Every woman’s face or body has a different story to tell. We may be bombarded by the mainstream media’s message of what beautiful is supposed to be, but we know that beauty comes in all shapes, colors, and sizes. Here, an Asian American woman proves it.
ISSUE: Summer 2011
DEPT: Features
STORY: Janice Jann
PHOTOS: Melly Lee
HAIR & MAKEUP: Joyce Luck and assistant Natalie Herrera for JLS
{ VIOLETTA }
Cambodian-Chinese American Violetta Tang’s wild mane of hair is so perfect for her effervescent personality that it’s hard to believe there was a time in her life when she would spend an hour every morning and pay hundreds of dollars to get her hair stick straight. “In middle school I started to feel weird that my hair wasn’t as straight as my other Asian friends, so I started blow drying it a lot to get it straightened,” she says. “I didn’t really know how to handle my hair.” When Violetta started wearing her hair curly in college, she was surprised to hear a lot more compliments on her locks. “I guess I just kind of stood out,” she says.
It hasn’t been all positive feedback though. “I once got this job as a hostess at an Asian restaurant and I wore my hair curly and down. My manager asked me to tie it up and wear it as a bun,” remembers the 24-year-old. “All the other hostesses had stick straight hair and they got to wear their hair down. I don’t think I fit the Asian image of what they were looking for.”
Stick straight or wavy, Violetta finds it’s important to have “a core sense of self-confidence and self-esteem. You like who you are and hopefully that will come out in how you look.” Giggling, she adds, “I like who I am most of the time. I definitely have flaws, but the core person of who I am, I really like and I keep trying to improve.”
– Janice Jann
Joz is one of nine women Audrey featured in its Body of Quirks feature. Check out more stories here.
Purchase the Summer issue of Audrey Magazine here.
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Hi Violetta,
You look great in the photo and we love your hair! But most importantly, thank you for being such a great role model for the Khmer community. We look forward to following you progress!
Best, Derek
Co-founder
You are so beautiful, one day we will be together. I miss you so much.