 Cowrie Shell Designs
Accented Glory designs are created for Naturals by Naturals. My team consists of myself and three daughters; we all are Naturals! Our brand demonstrates our firsthand understanding of natural hair care needs through our quality designs and services. Below are 5 reasons why our customers LOVE Accented Glory's designs!
Afrocentric Vibes
Our customers love the Afrocentric Vibe of our hair accessory and jewelry designs! The majority of our designs are created with cowrie shells. Cowrie shells have African roots and portrays a message of respect, honor, and inspiration. The shell is the first symbol of money and wealth known to mankind. Cowrie shells are also believed to be a gift from the goddess of the water Mami Wata. She's the most celebrated mermaid like deity from Africa. You too can feel like an African Goddess by rockin' Accented Glory's designs!
Natural Hair Friendly
Our hair accessory designs are created with fabrics and materials that minimize damage to kinky, coily, and curly hair. We try to avoid coarse fabrics that can cause friction with natural hair and lead to breakage. Many of our designs are created with satin fabric to evade hair breakage and drying out of natural hair. Because most natural hair care regimens includes oils, we also avoid using adhesives when possible and reinforce design with hand stitching. Oils can break down adhesives and affect durability. Durability is a top complaint from Naturals when it comes to hair accessories!
Adjustable Headbands
Another concern we hear about from Naturals is headband headaches! These headaches are known as compression headaches caused by constant pressure on forehead, crown of head, behind the ears, and nap of neck. All of Accented Glory's headband designs are adjustable and provides a remedy for these headaches. Our adjustable headbands allow our customers to control the tension!
Team Save Edges
Accented Glory is Team Save Edges! Often times hair accessories get a bad rap and are accused of causing damage. Yes, all hair accessories aren’t created equal, BUT most damage comes from simply wearing too tight accessories. We put the tension control back into the hands of our customers with our hair accessory designs. Pretty shouldn’t hurt!
Comfortable Wear
We wear test all of our designs to ensure that they are not only stylish, but also comfortable. One of the most common styles worn by women with natural hair is the Afro Puff. Many use an elastic band, ribbon, and even pantyhose to create this style. Sometimes these methods can be painful and cause headaches. Our customers avoid the pain with Accented Glory's signature design Afro Puff Holder! It holds your Afro Puff in place and accent your hairstyle at the same time. It's also made with ouchless bands to protect natural hair from damage!
So, what are you waiting for? Join our Accented Glory Fam and experience first hand the LOVE our customers have for us. You can start by shopping with us on Amazon for some of our top sellers below. Click on photo to buy! Tonya Cross - Accessory Designer of Accented Glory
 Cowrie Shell Gift Set Accented Glory’s hair accessory and jewelry designs can now be purchased at the Community Arts Gift Shop! The shop is located in the Milton Rhodes Center for the Arts and is operated by the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. The shop address is 251 North Spruce St, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. You can shop for pieces by local artist Monday - Friday 9am to 5pm and Saturday 9am - 4pm. We customized a necklace and earring set for the shop. Currently this accessory set is exclusive to the center. And of course it has the signature Accented Glory Afrocentric Vibe. This design set features cowrie shells, wooden beads, and silver accents. Whether your look is dressy or casual this set would be a great accessory! Accented Glory has both headband and earring designs at the gift shop. All of our headband designs are adjustable. What does that mean for you? NO MORE headband headaches! We also have our NEW Cowrie Tassel Hoop and Cowrie Shell Tassel Earrings that were featured on Essence in the gift shop. If you’re in or visiting the Winston-Salem, NC area be sure to swing by and support us by making a purchase! Your support is truly appreciated. No look is complete without great accessories! Cierra - AKA Accessory Diva Other Gift Shop Designs...
This blog post contains affiliate links. Click here for Accented Glory's Affiliate's Disclosure.
 Purple Paisley Adjustable Headband
Often times hair accessories get a bad rap. They’re accused of causing pain and natural hair damage. Plus they’re labeled as inappropriate for women of a certain age. Today, I’m going to set the record straight and dispel all these myths! Hair Accessories Cause Headaches Too tight hair accessories is what causes headaches! These headaches are known as compression headaches; caused by constant pressure on one’s forehead, crown of the head, behind the ears, and nap of the neck. A remedy for this issue is adjustable headband designs. Accented Glory’s headband designs are all adjustable and meets the needs of our customer base. They’re both comfortable and natural hair friendly. Accented Glory designs are created with fabrics and materials that minimize damage to kinky, coily, and curly hair. Click Amazon or Etsy to shop and get free U.S. shipping on our natural hair accessory designs! Hair Accessories Cause Breakage To keep things fair, hair accessories can cause damage, but the damage is often caused by a misuse of the accessory design or material used to create the design. The best way to solve these natural hair issues is education. At Accented Glory we educate our customers on what to look for when purchasing and styling with hair accessories. Check out our natural hair Styling Guide for hair accessories on Etsy for more advice and tips on styling natural hair. Hair Accessories Are For Young Girls You cannot put a age limit on expression of style! The misconception that hair accessories are only for young girls can possibly be attributed to retail stores catering to a much younger demographic. That’s why Accented Glory has mature designs for the grown and sexy...and STYLISH women! What are somethings you’ve heard about hair accessories that may or may not be true? Feel free to share in comments below. Cierra - AKA Accessory Diva
Check out some of Accented Glory's adjustable headbands on Amazon!
