Locs are in fact different from other hairstyles such as loose natural hairstyles, braids, twists, and even dreadlocks.

The term locs has become a hot trending word since the beginning of 2020, but the hairstyle itself has been around before any of us were born. If you look around, you will see a lot of people wearing their hair in locs. 

They are at your school, workplace, and public gatherings, but mostly online on social media. I even have locs. What started as a trending hairstyle at the beginning of the 2020 pandemic, has deeper roots in different cultures, heritages, and beliefs. 

In this post, let’s explore the meaning of locs, how they differ from dreadlocks, and why it’s a popular hairstyle to have these days. 

What are locs?

Locs are a hairstyle with individual rope-like strands that vary in size from micro skinnies to as thick as wicks. They are created with coils, two-strand twists, braids, backcombing, interlocking, and crocheting the hair to form many singular ropes throughout the head. 

Even though almost any hair texture can become ‘locs’, the best hair texture for locs is curly coiled hair from African Americans. But there are other races with loose curls to naturally straight hair that have locs as well. It all depends on the method used to start them.  

RELATED: 4 Better Ways To Start Your Locs

What are dreadlocks?

The word “Dreadlocks” has a bad rep in the natural hair community, but there’s a deeper meaning to the term. Even though the terms locs and dreadlocks are used interchangeably, most people think that locs are neater and better accepted by society. While dreads are unkept with less maintenance.  

However, when you say things like “letting your hair do its thing”, the hair becomes matted and forms into what we call, “freeforms”. We call them freeforms because unlike the neatly done locs, they require no combs, palm-rolling, or brushing. 

But are free forms the official name of what we call dreadlocks? No. It is the creation of forming dreads, but the term dreadlocks comes with a bag full of history.

RELATED: Are Locs The New Trend In The Natural Hair Community?

The different histories of dreadlocks

It all comes down to the various histories of dreadlocks. Some say that it stems back to ancient Egypt where many mummified artifacts were seen with dreadlocks. While Samson in the Bible is said to have dreadlocks, 7 to be exact. 

Also, people say that Jesus had dreadlocks, but I have yet to find that in the Bible specifically. However, the book of Revelations 1:14, says that “the hairs of his head were white, like white wool, like snow.”

But that’s nothing like how it describes Samson’s hair in the book of Judges 16:13 when he told Delilah how he would become weak, “If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web and fasten it tight with the pin, then I shall become weak and be like any other man.” 

Just like Samson, cultures such as Rastafarians believe that their hair is sacred and holy. It gives them power and acts as spiritual and physical armor to guard and guide them through life. 

Another thing to note is that some say that dreadlocks were first created in Africa. So when you think about it, this explains why Egyptians adopted this hairstyle since it is indeed located in the Northeast corner of Africa. 

Many will argue the origin of dreads but it’s safe to say that Africans were one of the few who wore this style way before Christ (BC). 

Is there a difference between locs and dreadlocks?

The misconception between locs and dreadlocks is the meaning behind them. People in the natural hair community feel as if the term “dreadlocks” is equivalent to a curse word, meaning that their hair is dreadful, ugly, and unkept. 

So to change the narrative, the term locs was born. In my opinion, locs are the socially accepted word that tells others, “No, my hair is not unkept. It is clean, neat, and beautiful.” In a world where natural hair itself is still fighting for acceptance in the workplace, schools, and everywhere it seems, locs are having a harder time being viewed as beautiful by all races, sadly.

That’s why locs are viewed as either a fashion statement, a trend, a cute hairstyle, or a spiritual belief. Whereas dreadlocks are simply a way of life, whether that means to someone’s culture or heritage. 

Just my thoughts…

– Much Love, Ash ❤️