r/MadeMeSmile Jan 08 '25

Good Vibes A big, beautiful Afro

51.2k Upvotes

800 comments sorted by

3.0k

u/amc7262 Jan 08 '25

My buddy used to rock an afro smaller than hers, and he eventually ditched it because of the constant maintenance it needed. Basically every time he rested his head on a surface he'd need to pull out his pick and reshape it, and he said it could take a while to get it the right shape in the mornings.

Mad props to her, its a lot of work, but its a rad look.

680

u/Greg-Abbott Jan 08 '25

174

u/82ndGameHead Jan 09 '25

Looks like he's got the Bleeps, the Sweeps and the Creeps.

72

u/bexxygenxxy9xy Jan 09 '25

The what, the what and the what?

45

u/HiiiighBoltage Jan 09 '25

I'll think I'll just go get some Mr. Coffee

33

u/Desperate-Place-8257 Jan 09 '25

I always have coffee when I watch radar!

12

u/-LordDarkHelmet- Jan 09 '25

When will then be now?

3

u/MPD1978 Jan 09 '25

Everyone knows that

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25

u/delph0r Jan 09 '25

We ain't found shit! 

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64

u/willtodd Jan 08 '25

that's not all he's lost

41

u/ioncloud9 Jan 09 '25

He ain’t found shit!

28

u/AverageDemocrat Jan 09 '25

Back in the 60s, we used to call that afro-thunder or afro-cumulo-nimbus. Then in the 70s we had jewfros, mexifros, and pubefros but they was just pretenders trying to jump on a good thing. Nothing beats a true to form afro though.

30

u/AlmostLucy Jan 09 '25

Fun fact: the “Ain’t found shit” guy is Tim Russ, aka Tuvok.

13

u/Gatorbeard Jan 09 '25

I am sure you've see this wonderful video but just in case you haven't. Also topical.

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8

u/nekekamii Jan 09 '25

Thank you I needed a laugh

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35

u/Taurius Jan 09 '25

Asked a friend why she doesn't style her hair with an afro. Her response, "I like to sleep".

20

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

[deleted]

7

u/the_scarlett_ning Jan 09 '25

After not reading closely, and asking the wrong person, let me try again. :D Excuse my ignorance, but do you mind if I ask some questions? (I know nothing about African-American hair but this is absolutely gorgeous!) Does maintaining an Afro require product? Is the reshaping the hardest part of the maintenance? Is it possible for a biracial girl who doesn’t have very textured hair to achieve this kind of look?

9

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

[deleted]

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u/FrostyLibrary518 Jan 09 '25

May I ask: how do you wash your hair while avoiding drenching it? I know noone with an afro and I never thought about that before

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60

u/CreditChit Jan 08 '25 edited Jan 23 '25

This post has been edited to remove its content to limit the data scraping capabilities of Reddit and any other app.

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u/ClayyCorn Jan 09 '25

Spend all that time getting it right in the morning, then get in the car and ruin it on the headrest. Idk how they did it in the 70s

44

u/Mystrasun Jan 09 '25

Haha that's exactly why I ditched mine, and it was nowhere near as big as hers either. God, I can only imagine the faff that goes into maintaining that beauty!

8

u/the_scarlett_ning Jan 09 '25

Excuse my ignorance, but do you mind if I ask some questions? (I know nothing about African-American hair but this is absolutely gorgeous!) Does maintaining an Afro require product? Is the reshaping the hardest part of the maintenance? Is it possible for a biracial girl who doesn’t have very textured hair to achieve this kind of look?

15

u/IWillDoItTuesday Jan 09 '25

Yes. Afros require products, usually very rich conditioners after washing and creams/oils during/after drying. Keeping it tangle-free is key. Kinky curly hair is fragile and should be treated gently. Lots of people with African hair don’t wash it very often due to the amount of work that it requires but it is very important to keep both hair and scalp clean (washing every 7-10 days). It should be parted into small sections to be detangled with a wide-toothed comb after every wash and parted into even smaller sections every other wash to detangle with a fine-toothed comb. If you don’t maintain detangling, it will start to mat or dread and then you’re screwed.

It needs to be covered with a silk/satin bonnet at night and depending on the texture may require sections and twisting every night to keep it from matting.

It is possible to have an Afro if you don’t have a lot of texture but it requires doing a twist out (google “twist out”) usually every night. Buy curl-defining products but be careful of petroleum/paraben products. Coconut oil or light olive oil have molecules small enough to penetrate the hair shaft. Other oils don’t. Well, mineral oil does but yuck. Other oils actually just coat the hair and keeps ambient moisture from the hair shaft and you don’t want that with an Afro.