 Cowrie Shell Afro Puff Holder
I remember the conversation like it was yesterday. A natural newbie who had "big chopped" and now had a TWA (Teeny Weeny Afro) reached out to me via direct message. She was very proud of herself for taking the plunge and embracing her natural hair, but struggled with the confidence of rocking short hair. She reached out to me looking for ways to style her small afro; she wanted to add some "pop" to her hair. Accented Glory's Afro Puff Holder was the design that I recommended to solve her natural hair woes!
One of the most common styles worn by new naturals and those who keep their hair short is the Afro Puff. The puff is a very quick and easy style. Many naturals use an elastic band, ribbon, and even pantyhose to create this style. Because of this fact, one of Accented Glory's first hair accessory designs was our Afro Puff Holder. This design is versatile and provide an all in one option; it holds the puff in place and accent the hairstyle. This natural hair friendly design is created with a round ouchless band; the round shape minimize cutting into hair and causing damage. There are also no metal connectors to worry about getting hair tangled in. Accented Glory's two most popular Afro Puff Holder designs is the pearl and cowrie shell. The pearl design is created with sixteen pearls. Pearls exemplify wisdom and the number sixteen represents intuition. Our cowrie shell design has seven cowrie shells. Cowrie shells have African roots and portrays a message of respect, honor, and inspiration. The shell is the first symbol of money and wealth known to mankind. The number seven represents spiritual perfection and completion. Whether you're a natural hair newbie or simply enjoy wearing a short afro, We Got You! Add some glam to the classic Afro Puff natural hairstyle with Accented Glory's Afro Puff Holders. Shop for our design on Amazon or Etsy. Tonya - Visionary of Accented Glory How do you style your Afro Puff? Do you accent your Afro Puff with a hair accessory?
Click on "Shop Now" below to purchase Accented Glory's Afro Puff Holders!
This blog post contains affiliate links. Click here for Accented Glory's Affiliate's Disclosure.  Tonya Cross - Accented Glory Visionary
Burrr… It’s that time of year again! Winter weather is upon us. Wearing hats is a choice for many naturals to keep their heads warm. Also, a part of winterizing our natural tresses includes protecting and covering our hair from cooler weather while outside. For those of us who are hat wearers, we often find ourselves in a dilemma during this season. Most hats aren’t natural hair friendly. Naturals struggle with keeping their heads warm without causing damage to their hair.
Most hats are created with materials and fabrics that are designed for warmth. This usually means the fabric is coarse with a closed knit weave to keep the cold out and the warm in. Many hats are created with fabrics like wool or tweed. Unfortunately, these coarse fabrics can cause friction with textured natural hair which can lead to hair breakage. If you’re not so lucky to have a lined hat with a softer fabric, no worries! I Got You. I have created a YouTube Tutorial to solve your natural hair hat woes. In the tutorial, I share how to line your hats with a satin bonnet. Keep in mind, this is not a pass on properly moisturizing your hair. For team “Throw A Hat On It”, I still recommend that you moisturize your hair before wearing a hat and/or styling with any type of hair accessory. Check out my YouTube Tutorial on how to line a hat below! You can also shop for Accented Glory’s natural hair friendly accessory and Afrocentric jewelry designs on Etsy and Amazon. Tonya Cross Hair Accessory Expert | Accessory Designer | Natural Hair Enthusiast What other tips would you offer to guard your natural hair from winter weather?
Do you need a bonnet for your hat? Click on picture to check out bonnets on Amazon.
Hi Accented Glory Fam! This hair accessory style is created using an Inspirit Arts Expandable Headband. We recently added the headband design to Accented Glory's online store! The Ankh Earrings and Embrace Greatness Lady Tee that I'm wearing can also be purchased from our store at www.accentedglory.com. Tonya - Visionary of Accented Glory Our visionary, Tonya Cross, is now a regular contributor to Dear Curl Friend. Dear Curl Friend is a digital platform for women to connect about their natural hair and receive beauty tips. See excerpt from her article below titled "The Three H’s for Fall – Headwraps, Hair Cuffs, and Headbands".  Inspirit Arts Sheer Handwoven Headwraps Fall is upon us and soon the leaves will be changing colors! The changing of seasons also brings an opportunity to dress our natural tresses with hair accents. For Fall accessorizing, I recommend the three H’s – Head wraps, Hair Cuffs, and Headbands! Click here to read why these are great Fall accessories. Click Styling With Hair Accessories to purchase Accented Glory’s styling e-guide!
