Chrisette Michele is not to be categorized, but we’re sure she doesn’t mind comparisons of iconic hair status like that of Janelle Monae, Solange and Tracee Ellis Ross. The doe-eyed songstress debuted her fourth project, Better, on June 11^th and reveals to curlBOX that behind her enviable curls and one-of-a-kind voice is a woman who pushed passed her insecurities and fought to love herself. Read the rest of her interview here.

What is it about curlBOX that you love?

Chrisette Michele: I remember being younger and wishing that magazines like Seventeen and Cosmopolitan had pictures of girls like me. With the influx of social media, and that being the way to see ourselves, it’s really refreshing to see my face on curlBOX. Not my literal face but other girls like me with my hair.

Your current cut is a cool, androgynous box cut. What was your inspiration?

CM: Androgyny is something that I think is a really cool, fun challenge. Women like Audrey Hepburn and Grace Jones were able to pull it off and still be feminine. Grace Jones was really the inspiration. I saw this same haircut a lot in London and places like Philadelphia and Chicago and D.C.

Because #teamnatural can be so serious at times, is there any apprehension to wear your hair straight again?

CM: I don’t think about it. I don’t think that learning or changing your hair should be criticized. It’s a form of self-expression and a way to take care of yourself. It’s not up for discussion. I had to learn that the hard way. When I cut my hair, my heart was broken by people’s responses. But it was also mended by me wanting to love myself.

Wow, you hid that well.

CM: The truth of the matter is when I shaved my head, I lost all of my self-esteem. I was really excited when I did it, but the response was so overwhelming that I kind of just felt ugly, at first. That lasted for a little while. I did photo shoots and things to try to make myself feel better, but I didn’t. I had gotten so upset and so broken that I stopped doing interviews – television, media, anything where people could actually see me. I even requested that people don’t take photographs. I just didn’t want to be seen. During that time, I wasn’t doing drugs or drinking alcohol to repress my pain, I just ate a lot. And then I met someone in the studio and he offered me something green, and it wasn’t drugs and it wasn’t alcohol. It was a green juice. That was last January. I loved the juice so much that I went on a 60 day juice cleanse and it cleansed my insides, literally, but it also cleansed me spiritually. I became a vegetarian and then shortly after, a vegan. That was my journey to Better. I had a 30 pound weight loss.

That’s so crazy. We remember everyone really loving those photos you released when you first cut your hair. You never really know what’s happening on the other side.

CM: I was so uncomfortable. So uncomfortable. I remember this rapper got on Hot 97 and he said something about my hair not being “nice enough.” I was so devastated because so many people heard it. I just kind of closed my door and told everyone to leave me alone. It took me so long to come out with this fourth album because I didn’t know that I could be healed the way that I am now. That was just God’s way of opening up the door to show me that He can heal the brokenhearted.

Tell us more about your new album, Better.

CM: I’ve decided to embrace love, which has taken me a really long time to do. I met with a songwriter and he kind of opened my eyes. He said, ‘Everyone can relate to a bad time, but the truth of the matter is…what you put out there with your words becomes your world.’ Once I started singing songs that you’ll hear on Better, that’s when my world turned around. I fell in love again. It’s an album about hope. It’s about having the expectation that love is out there for you in every way.

What other looks can we expect to see soon?

CM: I’m having so much fun styling myself. I just go into my closet and bring things to the photo shoot. It feels really good. I love to mix highs and lows, so you may see me with a Forever 21 tank top, Hudson jeans and a pair of shoes from Prada. Just pulling it all together. What’s really great now is the street style shooting. I’m experimenting a lot with color. I love the feminine physique, so most of my clothes are tailored. Oh, and patterns, prints and fabrics – I’m having so much fun playing with it all.

Who are you influenced by online?

CM: I’m really obsessed with Youtube. I’m almost embarrassed about it. There’s one girl that I really love, Nitra B. She does her online makeup tutorials and she’s so adorable and so cute. She has this little Southern accent. There’s another girl, Lover 4 Fashion. Her outfit of the day pics are ridiculous. Then, in the natural world, there is a girl named Alicia James Music. Her hair is bra strap length and every time you watch her videos you’re just like….I’m going to take my prenatal vitamins. That’s how I became comfortable with my style and being natural – my Youtube favs. My hair crush is Ahsiek1118. I want her hair! Her hair is black but I want mine to be bronze with gold tips.

What’s one thing you want your fans to know? 

CM: I want them to know that for the first time in my career, I feel like I’m in charge. Not because someone else was in charge before, but because no one was in charge before. I’ve decided that it’s okay to take the reins and go in whatever direction you decide to go in. Whatever you want to say. Whatever you want to look like. It’s okay if you want to feed the hungry and save the whales. Whatever your cause is, it’s okay. I’ve decided to embrace mine.

Better is in stores NOW!

We recently spotted Solange rocking a clear box clutch, so we figured that we’d track a few down. However, there’s definitely some pressure when rocking the barely there accessory. Is the stuff inside your purse appropriate enough for the world to see? Is it cool enough? The clear clutch can either make you an enviable makeup guru or a questionable human being. Check out a few more looks.

Snag it here.

Snag it here.

Create one here.

Take a moment to marvel the beauty of these badass desks. We know that many of you beauties have non-conventional careers requiring furniture that double as a muse. Check these out.

This beauty up top was created by the artsy folk over at MisoSoupDesign.

Check out this concerto desk by Lovegrove & Repucci.

