After a lifetime of accomplishments, media mogul Oprah Winfrey is breaking new ground—going au naturel on the September cover of “O” Magazine.
For the first time in the monthly publication’s 12-year run, its chief cover girl appears with her hair in its natural, curly state—no blow-drying, no flat iron, no relaxer.
The natural style—which she favors on weekends and on vacation—is liberating, Oprah said, according to an article on oprah.com. So much so, at one time she wanted to cut it off completely.
“I wanted to wear it close-cropped a la Camille Cosby but her husband Bill convinced me otherwise.”Don’t do it,’ he said. ‘You’ve got the wrong head shape and you’ll disappoint yourself.’ I took his advice,” she said.
Oprah’s new look promotes the magazine’s 2012 “makeover” issue, and also reflects a growing movement among Black women to sport their natural kinky tresses. During this year’s award season, actress Viola Davis sent the fashion world into raptures when she appeared on red carpets with a shorn, natural hairdo.
No discussion of Black hair and beauty is without controversy, however. Just this week, even as African-American gymnast Gabby Douglas sweated her way to two Olympic golds, Twitter was alight with comments about her gel-slicked, relaxed hair.
And now, other Internet commenters are arguing over Oprah’s unprocessed do. On People Style Watch, for example, commenter Nubienne questioned the authenticity of the star’s hairstyle, saying:
“I don’t blame non-black people for loving it and believing Oprah when she says this is her ‘natural’ hair but this B.S. is what makes actual kinky-haired women feel inferior because THIS is a LIE. This is NOT what most black women have on their heads unless they are mixed at some level and, no, you don’t have to be light to have mixed hair. “