In recognition of the major a**e kicking Serena recently did at the the Family Circle Cup, I figured the Williams Sisters deserved a spot on Style Evolution. I remember when I first saw the Amazonian duo play tennis for the first time. I went from someone who actively loathed tennis to sitting through whole matches in awe. I was 15 and in those days tennis was still a game for middle/upper class white people on a Sunday afternoon. In came these two black women from working class America and totally dominated the sport, I was inspired!! HOWEVER, I do remember looking that their hair and thinking huh?? Do you guys remember the infamous beaded braids? Now don’t get me wrong there’s nothing wrong with braids but with multi coloured beads?!? I didn’t get it then and I still don’t get it now.

Fast forward 14 years, several grand slam titles, numerous records and a major style over haul and these ladies have become icons. I still don’t always get their weave choices but I must admit that both ladies sure do know how to work it when they want to!!

Serena and Venus Williams, MLHJ salutes you!

I recently read a great interview of Thandie Newton where she discussed her hair and the difficulties of growing up as a mixed race child in the UK. I have a 9 year old niece who is mixed race and I’ve seen her struggles to fit in and look like the other girls in her class. It’s an on-going work in progress, teaching her to love her hair.

In the interview Thandie also mentions that she is now 100% natural after transitioning from relaxed hair for two years. As a fellow transitioner, it immediately got my attention. It also reminded me that I once heard somewhere that a large majority of black women in Hollywood are natural. I was so inspired by Ms Newton that I decided to make her the first subject of the blog’s new regular feature; “Style Evolution”.

Definitely check out the interview HERE as it makes for great reading.