ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the recent revival of the Afro as 'retro-chic' is only the latest development in a commodification process that began only a few years after the style first emerged as a symbol of black pride and a rejection of white beauty standards. The Afro was merely the first of several 'natural' hairstyles to gain prominence after 1960. By the mid-1970s few would have argued that the style was rebellious or revolutionary. Certainly the prominence of the commercialized version of the style helped blunt the militant edge of the natural look. Nevertheless, hairdressers and hair-product manufacturers who promoted the Afro did not necessarily see any conflict between supporting images of Black Power and making a profit. For black business owners these were likely seen as complementary rather than antithetical goals. In the absence of widespread commodification, it is possible that the Afro regained some of its political significance for the few who continued to wear it.