A plexi-glass masterpiece by Bastian Griem.

A wall-mounted piece by Lax Series.

Which one tickles your fancy? 

This week’s My Life muse: Myleik at SXSW

Myleik is a jet-setting curly girl who’s heading to SXSW, an annual music, film and interactive festival in Austin, TX. Our awesome creator will be featured on the “Naturally Social” panel with Afrobella, Franchesca Ramsey and more.

 “The BEST part about having this job is being able to get out and talk to people! Anyone will tell you that I’m very chatty (not annoyingly chatty), but I love to exchange with people. I love hearing your story and how you’ve overcome challenges – it’s how I stay motivated each day.  I know that we’re all pushing toward our goals and when I’m having one of those days (we all have them), I think about all of the people that I’ve met on my journey and remember that I’m not alone!  Now on to this … SXSW! Can you believe it?!  I’m going to be hanging out with my curlfriends and I’m going to give you a little heads up on my topic. I’ll be talking “the power of Instagram” and giving tips to grow your following.  You don’t want to miss this!” – Myleik

Check out more on “We Are BIT (Blacks in Tech)” here.

*Kinky Chronicles is a new section that dabbles in fun conversations about sex, perceptions of sex, sensuality and kinky scenarios. 

Given the backlash that celebrities face with their tawdry naked photos, it’s pretty much a no-no to send your boy toy a photo of yourself in a compromising position. Or is it? We could kind of care less about the “appropriateness” of these photos, but rather the setup, the sizzle and the style. Share your tips to sending a titillating photo, and how special a guy needs to be to see just how photogenic you really are…

Weigh in.

It’s been a long time coming for curlBOX and we celebrated our first anniversary yesterday! *pause for applause* Throughout the year, we’ve been documenting this whirlwind experience and we’re finally ready to give our fans a peek at our upcoming mini-doc. The film – a mixture of clips from events, personal chats with Myleik Teele and exclusive looks into the curlBOX warehouse – delves further into the curly phenomenon that is curlBOX.

Since I started curlBOX, my good friend Adell encouraged me to document this experience.  He’d come to the warehouse on a curlBOX ship date with his camera and he’d come to the photo shoots and when the 1 year anniversary for curlBOX was approaching, he suggested that I do a mini-documentary.  As a friend, he knew how much I’d appreciate being able to look back at my year and boy was he right! This is a bit of my story. A bit of how curlBOX gets done. I’m grateful for the year with you. I’m thankful for your business and understanding.  Cheers to a year of dreams and a lifetime of wishes! 

 Happy Birthday, curlBOX!  - Myleik

Check it out.

This week’s MY Life muse: Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed.

“I decided that I was going to buy a book instead of magazines for my trip to New York this week.  There were only two of these left on the shelf and all of the other books were fully stocked, so I figured this must be a good one. It is BETTER than good!” – Myleik

In a generational sea of imposter love coaches and relationship mouthpieces, it’s nice to encounter a bit of unbiased wisdom. Though romance is subjective, fear is a very real and paralyzing emotion that occasionally captures us all. Author Cheryl Strayed offers up brazen bits of advice that make you chuckle as well as think. In one of Myleik’s favorite lines, the author writes, “The best thing you can possibly do with your life is to tackle the motherf*cking sh*t out of love.”

Sans the usual rhetoric that plays the blame game, Strayed gets right to the real heart of the matter. She writes, “You aren’t afraid of love.  You’re afraid of all the junk you’ve yoked to love.  And you’ve convinced yourself that withholding one tiny word from the woman you think you love will shield you from that junk.  But it won’t.  We are obligated to the people we care about and who we allow to care about us whether we love them or not.  Our main obligation is to be forthright – to elucidate the nature of our affection when such elucidation would be meaningful or clarifying.”

Would you agree?

In this new segment, we’ll showcase the latest gorgeous, curly styles, along with suggestions from your current curlBOX.

Whether you’re a buzzed babe rocking the big chop or a lover of a fresh cut, wearing short natural hair requires a few simple tips.

1.  Consider your shape: A buzzed fade simply requires the assistance of a good barber, but a professional cut is essential for growing out your tresses with ease. A tapered neckline always accentuates your style and fret not, the curls at your neckline tend to grow at a rapid pace, so you can keep it trimmed until you allow it to grow evenly with the rest of your mane.

A high top fade a la Grace Jones is a look that can be achieved with any pattern. They key is to focus on maintaining volume up top with shorter sides. You can also fake this style by smoothing back your edges and using a pick to lift at the roots near the front.

Tired of your short cut? Get creative and add faux textured pieces to keep it funky. Check out the Kanekalon braided bun above.

2. Choose definition: Focus on showing off your pattern with your short cut by using a styling aid that firmly sets your look. Start with Isabella’s Own Sulfate Free Shampoo to soften your curls. Use a dollop of Nubian Heritage Treatment Masque and detangle with a paddle brush. Style in-shower or following your conditioning session with Olive Oil Ecostyler Gel. If interested in wearing the style for a few days, use your fingers to gently coil sections and set under a dryer.

3. Refresh daily: You don’t have to do a wash-n-go every day to maintain your look. Instead, use a satin scarf or bonnet to preserve your look at night and use a spritz of water in the morning to reactivate your product.

*Products are available in the December 2012 curlBox.

Thanks for the shout out, Latina!  We are definitely “Latina-friendly!”

Best BOX yet?  What say you?