Sisterlocks Photo Essay: Months 1 to 10

What a challenge it is to capture the evolution of sisterlocks with my camera.

I can feel changes in the size and texture of my locs with my fingers, but through my photos the only obvious change is in the length.

As Cia promised, many of my locs that have truly locked are almost twice their original thickness. Most of those are on the crown of my head.

The many micro-locs around the periphery of my head and behind my ears are still rather small in diameter and I can still feel their crocheted pattern with my fingers, but they are well entangled and I no longer experience any slippage.

Sisterlocks Installation

Remember this photo? This was my two to three inches of new growth with permed ends on the day of my lockiversary ;o)

Here is my scalp at the end of day one.

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Sisterlocks Retightening at 4 months

But check out the increase in length in the photos below. These photos were taken towards the end of my fourth month with sisterlocks.

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Sisterlocks grow over several months: scalp photos

Compare day 3 sisterlocks...

...with week eight of sisterlocks. And compare week eight of sisterlocks...

...with month 8 of sisterlocks!

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A fuller hairline

Check out the return of my previously 'burnt-out' hairline. At 9 month, lots of new coils have finally recovered from the shock of the 'lye' and are creeping out again!

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Increasing length from month 2 to month 10

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Braid-out set: Months 2, 4 and 8

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Styled Braid-out set: Month 1 and Month 10

Lookin' Retro-Disco in my Sisterlocks

Check out the "Afro-puff" I wore to the '70's Disco' fundraiser at my sons' school last week!

There were lots of Afro wigs, clunky shoes and long pointed shirt collars. Some people looked more mid to late 60's that 70's.

I remembered that after the 'mini-skirt' went out, the 'maxis' came in during the late 70's so I wore a long, maxi sweater, an afro-puff, a choker and the biggest hoop earrings I could find.

Grandma (who really thinks she can dance the Cha-Cha slide), stole the show doing the 'Bus Stop.' It was Barry White, Sister Sledge, KC and the Sunshine Band and the BeeGees all night long!

Third Re-tightening Sisterlock Photos: More Locs less Perm?!

Perhaps it's wishful thinking, but after the third retightening of my sisterlocks yesterday, I am seeing less perm and more locs when I pull my hair off of my face. What do you think?

Is it wishful thinking or creative imaginings after only 14 weeks?

My consultant told me not to use the diluted Infusium to set my permed ends anymore - just use water. She said that even though Infusium is very clear and watery, it IS a conditioner, it will likely seep closer to my scalp into the sisterlocks and may cause more slippage.

My re-tightening took longer this time, but the time passed quickly for me. The dips in the pool and ocean, as well as the fact that I shampooed my hair at least 4 time over the past month, caused my entire kitchen to slip - and completely! But I think the sisterlocks back there will hold up better over the next month or so, since I have no beach plans in the works!

Spring Break: Sisterlock Survival Photos

Chlorine, salt and sun. We'll see how my sisterlocks hold up. I'm determined not to get retightened before four weeks are up!

My boys joined me in Florida two days after I got there. My hubby came two days after the boys. We stayed in West Palm Beach for a couple of days before driving up to Orlando.

My 'tweenager' refusing to smile

Airport arrival in Florida

Swimming at Grandpa's

Lion Country Safari with Cousin Mekela

Disney Hollywood 'Drive-n-Movie' Restaurant

Mapping out our path at Disney's African Adventure

After two nights in Orlando we came back to West Palm Beach and went parasailing. I got a little sea sick after two hours on the boat, but we had a great time.

Parasailing anticipation

Parasailing anxiety

The boys being 'dunked' and 'dipped' (and luvin' it!)

Mike & me

Water, water everywhere...
...and lots of sisterlock slippage around my edges. But the fun was worth it.

Film Festival Sisterlocks Adventure

I arrived in Florida yesterday for spring break and to attend my dad's film festival. When my dad picked me up, he took several surreptitious glances at my hair on the drive from the airport to his house. But it took him a few hours to comment. All he said was, "You like all those little braids in your hair, huh?"

Me at Dad's

The clipped, "Yes," that I gave him told him, 'Zip it unless you want to compliment me on them.'

I guess he didn't have anything nice to say about my hair, 'cause that was the end of that.

Blogging at my dad's computer, 1 day after my third retightening

The final night of the festival went well and was well attended. My dad originated the event and produces it in collaboration with the Kravis Center in downtown West Palm Beach. It's really a mini film festival in it's third year. I say "mini" because each year, three films are featured on three consecutive Thursdays. This year, the theme was Young Black Artists in the Film Industry. Eve's Bayou, directed by Kasi Lemmons and Get on the Bus (Spike Lee, director) were shown this year.

Kravis Center for the Performimg Arts

This final night featured the film Liberty Kid starring Al Thompson (Love Don't Cost a Thing; A Season on the Brink: The Bobby Knight Story; A Walk to Remember; The Royal Tenenbaums). The movie is debuting on HBO this weekend [CLICK HERE TO VIEW TRAILER].

Dad introducing the Hostess, Lea Jefferson

Hostess Lea Jefferson

Actor Al Thompson and Dad during the question and answer period

After the reception, we went to Cheesecake Factory at City Place.

Me, Dad, Al at the Cheesecake Factory

The next day my dad took Al to the Dreyfoos School of the Arts to spend the morning interacting with the students. I heard Al was a hit, but I slept in. They came back to the house to pick me up and we went to the Norton Museum of Art for lunch before dropping Al off at the hotel.

Norton Museum

Sometimes things are so serendipitous. Divine order, some call it...

...After lunch, when my dad took me to the Airport to pick up my car rental, I had the great privilege of meeting Letetia! Letetia was the service rep working at AVIS that day. She has been sisterlocked for six years! Her highly textured, cylindrical locs are perfection.

My dad apparently had met Letitia before. Probably as a result of some local projects in the community. They exchanged pleasantries, but he was clueless about the hair connection that Letitia and I had! He's a little hard of hearing now and cryptic comments often pass right over his head ;o)

A congratulatory shout out to Letetia! She will be retiring in a month and plans to open a store selling Africentric apparel and art...

...My boys will be here tomorrow night and Mikey will be here in two days. I miss my babies and my hubby...

...More spring break posts to follow!