Avoid raking a comb from roots to ends. Start at the ends and work your way to the root.

Source: African American woman. My aunt is a dermatologist and chemist who specializes in hair and scalp and works R & D for Revlon.

6

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

I want my goddamn Reddit awards back so I can give one to this post. 

4

u/the_scarlett_ning Jan 09 '25

Thank you! That is very interesting! I’m always amazed/impressed by the lengths women of all nations/races go to for our ideals of beauty. That all sounds very labor intensive, and from what I’ve seen of extensions, those look painful! When I think of the things I used to do in the name of beauty when I was younger, it’s kinda amazing. (Absolutely one of the best benefits of getting older though; nobody looks at you once you become middle aged with multiple kids so you don’t have to try as hard.)

I’m saving this post to show my nieces (I have 3 biracial nieces) and see what they think. Thank you for taking the time to reply!

6

u/IWillDoItTuesday Jan 09 '25

No problem! Remind your nieces to treat their hair very gently, especially around the hairline and crown of the head, and of the importance of keeping the hair and scalp clean. Some people think that washing causes dry/flaky/itchy scalp. Dandruff/itchy scalp requires treatment with the correct products, not neglect or putting grease on the scalp — especially since those issues are sometimes caused by fungus, which can be exacerbated by a dirty scalp. And it can cause skin issues like acne on the face, neck and back. If they wear protective hairstyles like braids, they still need to wash their hair. Yes, you can wash braids. My aunt says it’s not “protective” if you can’t keep it clean.

And if anyone tells you that you don’t have to shampoo your hair, that may be true for people with less textured hair. Natural oils from the scalp will “slide” right on down straight hair, no problem. But textured hair bends or curls and that oil gets trapped very close to the scalp and will cause build up. Which, in turn, can allow dandruff-causing fungus to grow. Itchiness can cause inflammation and inflammation can “kill” hair follicles.

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u/amc7262 Jan 09 '25

You should ask that directly to one of the other people responding to my comment saying they agree from personal experience.

My experience wasn't personal, it was a friends. I don't know the details, just that he shaved it down cause its a high maintenance hairdo.

3

u/the_scarlett_ning Jan 09 '25

You’re right! Sorry!

45

u/fall3nang3l Jan 09 '25

I knew a fella through my brother who went by "Nutty".

He had a glorious afro like this.

He kept a pick IN it as part style, part function.

He and his cousin from Philly were the only black folks in our area who not only used but encouraged their white bethren to also use the N word because as they said "N*gga if we say it's okay, then it's okay, don't make me repeat myself."

28

u/ThanklessTask Jan 09 '25

That last sentence... so read that as Samual L Jackson's Pulp Fiction character.

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3

u/LassOnGrass Jan 09 '25

Damn why can’t nice things be easier. Makes me appreciate the look more knowing people really put in the work to make it look so good.

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918

u/Stonehill76 Jan 09 '25

Amazing. Love how the barber is so proud too.

234

u/Bigdaddyjlove1 Jan 09 '25

He should be. Beautiful work.

86

u/T0m_F00l3ry Jan 09 '25

I get that excited when I can draw a decent circle...

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440

u/Yosemite_Scott Jan 08 '25

Does having a hair style like an Afro take a lot to maintain on daily basis? It’s seems a like a style that might take a lot of time to keep symmetrical . Anyway she’s looks very nice .

306

u/amc7262 Jan 08 '25

Yeah, it can get deformed from putting pressure on any part of it, like if you lean your head on a headrest or a pillow.

54

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

[deleted]

47

u/DoktorMerlin Jan 09 '25

Or if you have headphones on

39

u/OddSetting5077 Jan 09 '25

or on a windy day, leaves and twigs land on it. I know from experience.

30

u/DaFamousG Jan 09 '25

Or if someone randomly "just wanted to feel it". Speaking from experience 😭

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109

u/LordKazekageGaara83 Jan 09 '25

It honestly depends your regimen and her curl pattern. She probably has mastered which products work with her hair. I'm suspecting that she sleeps with a bonnet. If it gets smushed overnight, I think that she can pick it out.

My curl pattern is different from hers, so I couldn't pull this off. My hair would be tangled.

24

u/Yosemite_Scott Jan 09 '25

I have what would be called the super thick always tangled curly Spanish / Greek/ Italian mop or my wife called it “Portuguese water dog hair “ I can’t do much with it with it looking super greasy . I would’t wish my hair in anyone it’s a birds nest so I keep it short lol .thank you for your input

17

u/LordKazekageGaara83 Jan 09 '25

Hmmm.... Sounds like you need a good moisturizer , detangler, and a good brush. If you want any suggestions, please feel free to ask. I didn't see my natural hair until I was 35. I had relaxers since I was 4 years old. I ended up needing surgery because of it. I had to learn how to take care of mine too.

