At the time I was living in California. I wore the little two-strand twists until it became too long and the ends were too straight to wear like that. Because of the texture of my hair, the longer my hair got the straighter my ends! That's why every time someone sees my Sisterlocks they ask if my ends are permed. So not permed! I began wearing cornrow/frenchbraids in the front with individual braids in the back. As it got longer I just wore it in about four-six frenchbraids/cornrows to the back. The problem mostly was that I moved to Milwaukee where there were virtually no beauty salons for natural hair. If a beautician did natural hair, it was a short natural; but I had a head full of hair!  

So, last year, it was either cut it or color, because I wanted something different. I chose color. Because my hair was natural and so thick, the color had to stay on a lot longer; but I never really achieved the color I wanted, which was a chestnut or honey blonde. Just before I moved to NY, I found a stylist that could press my hair as straight as I wanted it.  She also did the color block for me which is the blonde you see in the front. All she did was bleach a front block of my hair and left it. I had a long bob, and when it was parted down the middle the blonde color framed my face.

Fast forward. I moved to NY and I found a stylist I really vibed with. Marilyn had the blonde color hair I wanted and she wore it in a natural, which is how I really wanted to wear my hair.  My hair didn't work like that. It would only frizz up and look dry, and I couldn't get the little ringlet curls that she had. Then during the course of this past year, my hair started breaking off badly from the color. I was trimming at least an inch off every time I got it braided or pressed.  

In January 2001, I was sitting in Marilyn's chair trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my hair for my cruise in April. I knew it would be hot, so a press was out. I didn't really want to have to fuss with my hair, so I couldn't come up with any viable styling options.  I had about two inches of the color chopped off, with about an inch of color left (give or take) to cut on my head. It was at that moment that I became aware that I wanted to lock my hair. I did my research and decided I wanted Sisterlocks. Since I was locking there was no need to cut the rest of the color off my head.  Marilyn didn't do Sisterlocks, so I called the home office and they gave me a referral.  I was Sisterlocked on February 12, 2001.  And, I LOVE IT!  My daughter was Sisterlocked February 18, 2001, and she LOVES her locks too!

Now, I'm just watching it grow and mature.  I'm using the color to help me gage the growth of my locks.  Since February, Marilyn has also decided to be trained in the Sisterlocks method of locking. She's taking a course offered by the home office in Atlanta in June. By the time I'm due for my next retightening, my stylist will do it for me.  I'm so excited for her and a whole lot of sisters here in the White Plains, NY area that will become Sisterlocked!!

5/19/01