So what made you decide to have dreads?

As the discussion title says pretty much. What made each of you decide on getting dreads? did you wake up one day and realize your want for them or was it a long time in the making, or was it influenced by bob marley (Its ok we can be honest =) j/k but just interested to hear your thoughts folks.I know for me i wanted them cause growing up i always wished to have long hair, but yet not a afro which is what my hair does. Braids, at least for me, were to girly lookin for men and dreads looked fantastic and yet with a down to earth rustic quality that appealed to me..that and i was never afraid to be what i wanted to be or feel the way i wanted to feel. Or look. Though here in utah i have certaintly encountered enough opposition to my decisional journey towards dreads. Then again, who among us hasn't?
updated by @thundersquall: 01/13/15 08:47:47PM

I have wanted them since i was a little kid.But my parents wouldn't let me.They would constantly cut my hair,and i always combed it.I started letting my hair grow about 2 or 3 years ago.II trimmed it a few times but let 3 form in the back.but now,fresh out of high school, I decided to grow em out..And they are coming out great.Well, in my opinion.So in short,I always wanted them,but society held me back.:p

Yea i can dig that, wanting something that other's say is deplorable or just simply not "norm" enough. I congratulate you on your newfound freedom thats whats up.

all my childhood my parents literaly had to tackle me and sit on me to cut my hair and i absolutely hated every haircut i ever had1st time i saw dreads was early 80s and just thought it was interesting so let em dreadyear later i buckled under alotta pressure to get a career and go to school so i cut em ..it sucked..i felt empty like i lost a huge part of myself so a year later was dreading again this time i knew id have em till they wore off from dragging on the groundi guess my reason is i just had to


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My new book Ban The Taboo Vol 1

I have tried to be "normal" almost my whole life. One day while taking a personal inventory I came upon my reality. My name is Pranee. I am the only person in my family history with red hair and freckles (parents are native american and french go figure!) I struggle to fit someone else's idea of normal and I feel like a hypocrite every day of my life... Then I pictured my body in it's created state, then added what I think is the "self" persona. Had quite a giggle for a minute then realized she had dreadlocks (and fairy wings and sparkles)! So I guess when it boils down, I have dreads because when I close my eyes and see myself proudly, I have dreads. Even before they are mature. When I used to pass a mirror I would stop and say "WTF??" and now I say "Hey baby!" LoL my husband says they're intimidating!!!

Well I have admired the dreads way back in the 70's, listing to The Heptones...look them up if you do not know them. Know that I have gone though years of life and molding myself to be acceptable to other around me and place of work. I just QUIT. I stopped paying $$$$ to have my hair styled by the best, high lighted and trimmed every few weeks, purchasing all the products to keep up with the newest style trends. When my hair got down to my waist....I really felt I needed to again make a change. My son has had natural dreads for the last 6 plus years. Well I had him help me with back combing all that hair into dreads. This was painful and took a bit over a week to really finish them. I have none next to nothing since then. Lots of loops and zig zags and going on my 10th month. I only use baking soda, apple cider rinse and from time to time accelerate with sea salt and lemon juice. I added a before picture and current dread. I am very happy with what I am doing, I never ever wanted to be a cookie cutter mom.peace and enjoy the earth today

updated by @momma-has-dreads: 02/05/15 10:12:49AM

Hehe soaring eagle i can almost picture you as a youngster like that running away from the hair clippers, and good for you ladies on your decision. I think women look beatiful with dreads so just cause they arent salon tampered with dont let girls tell you otherwise cause we know how they can be.