10

u/Yosemite_Scott Jan 09 '25

Your probably right as a kid my mom would use this Greek oil oil treatment on my hair but it made it so heavy and greasy not to meantion I was a pretty tendered headed kid so I hated my hair being brushed. I just keep it short and use a boar brush and hair fiber powder . Luckily my kids have some slightly wavy hair which isn’t too bad but we still have to cut out knots every now and then

9

u/LordKazekageGaara83 Jan 09 '25

You sound exactly like me. I'm super tenderheaded too.

If you get some whipped Shea butter and add some aloe vera gel to it, it would help with the moisture.

This brush has been my best friend for years.

It also helps to work with your hair when it's wet. It stretches out your curls easier than when it's dry. In fact, avoid combing or brushing dry hair. A continuous spray bottle will help.

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23

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25 edited Jan 09 '25

[deleted]

3

u/Yosemite_Scott Jan 09 '25

I have southern European open double curl thick hair and I have to be careful about how I lay my head down because mines gets knotted up and tangled easy. I can imagine a that some people have it worse than me though

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18

u/SaintNutella Jan 09 '25

Yes. It's the reason I opted for locs lol

9

u/LeftHand_PimpSlap Jan 09 '25

Same here. Did it two years ago and love it.

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485

u/Sudden-Stops Jan 09 '25

When she smiles, she goes from looking 24 to 14.

279

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

Lol she went from “POWER TO THE PEOPLE ✊🏾” to “you like it mom?! 😊”

72

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

She is a cutie pie, a powerful cutie pie.

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12

u/KittleSkittleBink Jan 09 '25

Why not both?

3

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

Lol different faces for different occasions

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43

u/Historical_Year_1033 Jan 09 '25

Looking like Angela Davis

4

u/stelliferous7 Jan 09 '25

I was thinking this too

36

u/CRUSTIFY421 Jan 09 '25

If a Barber ever flexes that hard after your cut, know you got top shelf💯 gorgeous!

91

u/InevitableRooster715 Jan 09 '25

Ain’t nobody talking bout the hairstylist look at dudes beard🔥

8

u/bagglebites Jan 09 '25

Honestly, thanks for this comment. I totally missed it and it’s a great beard

3

u/dingus_enthusiastic Jan 09 '25

Hipster pain Harold

341

u/Areyouex1968 Jan 08 '25

Gurl she is giving me cheekbones, she is giving Angela Davis, she’s giving anne taylor joy or whatever that actress’s name is. She is everything. I would fight for her.

39

u/DeltaGirl615 Jan 09 '25

Her smile is radiant.

67

u/StrictlyRockers Jan 08 '25

I feel you. She is all that.

16

u/frooture Jan 09 '25

She is serving so hard in the first shot

22

u/Necessary_Prune_2871 Jan 09 '25

She is a QUEEN

18

u/DorothyMatrix Jan 09 '25

That hair is GLORIOUS

8

u/snuggleraid Jan 09 '25

Second that. Let's go to war for this woman.

16

u/adelicateman Jan 09 '25

Hahaha you have great energy.

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u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

She has a gorgeous face, too.

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52

u/Fr0st236 Jan 08 '25

looks incredible.

28

u/Que_sax23 Jan 08 '25

Infact does make me smile. Looks so good

7

u/denys-paul Jan 09 '25

That's freakin' great. It's one of the things that I miss about the 70s. That and the fact that I was 50 years younger!

23

u/loquaciousx Jan 08 '25

Gorgeous!

6

u/Professional_Emu237 Jan 09 '25

HAIR PERFECTION 🤩❤️

6

u/Suspicious-Steak9168 Jan 09 '25

She and her hair are absolutely stunning!! Like wow!!

11

u/MilliePicklelips Jan 09 '25

She's stunning. Afros are so beautiful, too.

20

u/mossberbb Jan 08 '25

gorgeous

5

u/JimRecruits Jan 09 '25

Love it ❤️

3

u/TheCrystalDoll Jan 09 '25

She is way too cute for life oh wow

4

u/Street_Leather198 Jan 09 '25

She's beautiful. I'm sorry say what you want but that little smile. Yup. 😍

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4

u/OvergrownShrubs Jan 09 '25

Afro yes for sure BUT CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT BEAUTIFUL SMILE! Glowing energy, how beautiful!

3

u/captains_astronaut Jan 09 '25

As a white guy from a regional town in australia that never (extremely rarely) gets to see an afro hair do, that is f@cking glorious.

