There are two types of people when it comes to haircuts: There are those who squint at the sight of shears for a two-inch trim, and those who walk in the salon with box braids and walk out with a buzz cut. Monica Ananonu, a freelance illustrator, falls into the latter category.
In the latest episode of Hair Me Out, Ananonu crops her hair down to a fade and dyes it platinum blonde for a look inspired by Frank Ocean’s Blonde album art. “I guess I’m nervous because my hair grows really slowly, so cutting it all off will be a journey,” she says.
Prior to her big chop, Ananonu spent nearly 10 hours installing her own box braids on the regular. "I'm excited to have a style that's a lot quicker," she says. At Salon Kazumi in Beverly Hills, stylist Aaron Watkins cut her blonde braids from the root (a sight that would give any protective-style enthusiast goosebumps). Then, Kazumi colorists lifted her jet-black hair to a warm honey shade that Frank Ocean would 100% approve of.
Press play to see her dramatic transformation IRL.
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