By Winston Benons Jr.

Summer is one of the seasons a lot of people dream of, but whether it is the ideal time of year for you or not one thing is certain.  The middle to end of the season can be an unbearable time for many.  For all of you ladies with natural hair it can also be a time of frustration.  There is humidity leading to shrinkage and frizz.  There is direct sunlight leading to dryness.  There is heat leading to excessive perspiration.  With all of these byproducts of the season this is usually the time when finding summer hairstyles become imperative.  The ultimate goal is to have "cute" hair that keeps you cool and stylish!

Here are a couple of styling options for you "naturalistas."

The pompadour a la Janelle Monáe is and cute a popular look.  This retro styling allows you to lift all of the hair off of your neck while creating a cool architectural style.  You can choose to have a 40's, 50's or 80's inspired look depending on the type of pompadour you do. 

• To recreate Janelle Monáe's signature look apply a good moisture cream to your hair like Miss Jessie's Baby Buttercreme. 
• Brush or comb your hair from the nape towards your hairline
• Roll your hair creating the shape that you want and secure with bobby pins

Simple flat twist's are also a great go to style for the summer.  Many women remember having this style in their youth but it has become a simple style that has transcended age.  You can do two flat twists with a center or side part.  You can also decide to include all of your hair or leave the back out.  Either way you will have a fresh-faced look with this styling option.  One alternate way to do flat twist styling is one twist on the side.  To recreate this look:

• Decide if you are going to include all of your hair or just the front section
• Once that is decided brush/comb that section towards your best side
• Start twisting the hair from the point of where your side part would be (this is usually two thirds of your hair)
• Twist the hair flat towards the scalp and secure with bobby pins

A loose ponytail can be a great option.  This easy style can take you from the beach to a summer cocktail party.  Many women make their hair cutting decisions based on whether they will be able to have a ponytail or not.  Yes, this is a great option for some and a must have for others.  To create this easy going look without adding too much stress to the hair:

• Finger your hair back and up into a loose ponytail
• The positioning can be low near the nape, 2 inches up from the nape or higher
• Secure with an ouchless ponytail band
• To further frame the face you can use an ouchless head band

Hair accessories are also a great option.  Using scarves to gently sweep the hair away from the hairline and nape can be a nice colorful option.  Headbands and hair clips are another way to keep hair off the face.   Whatever summer style you choose, following these trends will help keep you cool (either from the heat or in the eyes of others)!!!!