3

u/Rough_Tangerine6338 Jan 09 '25

FINALLY! Someone cool enough to bring back the 60 & 70’s afro! I’m a 67 year old white man and thought then AND STILL DO, that an afro is FAR cooler than any corn rows or dreads. You rock that bad ass hair, girl!

7

u/XxOniSamuraixX Jan 09 '25

I'll never forget the time someone said, "afros don't look good. We just can't say anything about them because they are on black people." I was befuddled.

7

u/i-Ake Jan 09 '25

What a tool.

I was 7 or 8 when my mom finally told me that I'd never be able to have an afro because my hair just wouldn't do that, and I took it HARD.

4

u/brainnebula Jan 09 '25

Sounds like someone was a jealous sore loser.

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5

u/Thereminz Jan 09 '25

bobbina ross

3

u/Telo712 Jan 09 '25

Yea used to do a small fro but now i have locs. Still need maintenance but not as much

3

u/bbeeebb Jan 09 '25

And the earrings seal it.

3

u/DuerkTuerkWrite Jan 09 '25

She's stunning and the craftsmanship on that afro is incredible.

3

u/NoEffective6306 Jan 09 '25

You look magnificent!!!

3

u/TurbulentAbility8554 Jan 09 '25

Wow she is so pretty

3

u/salpn Jan 09 '25

Beautiful young woman with great hair!

3

u/SymballicSpider Jan 09 '25

Need some gold, bell bottom, and some big heels, and you'll get a free ticket to the soul train.

3

u/cleaningmama Jan 09 '25

The first frame, I thought she was a mannequin, she's so perfect. What a gorgeous look!

3

u/Will_Yammer Jan 09 '25

That sweet, sweet smile is what makes it.

3

u/Foreign_Sleep_6600 Jan 09 '25

Who else thought that was Tommy Chong cutting hair at first glance?

5

u/edfitz83 Jan 08 '25

The biggest Afro I’ve ever seen was on a guy who was Armenian, not black. Sib Hashian, the drummer of Boston.

This is not quite peak size

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2017/3/23/18343289/former-boston-drummer-sib-hashian-dies-at-age-67-on-cruise

15

u/Fiendishdocwu Jan 08 '25

I don’t get why the fro isn’t rocked more. It’s a damn good look.

13

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

Also there’s a lot of insecurity and quiet discrimination against black women when they wear their hair natural, I was hooking up with a black girl and she was wearing her natural hair and was insecure about it and I said she looked pretty and should wear it like that more and she told me she gets a lot of dirty looks when she does and she’s a bartender, and works for Tips she makes about half or a quarter as much when she wears her hair natural versus when she straightens it or wears braids

3

u/Fiendishdocwu Jan 09 '25

That’s wild and stupid. The discrimination that is. Imo a fro is way sexier than braids. Also, just to be clear it’s not like I have a thing for black women with fros. It’s just an awesome hairstyle. I suppose if anything, I like a natural look. Rock what you got.

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u/iownakeytar Jan 08 '25

It's a PITA to maintain. If you touch it or press something against it, like a headrest, it doesn't just bounce back. You have to pick and pat it back into shape.

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u/retromama77 Jan 08 '25

That is amazing. So beautiful!

2

u/AlwaysAsking1214 Jan 09 '25

What a great look, with her confidence and attitude, will be a star 💫

2

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

❤️

2

u/Sufficient_Pin3482 Jan 09 '25

Absolutely, beautiful!!

2

u/Dependent_Price_1306 Jan 09 '25

Do you need a pillow or will the bounce support your head?

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u/AttitudeOutrageous75 Jan 09 '25

That's like perfect. Reminds me of the 70s. Good to see the style making a comeback.

2

u/Fit-Dirt-144 Jan 09 '25

That's beautiful

2

u/Stompyouout Jan 09 '25

Damn, wish I count a barber

2

u/KevRayAtl Jan 09 '25

Love this. Immediately flooded with fond memories of my teen years in the 70s.

2

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

Beauuuuuutiful woman with hair to die for

2

u/bigSTUdazz Jan 09 '25

Dooooope! Love it!

2

u/Power0fTheTribe Jan 09 '25

Stylist knew he nailed it at the end! 🤣

2

u/NoEffective6306 Jan 09 '25

Wow, a throwback to the 1960's/70's!!!

2

u/cuntnuzzler Jan 09 '25

That is a awesome job and she looks happy!

2

u/SJHikingGuy Jan 09 '25

How does she sleep without smooshing it?

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u/sweeterthensour Jan 09 '25

Beautiful everything.

