When my older brothers and I were younger, we often encountered babysitters. During these encounters, there would be situations during which a babysitter needed to brush my hair. In flagrant, older-sibling fashion, my brothers would tell the babysitters to pull my hair back real tight, because “the more wild her hair is, the more wild she is.”
Why am I telling you this? For one, I think it is funny. But it also captures the essence of just how much I identify with my hair. It is large and in charge, it defies the laws of gravity, and it is absolutely wild. It is a daily struggle for me to tame my hair, and something that you deal with on a daily basis becomes a large part of who you are.
Like my big crazy hair, I have a big crazy personality. Like my hair defying physical laws, I have a slightly rebellious nature. Perhaps I learned a thing or two from all of that curly stuff sprouting from my head, or perhaps I am overcompensating for being so physically little. Whatever it is, it is who I am, and who I am is reflected in what I wear.
My personal fashion is not easily defined. I dress according to how I feel, and I feel that getting dressed everyday is a chance for personal expression. I fluctuate between wearing things that are extremely girly and wearing more masculine clothing, and this reflects whether I am feeling like a tomboy or a girly-girl that particular day. You may see me pairing patterns or wearing bold colors on the days that I am feeling particularly extroverted, or neutrals in a classic T-shirt and jeans look on the days I am feeling more introverted. Getting dressed every day is also a large part of who I am, and I have learned how to make it an art instead of a burden.
Big hair. Big personality. That’s me. I’m Zaynab. Crazy name, right?