For Naturals By Naturals Hi Naturalistas! I'm Tonya Cross the visionary and designer at Accented Glory. I have created a hair accessory styling e-guide for women with natural hair! I’ve been natural since 2001 and creating things by hand since childhood. Over the years I’ve learned a thing or two about natural hair and hair accessory designs. My guide offers advice and tips based on my experience as a natural creative who LOVES wearing hair accessories! Learn more about my brand story here.  Styling With Hair Accessories Let's Dispel Some Myths You're never too old. Okay ladies let's settle this once and for all right now...Hair accessories are not just for little girls! The grown and sexy can rock them too. There is no age limit on style or fashion. Accessorizing is a great way to allow your personality to shine through so, why not accent your crown? A woman's crown is truly her glory. Undeserved Bad Rap. Just like there are no bad dogs, but bad owners. The same is true for hair accessories! Hair accessories themselves aren't bad; it's simply that most naturals are unaware of what to look for when purchasing and styling with hair accents. Often times the damage caused to hair is due to misuse of the accessory! Natural Hair Friendly All hair accessories are not created equal. Again, there are no bad hair accents; it's simply a matter of knowing which ones work best for you and your hair texture. In my e-guide I share what naturals should consider when purchasing or styling with hair accessories. Whether your hair is kinky, curly, or in locs, my recommends will minimize damage to your textured hair. Ready to purchase my guide now? Click buy. I Got You Whether you're considering styling with hair accessories or a hair accessory styling pro, you can benefit from my styling e-guide! My guide offer resolutions for your hair accessory woes from headband headaches to hair jewelry tangles...I Got You. The best part is that the e-guide is ONLY $4.99! It's a concise quick read that can serve as a handy reference for your hair accessory needs. You can't beat the price nor quality of content. With that being said, are you ready to buy? If so, click my styling guide cover below!  Styling With Hair Accessories Guide Tonya - Visionary of Accented Glory Submit questions about my guide via Accented Glory’s contact us form here! Accented Glory has kicked off "Ask Our Visionary"! Below is our visionary's FIRST question. Click AOV to submit a question to her and she'll answer your question in a blog post on Accessory Diva! How can naturals who wear short hair use Accented Glory hair accessories? From brush cuts to TWA's (teeny weeny afros), Accented Glory hair accessories embrace all lengths and can be worn by anyone. Our headbands and head wraps are great hair accents for brush cut naturals. TWA's can rock our headbands, floral hairpins, and head wraps. Narrow headbands (1" or less) worn slightly behind hairline looks best with short hair. Select printed fabric, feathered, and jeweled headbands to dress up your look. Short haired naturals can also rock narrow headbands bohemian style around the forehead! When selecting floral hairpins, short haired naturals should choose a moderate sized flower. Remember hair accessories are accents; your natural hair is beautiful, so it should be the main attraction! If you're not allergic, natural flowers are a nice touch. Artificial flowers can be used for both a casual or dressy look. My favorite is printed petals. They allow you to express your style and personality. Accented Glory will be adding back our floral hairpins to our online store in the Spring! Head wraps come in a variety of sizes and don't have to cover your entire head. Someone with a brush cut could rock a bandana as a head wrap. Naturals with TWA's can use a scarf as a head wrap and tie it behind their hairline, exposing some hair in front. Shop at Accented Glory's online store to find hair accents perfect for short hair! Tonya - Accented Glory Visionary Check out Cynthykay Obi YouTube video below that shows how to style your TWA with hair accessories! Cynthykay Obi is a fashion, beauty, natural hair, and lifestyle vblogger. Be sure to subscribe to her channel! Accented Glory is highlighting our Fall designs this month. These natural hair friendly designs will be great accents for your Fall look. What makes our designs natural hair friendly? Accented Glory has three requirements for our hair accents: fabric, fit, and durability. Naturals need to avoid fabrics that will cause friction with textured hair and dry out hair. Coarse fabrics such as tweed can cause friction with textured hair and lead to breakage. Some cotton fabrics has a tendency to dry out hair. Many naturals already struggle with dry hair and there is no need to further contribute to the dryness. Softer fabrics with a smooth finish like satin are better suited for naturals because it don't cause friction or dryness. As naturals, we must also be mindful of protecting our hairline when choosing hair accessories. We all desire those perfect flat edges with the baby hair. Often time we use too tight ties, bands, or scrunchies to achieve this look, all along causing damage to our hairline. Unfortunately, hair accessories get a bad rap because we choose to wear too tight styles. How do you know if your hair accessory is a proper fit? It doesn’t hurt. Your hair accessory should not cause pain or headaches; it should be a comfortable fit. We recommend using hair care products to lay down your edges and not hair accessories. We're for team save your edges!  NO MORE headband headaches! Most of our Fall headbands are adjustable; you control the tension and protect your edges. Another feature that naturals should look for in hair accessories is durability. The hair care regimens of naturals includes various oils. These oils can breakdown many adhesives and rubber materials used to create hair accessories. The less rubber and adhesives used to create the hair accent the better! The hair accessory will last longer and endure natural hair care.
Accented Glory's Fall designs meets all the requirements mentioned above! Shop at our online store to purchase designs. |
Cierra CrossCierra has been a part of Accented Glory since its launch in June 2013. Outside of being an "Accessory Diva", she's a millennial who's currently navigating adulthood. Click Not One Of Your Little Friends to check out her podcast! Archives
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