African Headwraps for Natural Hair: Preserving Your Crown

Anyone who wears their natural hair knows it takes effort to protect our tresses from the elements. The goal is to maintain a great look without compromising great hair health.

No matter the hair type, from soft waves to tight coils, and short hair to big afros, every woman who wears natural hair knows the importance of balancing the two.

Simply put, the power of expression and protection can be found in a good head wrap for our natural hair. It’s a part of self care when you really think about it.  Headwraps should be in every woman’s arsenal.  

As naturals, we all live in a world of bold colors and fabrics, and various reasons we use headwrap styles for our natural hair.  Let’s talk about ways we can use headwrap styles to help make life a little easier.

African headwraps are a must-have

Lots of women rely on a hair wrap to create a quick look for running an errand, or for covering a protective style. A perfectly-placed wrap basically saves us from bad hair days, and gives us back those precious hours on weekends. Where hats once ruled, today, head wraps now take up more closet space for African-American women. Of all the options, the African-style head wrap is a must-have fashion accessory.

Headwraps are also a great way to enhance your self-care and healing regiments. Many women deal with immunity disorders and illnesses that can cause hair damage or hair loss.

The wearing of wraps for hair loss can uplift the way a woman feels inside and out during the healing process. There are a range of breathable fabric options that can help enhance the healing of sensitive scalps. The right headwrap material can be a stylish choice for women who want to cover their heads, while thriving in bold colors as they heal.

As more women embrace head wraps for preserving and healing natural hair, they are a firm favorite for great African-inspired looks. African fabrics and headwrap styles are worn during cultural events, at church, the fashion world and in corporate spaces. Even the celebrity world has taken a beat, as we saw Lupita Nyong’o bringing an African print headwrap to the mainstream for a movie premiere.

Headwrap styles for short natural hair

Women who wear short natural hair often feel left out of the world of stylish African wraps. It can feel like an impossible task to figure out which fabrics will work best on short hair. And only after a few fails do you realize some of the best-kept secrets to wrapping short natural hair.

Tips For Short Hair Headwraps

• Extra fabric is your friend. You’ll need to make an anchor bun to sit on top of your head and under the outer fabric.  Trust us, you’ll be happy to have a steady base. Make sure to start at the nape of your neck. Good placement at the base of your head will ensure your wrap will stay in place. Deciding which fabric is crucial. Stretchy soft materials will work with you a lot better than silkier fabrics. Practice makes perfect. Experiment with a wide range of fabrics and colors to find the headwrap style that’s perfect for you.

Hot Item: The Black Headwrap

A black head wrap is an item that everyone should have in their collection. As is the rule for basic black in fashion, black head wraps are perfect for wearing with any outfit. The simple black headwrap, like the little black dress, is a must for creating classic looks that can be dressed up or down as you like.

Solid color head wraps, especially the black ones, are a good way for newbies to tip their toes into the world of African-style headwraps. Black head wraps are easier to work into an outfit, great to wear during any season, and they are an easy go-to to disguise a bad hair day without disrupting your fashion options. Our one-and-only tip for proper use of a black headwrap?

Don’t be afraid – a classic Black headwrap with a nice pair of hoops can take you from day to night, and from tee-shirt to “after-five” perfectly.

The New Wave: Pre-Tied Headwraps

Today, pre-tied headwraps are all the rage for women with natural hair. They take away the hassle of tying a perfect wrap. Yes, that means no more worries about waking up with a missing scarf somewhere near your feet. Pre-tied wraps can also help women step up their nighttime hair routine.

On the flip side, a cute pre-tied knit headwrap can keep natural hair in place and on-trend all day. You can truly use your creativity to add style using pre-tied wraps on all varieties of hair—from short hair and afros, to braids, dreads and longer styles.

Headwrap styles for Afros

One of the most beautiful looks is an afro hairstyle adorned with an African-style headwrap.

Often women who wear their hair in afro styles feel the same sense of hesitation that women with short naturals feel. They question if African-style headwraps are for them, based on the volume of hair they have. No worries, we have a few tips to help you make creative wraps for your amazing afro.

Tips for Afro Headwraps

• The larger the afro, the larger the fabric size you need to work with; always adjust for the size of your head and hair.
• A looped headband style is an easy option for securing your hair while letting your crown remain free.
• Always remember to tuck your fabric ends tightly to keep your head wrap in place for the day.

Now that we’ve explored some great options for wrapping your natural hair, here’s some great videos to keep you going as you find new ways to create beautiful African head wraps styles. Make sure you visit Ashro.com and check out their amazing head wrap collection.