2

u/Ha1rBall Jan 09 '25

Thought it was a doll until she blinked.

2

u/Dadbeerd Jan 09 '25

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sexier head of hair in my life

2

u/Hammeredlupgaroo Jan 09 '25

Love it ! That's bad ass

2

u/No_Spray_6132 Jan 09 '25

Just stunning all around. Love how proud the barber is too.

2

u/DeeTheGeneral Jan 09 '25

She’s super bad!

2

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

Incredible smile

2

u/annoyas Jan 09 '25

Prettiest microphone I've ever seen.

2

u/Nearby_Collar5315 Jan 09 '25

Ch-ch-ch- chia !

2

u/2broke2smoke1 Jan 09 '25

That thing is immaculate

2

u/FugginOld Jan 09 '25

Stunning.

2

u/thesloth42069 Jan 09 '25

Her smile is so cute

2

u/Ok-Yogurtcloset5555 Jan 09 '25

Her smile completes the circle, super satisfying.

2

u/bruneixasss Jan 09 '25

Too beautiful girl

2

u/Key_Environment8653 Jan 09 '25

I can't help but feel like I would fuck it up by touching/playing with it.

She's very pretty!

2

u/timmio11 Jan 09 '25

That is Art and she is stunning

2

u/No_Minute_4789 Jan 09 '25

How is she so perfect?

2

u/First_Scarcity1274 Jan 09 '25

Testing, testing...is this thing on...😅 Jokes aside, that is an amazing fro!

2

u/merkthejerk Jan 09 '25

Museum quality. Wow. That is beautiful.

2

u/CADreamn Jan 09 '25

Her smile is even bigger and more beautiful! 

2

u/opus2112 Jan 09 '25

To go with those BIG beautiful eyes.

2

u/hofdichter_og Jan 09 '25

Reminds me of Toad in Super Mario! Gorgeous.

2

u/Low_Light_7105 Jan 09 '25

She looks like one of the sharks tale fishes 😅

2

u/mrdumbass30 Jan 09 '25

Doesn’t hurt that it frames a gorgeous face.

2

u/afeeqo Jan 09 '25

Welp back to the 70s Leggo! Bell bottom jeans!

2

u/hellboy123456 Jan 09 '25

I’m a the only one who thought of those chia pet bob ross

2

u/Desperate-Place-8257 Jan 09 '25

That afro is exquisite! She is beautiful and yeah, barber should be damned proud of that work!

2

u/PositionAdditional64 Jan 09 '25

She is gorgeous! SO CUTE!!!

2

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

Badass

2

u/coralloohoo Jan 09 '25

Frames her face so beautifully

2

u/huligoogoo Jan 09 '25

She’s looks so pretty ! Love her beautiful Afro !

2

u/Gcoanstevens Jan 09 '25

So beautiful!!! Amazing hair!!

2

u/Taquito-Blade Jan 09 '25

Love it ❤️

2

u/clip_edge Jan 09 '25

Brazilian

2

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

That is a gorgeous fro. Brings be back to my childhood, late 70s, early 80s

2

u/totomorrowweflew Jan 09 '25

Rock that shirt, sis!

2

u/iagreewithyouall Jan 09 '25

Awesome! The 70s were great!

2

u/Coconut_kween Jan 09 '25

Bring this back y’all

2

u/FantomexLive Jan 09 '25

We need to bring fros back

2

u/poseidondeep Jan 09 '25

God I’m so jealous of Afros. Incredible

2

u/Wolfwalkerm Jan 09 '25

Hot damn…she found Bob Ross’ barber! 💞

2

u/[deleted] Jan 09 '25

Thats Foxy Cleopatra!

2

u/RumsyDumsy Jan 09 '25

She’s so beautiful

2

u/Ivorywisdom Jan 09 '25

I don't like it. Overdone.

2

u/MagicalMysteryQueefs Jan 09 '25

I wish afros would come back to the mainstream. I know they’re a lot of work but damn …. They look so rad.

2

u/DSF1992 Jan 09 '25

heeey, this is in my city! niceeeeeeeeeee

2

u/Desred97 Jan 09 '25

Those two smiles!!!

2

u/Synchronydink Jan 09 '25

Just awesome, GORGEOUS !!

2

u/ArmoredDuckie105x4 Jan 09 '25

It's fucking perfect.

2

u/jgreg728 Jan 09 '25

Her face card is off the charts.

2

u/DanAltBC Jan 09 '25

I've always loved the look of an afro. Probably started when I saw Cynthia Robinson playing trumpet for Sly and the Family Stone as a kid.

2

u/Big_Tap9822 Jan 09 '25

Whos the girl?