Whether it is in our minds, or in a desperately written request in loc boards, nearly every person who has started locs has had a dream that they would spout into a replica of another person’s dreads. At this moment, you are probably thinking back to the person who sparked your approbation and longing. Was it Lauryn Hill, Goapele, Whoopi Goldberg? For me, there was never one single person, but I pinned after beautiful locs all the same. For many men and women, loc envy comes in various forms. There is the jealousy manifestation, you see a magnificent head of locs, and for some reason feel anguish toward the head wearing them. There is the sorrow incantation, basically, seeing a nice head of locs makes you compare them to your own and you feel discouraged when you don’t seem to measure up. Finally, there is the “perfect form” envy; you’ve spotted a loced head that you deem perfect. The wearer has exactly what you want for yourself, the thickness, the length, color, and style. Now you’re thinking this person must have some master blueprint. How else could they acquire what you long for so dearly, with little to no effort?

In many loc board threads, I’ve seen well meaning people post pictures of their loc inspiration and ask, “How can get my locs to mature like this?” Of course, the simple answer is not what people want as a response. That is, your locs will not look like another person's. It’s difficult and sometimes heartbreaking to hear that even if you use similar parting, the same starting method, and all the same products, your locs aren’t going to look like someone else’s. I suppose the main question is why is it important to us that we get our locs to look like someone else’s? Perhaps it is the same reason that it was deemed important to make kinky hair straight, the idea of attaining a certain beauty ideal.

I’m placing long loc envy in a category of its own. This doesn’t lend itself to thickness, color, or parts, but solely to length. If running into a long loced head makes you anxious, you may suffer from this. It’s no secret that locs grow very long, however it does seem to be a secret that this process take’s time. If you’ve begun your locs which short hair, there is little to no chance that you’ll after shoulder length locs after the first year. In fact for the first year, your hair will probably look shorter than it is. Your new locs need time to mesh, bud, and condense. Any length you grow will be sucked up into the loc. If you spend your whole year obsessed with grow you’ll be both disappointed and discouraged.

On an honest note, every person experiences some kind of envy in their life. However, as it applies to locs, one should remember this. The person whose long, seemingly perfect locs you are envying didn’t start out that way. They were once where you are now. If they’re locs are bra strap or waist length, they have probably been growing them from three to seven years or more. It’s a shame that all that time, patience, and care is being diminished by another person’s jealously. What’s most important is to love your locs at every stage, trade your envy for admiration and encouragement. You’ll be happier in the long run.