Texture Talk: An Ode to the Cropped Afro
This is Texture Talk, a column that deep dives into the dynamic world of curly hair, from crowns of curls that are free flowing to strands that are tucked away in a protective style.
For the past six years, a big, glorious afro had been my signature hairstyle. It really felt like a statement-making reclamation of my Black pride and beauty after years of listening to narrow and toxic beauty ideals and applying chemical relaxer to help permanently straighten my coils as a direct result. And while much of the world was in a holding pattern for the last two years, and stay-at-home COVID orders shuttered beauty salon doors for huge stretches of time, I saw my afro become the true definition of “larger than life.” We’re talking Kaepernick-level. I became a first-time mum during that time, too.
I truly see my type 4 curls as a gift from the hair gods, but I won’t lie: sporting a healthy and well-kept large afro makes you work for it in terms of a haircare routine. And as I embraced the most demanding, exhausting, exhilarating and rewarding chapter of my life (a big shout-out to all the fellow mamas out there), I found my regular hair routine becoming harder and harder to accomplish. My long curls looked like a disheveled mess most days and a pineapple puff updo quickly became my hair’s best friend.
Between juggling the demands of a family, home and career, I recently decided that I desperately needed a hair change-up that better suited my new busy lifestyle: something quick and low-maintenance that still made a strong statement with my natural texture. Cue the cropped afro.
Whether you’re transitioning away from protective styles, growing out hair that’s had a little too much chemical processing, or are simply ready for a big chop like myself, a short afro hairstyle has so many eye-catching possibilities (not to mention looks bomb with a pair of statement earrings!). From the archetypal afro cut — a mini version of the iconic seventies style — to a modern take on the high top, we’ve rounded up 32 cropped afro hairstyles spotted on the Fall 2022 runways and big-city streets to inspire your next trip to the salon. Click on, friends, click on.
,%20I%20found%20my%20regular%20hair%20routine%20becoming%20harder%20and%20harder%20to%20accomplish.%20My%20long%20curls%20looked%20like%20a%20disheveled%20mess%20most%20days%20and%20a%20pineapple%20puff%20updo%20quickly%20became%20my%20hair’s%20best%20friend.%0A%0ABetween%20juggling%20the%20demands%20of%20a%20family,%20home%20and%20career,%20I%20recently%20decided%20that%20I%20desperately%20needed%20a%20hair%20change-up%20that%20better%20suited%20my%20new%20busy%20lifestyle:%20something%20quick%20and%20low-maintenance%20that%20still%20made%20a%20strong%20statement%20with%20my%20natural%20texture.%20Cue%20the%20cropped%20afro.%0A%0AWhether%20you're%20transitioning%20away%20from%20protective%20styles,%20growing%20out%20hair%20that’s%20had%20a%20little%20too%20much%20chemical%20processing,%20or%20are%20simply%20ready%20for%20a%20big%20chop%20like%20myself,%20a%20short%20afro%20hairstyle%20has%20so%20many%20eye-catching%20possibilities%20(not%20to%20mention%20looks%20bomb%20with%20a%20pair%20of%20statement%20earrings!).%20From%20the%20archetypal%20afro%20cut%20—%20a%20mini%20version%20of%20the%20iconic%20seventies%20style%20—%20to%20a%20modern%20take%20on%20the%20high%20top,%20we’ve%20rounded%20up%2032%20cropped%20afro%20hairstyles%20spotted%20on%20the%20Fall%202022%20runways%20and%20big-city%20streets%20to%20inspire%20your%20next%20trip%20to%20the%20salon.%20Click%20on,%20friends,%20click%20on.%0A%0A%5Bgallery%20ids=%22446167,446160,446161,446183,446158,446163,446159,446164,446162,446168,446170,446169,446172,446173,446177,446180,446174,446176,446186,446190,446182,446187,446165,446185,446188,446166,446175,446184,446181,446179,446178,446189%22%5D){kind=link}