Oooh the awkward length! Many naturalistas know about this and have gone through this stage with much apprehension. The awkward length is the point where your hair is not long enough to put in a bun, but not exactly a TWA for those cute styles you used to do a few weeks after your big chop.
Your hair is too short to be shoulder-length, but too long to be ear-length. Your hair has finally grown from being a TWA, but your go-to styles are just not working anymore. Oh yes, the awkward length is…dare I say a dreadful stage?
Wow, that sounds really dark and depressing so let me lighten this up a bit for you. The awkward length is also known as the “in-between” stage. You hair is just long enough to be stretched to your chin or even your neck.
You know you are in the awkward length stage when your go-to styles do not look quite as good anymore, and you have 50 bobby pins* overlapping in your hair.
I believe the ‘awkward length’ can be a tough stage for many ladies. Even though our goal is to grow our hair out in a healthy way we may have less patience especially at the times when we are less comfortable with how our styles look.
Nikki of CurlyNikki, wrote in her book “Better Than Good Hair” that the awkward length stage is also called the “Terrible Twos.” There are all kinds of crying and tantrums going on when doing your hair.
You just found out that your hair grows upward and not downward. You try every product you can to either “tame” or “wildly grow” your hair to end this stage. Basically, your hair is in purgatory…just stuck. You just find that you are simply at a loss when caring for your hair.
Let me just say that all is not lost. I know that is easier said than done, but you can definitely care for and fiercely style your hair at the awkward length. Here are 4 tips to help you overcome and be comfortable with your hair while at this stage:
1. Find motivation
You aren’t getting motivation from staring at your hair in the bathroom mirror looking sad and depressed. Go on YouTube and find others who are in the awkward length stage and are overcoming it to give you that ‘umph.’ Write goals and regimens to try for your specific kind of hair.
Additionally you can start a Pinterest board and add different pictures of women with awkward length hair who give you happiness and life.
Find that motivation and good feeling that makes you want to do your hair. Once you find yourself bopping your head up and down to no music at all like, “I got this,” then get yourself ready for caring for your own awkward length
I’m in the awkward stage length . I think you got twa and medium length confused . Awkward stage hair may shrink up to the neck or ears but when stretched or flat ironed it’s shoulder length . Mines shrinks up to my neck and shoulder length when stretched. I also wear my hair in a bun but I can do the big high bun like long hair naturals. I can do a lot more styles than when I had a twa but it’s not long enough for long hair styles . Weaves break off my hair
I’m only a year natural and I keep it simple . My hair loves the low bun I just be careful when I put in a bun so I won’t get any breakage . My hair loves to be up and it loves the Low bun. My hair has grow a lot in a year .