An artist is reimagining Disney princesses with curly hair and people are finding it super relat
August 2024 Β· 7 minute read
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Angela Mary Vaz makes comics about the struggles of living with curly hair.
She recently started a series where she reimagines Disney princesses with curly hair.
Her illustrations are honest, sarcastic, and funny.
People find the drawings relatable.
Vaz said that her experience as a woman with curly hair inspired her to make the comics.
Most Disney princesses share one common attribute: sleek hair that doesn't move out of place β even when they confront their enemies. But artist Angela Mary Vaz likes to imagine what it would look like if the princesses had curly hair like she does.
This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Log in.Vaz poses with her dog Maria. Angela Mary Vaz
Back in September, she shared a comic about what it would look like if Rapunzel had curly hair on her Instagram account, Stray Curls.
A post shared by Angela Mary Vaz (@straycurls) on Sep 1, 2017 at 5:01am PDTSep 1, 2017 at 5:01am PDT
The comic was honest, sarcastic, and funny β which made it an instant hit. The post inspired her to begin an ongoing series that reimagines princesses with curly hair.
"I think people love when they can relate a comic to something from their childhood or something they have fond memories of. These movies have a big role to play in most of our lives and thatβs why I feel that these posts do so well," she told INSIDER.
A post shared by Angela Mary Vaz (@straycurls) on Oct 12, 2017 at 6:21am PDTOct 12, 2017 at 6:21am PDT
People find her comics relatable.
"I LOVE your account! You perfectly capture the curly hair troubles and I really relate to them," one person commented on a post. "Haha [this] is something that might happen to me," someone else said. "This is the best!" a third person wrote.
Vaz said that she was inspired to make these comics based on her experience of growing up in the '80s and '90s when curly hair wasn't typically portrayed in media.
"I know for a fact, that in the '90s, it was very difficult for [animators] to illustrate curly hair movement. Characters [from] 'Sleeping Beauty' and 'The Little Mermaid' are supposed to have curly hair, but if you watch the movies, it comes off as wavy hair," she said.
But that changed in 2009 when Disney debuted Tiana, who was not only the first black princess but also the first princess with curly hair. Disney also increased hair texture representation in 2012 with the character Merida from "Brave."
Still, Vaz enjoys drawing the other princesses with hair like her own.
"Curly hair is fun and totally versatile. But itβs very high maintenance. Aside from the fact that I love drawing curly hair (big fan of the swirly, coil[ed] lines), I love illustrating how different and unique it is," she said.
She also explores the trials and tribulations of having curly hair in comics that are based on her personal life.
A post shared by Angela Mary Vaz (@straycurls) on Oct 7, 2017 at 5:01am PDTOct 7, 2017 at 5:01am PDT
Vaz hopes that her illustrations will help more girls and women to embrace their curly hair.
"I want to throw some light on curly hair and have girls [and] women with curly hair know that their hair is not their enemy. That they donβt need to straighten their hair or relax it in order to blend in," she said. "I want curly girls to embrace their curls and wear [them] with pride."
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Redeem now 
Sign up for notifications from Insider! Stay up to date with what you want to know. Subscribe to push notifications Read the original article on INSIDER. Copyright 2017.