Willow Smith never lets anything stop her from doing what she wants. Not only is she a chart-topping artist, but she’s become an inspirational fashion muse, as a result of her bold sense of style—which also landed her as the face of Chanel last year.
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Read More: Jaden Smith’s Hair Evolution: From Karate Kid to Millennial Style Icon
Smith revisited one of her more memorable beauty moments at this year’s NYX Face Awards, discussing the time she completely shaved her head, which was, ironically, during her Whip My Hair Tour. “Every single one of my dreads is like a stress ball for me,” the star told Refinery 29 at the event. “I twist them when I’m nervous, making them longer and longer, and I like the way my long hair moves when I’m performing. But I have tried so many different looks and colors that it’s made my hair a little weak, so my favorite is when I go all-natural.”
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Additionally, her decision was a statement and went against society’s gender-restricting stereotypes. “I’m a black female in the 21st century. My favorite color isn’t pink; it’s black. I’m not obsessed with getting married or having kids,” she said. “Gender norms put people in boxes and don’t allow them to really get to their full potential as a human being. Slowly but surely, dudes are starting to wear nail polish and become more in tune with their feelings. Change is happening, and it’s very exciting.”
However, the people that really shaped her progressive point of view are her parents, which she and her brother Jaden have mentioned several times before. “We’re similar in so many ways,” Smith said of her mom Jada Pinkett. “When she was younger, she was all about reforming the paradigms. She’s still about speaking for what you believe in, but at the same time, she’s grown and she’s realized that anger and anxiety don’t get you anywhere. She imparts that wisdom on me, allowing us to see what really happens in the world, but also letting us know what we’re loved and have a place to be our true selves. That’s what’s important to me.”