(I can't write about this and not post the song)
I’ve always had a thing for people who dress outside the box. Today my style muses include: Tracee Ellis Ross, Sarah Jessica Parker (more like Patricia Fields), Rihanna, Keri Hilson, and Kerry Washington. But when I was younger… It was all about Tia and Tamara on Sister Sister.
They were so fly to me. They shared a similar style to Blossom and Six from the show Blossom… only I related more to the twins. They had this Jackson 5 steez about them with all that mix matched gear. But what I loved most was… THEIR HAIR!
Oh to have big puffy curly hair! I wanted it! Every time Sister Sister came on I would tell my mom that I needed my hair just like that. Mom said she would take me to get it done. I was TOO excited! Well… instead of explaining that I did not have “good hair” and that Tia and Tamara are of mixed race…. moms took me to get the worst thing imaginable done to my head.
Stylist “So… What do you think!”
Me (almost in tears) “WHY DID YOU GIVE ME A JHERI CURL!!!!!!!!??????!!!!!!!”
Mom “That’s what you wanted…” (as the lady is spraying my hair with a product called… Hawaiian Silky… side-eye)
There I was. It was 1996 and I had a 1986 do. How was I ever to explain why at the age of 12… I was rockin a juicy curl. I love Michael Jackson… but I was not trying to look like that Negro.
The beautician handed me a bottle of activator and sent me on my way. As I was getting in the car my mom wrapped a towel over the headrest.
Mom “I don’t want the fresh juice from that curl staining my seats…” I WAS DEVASTATED!
When I got home my dad took one look at me and busted out singing.
Dad (Coming to America… our favorite movie) “Just let yo sooouuull glow. Oh so silky smoooooooth.”
It was too early for jokes. I went to my room and did not come down until the next morning for church.
I was dreading going to church. Seeing that I was the only black kid in school… I knew the white kids would not know what a jerri curl was… but church… that was nothing but black people. I was about to get CLOWNED! My friend Blair had a Jheri Curl… so based off seeing her experience with one… I knew what was coming.
Mouths dropped when I walked into Sunday School. And like my dad… they busted out in song.
Kids “Just let your Sooooouuulll Gloow… oh soooo silky Smooooth!”
All I could do was sit there and take it.
Me “I have an accidental curl! I did not mean to get this!”
Brandon (laughing extra hard) “How do you have an “accidental” Jheri Curl Jaws?”
Me “I wanted my hair like Tia and Tamara….”
Brandon “You aint half white!”
Me “SHUTUP!”
Karl “You have the same hair as Blair!”
Me “NO! Blair got a Jheri Curl on purpose! Besides... This is a Hawaiian Silky!” (That last comment is a lesson on quitting while you're ahead.)
To this day I can’t watch an episode of Sister Sister without feeling bitter. It took a year to strip that hott messness out my head. I now know that my hair CAN look like theirs… if it is straw set. Too bad I was not up on the hair terminology back then. Blair and will forever be known as the “Jheri Curl Twins”. Who knew we would be bonded by the juice for life. LOVE YA BLAIR! Glad I’m not the only youth in the church directory rockin good ole Jerri. I don’t miss sleeping in a shower cap.
(I know yall want to see pics... but they've been long destroyed)
2 comments:
LoL not all of them. I actually just found some pictures of us last time I was at home. LoL you were wearing that horrible tye-dyed Westridge Singers shirt. Although I can't make fun of you too much, because I'm pretty sure mine is still around somewhere
I was just going to say - where is the pic. The blog would have been so much better if you put a pic of you in a Jherri curl at the end. This is a call to all people who knew Jessica when she had the drip-drop curl: EXPOSE/RELEASE those pics. (a small reward will be included)lol!
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