or the Kardashians and it’s the newest craze…I hate the world sometimes. ..prime example how now its cool to have long nails full of designs and diamonds..when I was in school everybody said that was a straight ghetto….????
I feel offended everytime someone says That’s Ghetto… There’s so much negativity in our race towards each other I just SMH. Instead using the word GHETTO to degrade our people how bout making it inspirational…
G GETTING A
H HIGHER
E EDUCATION
T TO
T TEACH
O OTHERS..
Nothing to eaches own
I was taught that “ghetto” was misused. Like wearing an evening gown to a bowling alley. That was in the ’60s; in these days I don’t think anything can be “ghetto”.
I would have to say whether Caucasian or African American….the flamboyant colors in a professional setting …. pink , green, purple etc …. basically going overboard with too much hair colors
I had those styles back in the 90`s.
haute couture in black community without billions USD like Harper’s, Dior etc…?
By saying “IT’S GHETTO” !
It depends on the person wearing it everything is not for everybody n I don’t care what color you are
My definition of ghetto when it comes to hairstyles is….when everyone on the hood is wearing that same style. Lol.
I don’t judge anyone on how they choose to wear their hair. If it makes you feel happy and beautiful and you paid your hard earned money on it, great! We need to stop bringing each other down for being different, at the end of the day, it’s your hair.
Folk from the “Ghetto ” are truly trend setters
Over gelling, old weave, dry damaged ends, “un-natural colors in my opinion. It depends on your job. If you work in a white collar environment get a “michelle obama special”. Her hair was classy and professional but not boring
It truly depends on what’s accepted by your employer too. I have a white collar job and I have red hair, I see every color of the rainbow up at my job..
I agree…i work on a very white male domimated industry. I tell my kids to lean toward conservative if you want to be taken seriously and promoted to top positions. It works..im noe CEO of the company after 22 years BUT i had to conduct myself appropriately to win the trust of the board of directors.
I have a white collar job but I have had every color under the sun. I really think it just depends on the shade and maintenance. My bosses’ favorite color was my forest green. Their next was my purple.
Classy and professional was defined by people who are not people of colour. For example, according to your culture my natural hair is unprofessional. In my country it is not because it’s our hair as God intended. I currently have black and purple braids and I work in corporate. The colour of a person’s hair doesn’t enhance or hinder their abilities so I personally don’t see why it’s a problem.
No such thing. We are just creative with our hair because we can do that!
I’m so confused on the baby hair commentes because i always assumed “baby hair” was just another phrase for edges???? Aren’t edges good?
I am too. 1st not having edges is bad now having them gelled down is ghetto. I mean be forreal
No two diff things. Baby hair is a much finer and straighter texture and doesn’t grow long. Edges is just your hairline. It includes baby hair if you have it
Yes edges are a great thing
so if edges can have baby hairs…in this case, isn’t everyone hating on the edges ??
Ppl just don’t like them styled in that way lol..
That’s fair, but i guess its not much an insult though because hey…at least they have their edges 😛 regardless of how its styled lol more than most can say.
No hairstyle is ghetto!
Real tawk tho…
Sometimes, not all, but some..of my Sistas doooo be doing “theee most” with their hairdos… Maybe not “Ghetto” but “Artistically Creative”…ijs
I can’t take the multiple yarn look. .
Nothing…
Some styles just look cheap. If you don’t know what I’m talking about then I can’t help you.
Being real extra with the style is ghetto.
Nappy hair & silky straight ponytail
Ppl ppl, hair styles are a former of artistic, whether weave, braids jell, fry dye or later to the side love em all
Guess what….??? We are the only Race to do the hairstyles that get everything going..black ..latino..braz
It’s just styles and a form of art but everything we do has to be a form of negative until mainstream gets its hands on it then it’s popular
I once read about women in history, maybe Egypt… Who tied iridescent scarab beetles to their hair for decoration… With that being said, I respect the creativity… So if you wanna do the most with your hair, and it makes you happy… Do it. I’ll never call you ghetto.
too much of unnecessary on one head
The character of the wearer. The style/image on the person isn’t formed by itself.
The person
Quality and attention to detail is what separate hairstyles from being ghetto. No tracks should be seen, hair shouldn’t look fried or like a helmet tbh.
Too much color and gel
When your hair stops looking like actual hair…it is ghetto. You have people with soft curls, neat braids, beautiful sew ins, flawless wigs and waves that look great no matter the color. Then you have people with visible tracks, too much jam, too many decorations, and seriously bad wigs that have not been maintained…to me, that is ghetto.
Nothing is “ghetto,” just not made for all settings.
Gel /raggedy ends
Using a whole bottle of gel lol!!
Hair is Art.
Black women can never just be…. we get so much crap from other people including from OUR OWN PEOPLE its like nobody wants you to do anything but get a weave and be quiet. But i learned to stop policing other black women even myself if i find something unattractive i say so but dont label it ghetto i refuse to knock a black women down just so becky can come gallavant off with our shyt and be praised for it and im ashamed of some of you black women in these comments most of yall spewing the word ghetto have relaxers trying your hardest to assimilate smdh
Very good article with valid points.
If it’s on a dark person, it’s usually deemed ghetto, dreads, tattoos, own style of dressing, yet on whites: they know who they are, they’re artistic, not followers etc..
One that looks like shiny plastic.
At the end of the day, a person has the right to wear their hair anyway they desire…not matter how ridiculous or “ghetto” we may think they look!
The attitude
The person wearing it. The way that person carries themselves. Would make the most expensive garb look ghetto.
Both of these pictures
When it’s labeled that way. Why can we express ourselves without ridicule
Well it’s fixed and it’s not all over her head.
Sorry !! Lol. Out of style.
The person wearing it… and the style itself
Well having been to Europe I can tell you a predominantly Jewish neighborhood is not only the original meaning of ghetto but it’s still used that way. That said why should I care how someone wears their hair? In theUS people tend not to wear wraps as a style but my friends from the Caribbean tell me it’s common there and that is where RIRi is from so maybe you should have pointed that out. Riri called her Bantu knots “ghetto” and people from the islands don’t wear Bantu knots or chin eyes bumps outside the house.
When it’s Not Real! 😮
Whose wearing it…are they a celebrity or not
Silly junk like that
Finger waves. Not ghetto how about lace front wigs GHETTO
Brand names, zippers, using Sprite, airhead or koolaid logos, styles that use an entire tub of brown gel, adding money, holiday themes and or colors. All of these make a hairstyle ghetto.