Solange Knowles Talks About Her Infamous Haircut To Honey Magazine

Solange Knowles raised quite a few eyebrows (not to mention caused plenty of internet chatter) a few months ago when she got rid of her extensions and cut her hair super short. Now she talks to Honey Magazine about it.

I guess you just go through different phases in your life. I was pretty much at the point where I needed the change and I needed to focus my energy on more productive arenas. I was putting too much into my appearance and I needed to make this about growth and going to the next stage of my life. I felt like I was being distracted by something as simple as hair. I've always been really fearless about change. I've cut my hair the same way when I was 16 and again when I was 18. This was my third time.

It's interesting how much hair plays a role in your life and character and schedule...I remember being 16 and being like 'Okay, I can still be smart and I can still have the same beliefs that I have, but I did not have to have red Rasta braids. I can do that with straight hair. I can do that with a 'fro. I can do that with a weave down to my butt.' That was when I first cut my hair off.

When I was 18 I got a hot flash because I was pregnant with [Julez] and I was like 'It's hot as hell so I'm cutting this s**t off.' But this time it was definitely more so about the growth and the energy and the time I was spending. It was about to be summer, and I didn't want to have to worry about swimming or going to the park with my son or how hair was going to fit into my life. It was too much.

Solange found that people responded to her differently. Read about what happened when that infamous photograph came out by clicking on the continue reading link below.

Solange on how she was perceived when the first photographs came out of her with short hair:

The first picture of me when I cut it off — I had no idea that there was any photography going on. I was looking like someone taking their kid to school at 7 o’clock in the morning in jeans and a top and no makeup on, no earrings, no nothing. That reaction was very harsh, very negative...

As a society we equate beauty with the images that have been placed in front of us since we were little kids. Every Disney movie, every fairy tale, every pop star typically has a certain aesthetic and look. I think that anytime we see something different, it freaks us out.

The more people warmed up to it, and they saw more images of me with it and dressed up with my earrings and a little something, something on my face, I think then people were more willing to conform and accept it.

Now, it’s interesting how the first day I had it, I had nothing but negative, evil, cruel things in my inbox and then yesterday [after Oprah aired] I had 300,000 people saying ‘Oh my God, you looked amazing, so beautiful, and you made us proud.’ People were able to hear my reasoning, which is good and bad because we should be able to just express ourselves.

What do you think of all that Solange has to say about the way women tend to view their hair and how big of a role it can play in our lives? Have you gotten used to Solange with the short hair or do you prefer her with the weave?

You can also read about Solange's take on fashion and her new album here.