Boxer braids? Buddha knots? Cloud bob?
What now?
In a since-removed image of Tracee Ellis Ross in a Vogue article about flattering haircuts for thicker hair types, her bouffant afro, beautifully captured framing her face, was instead called something else: a “cloud bob.”
While bobs are undoubtedly trending and Ross’s fluffy ‘fro meets the style’s length requirement, the article quickly triggered a unified sentiment: “It’s 2026 and we’re gonna stop Christopher Columbus-ing Black people’s hairstyles,” said creator RaeShanda Lias in a TikTok video with over 70,000 likes (and counting). According to another creator known as certifiedreadergirl on the same platform, “they are trying to erase the afro so white people, particularly the Kardashians and the Jenners, can now wear an afro and then not be called an afro.”
@shopaif A Cloud Bob?! #fyp #hair #history #hilarious #greenscreen ♬ original sound – RaeShanda Lias
The hairstylist whose quotes were used in the article, Tom Smith, even went as far as to put out a statement denying his direct involvement in this specific story as backlash grew, critics pointing out how the “cloud bob” is just the latest example of how renaming Black hairstyles promotes their erasure. In reality, our styles are strictly named as they are to preserve our cultural history.
Cornrows, for example, should never be referred to as “boxer braids” because they’re rooted in survival. As we all should know by now, cornrows refer to the literal roads (including rows of corn) our enslaved African ancestors had to navigate to escape plantations. Their hair was braided into maps—curves representing rivers, rows representing crops, and so on—as a tool for survival.
They represent a great history. A great story. It’s similar to the locs our ancestors were either born with—called “Dada” in Yoruba and “Elena” in Igbo —and revered as sacred messengers of the Orisha, or grew on Trans-Atlantic trafficking ships. While Bantu knots should be accurately credited to the Bantu people, a diverse community of over 400 ethnic groups in Sub-Saharan Africa. Not Buddha. While Buddha statues often feature short, clockwise-curled hair (sometimes called “snails”), this style exclusively symbolizes wisdom and spiritual attainment rather than an actual hairstyle, such as Bantu knots.
@certifiedreadergirl Be FFR please! ##fyptrending #booktok #blackwomen #reading ♬ original sound – Certified Reader/Yapper Girl
From cornrows to Bantu knots, a number of influential hairstyles tell a story. Our story. And, like Tracee Ellis Ross’s afro, they should be spoken of and identified properly. Not reinterpreted. The word “afro” is a direct connection to our African lineage as “Afro”-Americans and holds the memory of where we come from. It is a rejection of Eurocentric beauty and a symbol of pride and identity.
Unlike a bob, an afro grows tall, reaching up and out, while a bob often grows long towards the ground. It’s true, bobs can be fluffy and breezy, frizzy and textured, but the sheer circular volume—and overwhelming cultural weight—makes an afro bigger than a temporary trend could ever be.
In an industry where there’s a cheeky pet name for every fad, from soap nails to latte makeup, and of course, the dodgy cloud bob, there’s one thing for sure: the line is drawn for Black culture. Our hairstyles deserve to be called what they are to honor their full glory. Tracee Ellis Ross’s afro included.
