Alissa Ashley: Is $700 Too Much to Pay for Box Braids?

Alissa Ashley spent $700 on box braids and Black Twitter ain’t having it

When Alissa Ashley uploaded a video to YouTube about a new box braid hairstyle that she got, the internet was left in shambles. Essentially, the controversy isn’t over the validity of the style. It’s over the validity of the price instead: $700 ($550 before tipping).

Why so much? Ashley’s hair was done by Beverly hairstylist, Dr. Kari Williams, who has done hair for celebrities such as Ciara, Brandy, Ava Duvernay, and Willow Smith. Dr. Kari Williams is the creator of the Goddess Locs and is beyond solely a hairstylist, she is also a trichologist. Meaning that, not only as a black woman with natural hair, she also specialises in dealing with the health of the hair and scalp. But is that enough to justify a whopping hairdressing bill?

In the YouTube video, Ashley was happy to spill the tea on her time with Dr. Kari Williams. She told her viewers about her apprehensions towards getting box braids with her hair being so short, how much the hair cost, how long it took to get done, and how she felt about the process. As she vlogged the sequence of her day, she let the audience in on the reality of getting the braids. Ashley was excited to finally get her hair done but wasn’t prepared for the backlash once she revealed how much she had paid.

The hairstyle was received in what seems like a 50/50 split with nearly everyone loving it until they saw the price. But, as Ashley said herself, why are we all so obsessed with “pocket watching”? If Ashley has worked to be where she is now and can afford to pay for this style, why do we care so much? Are we only thinking of the style and what we would pay?

Words By: Nya Monroe-Stephens