The young beauty queen, who is a competitive dancer and theater major, is the first Miss Teen USA since 1999 winner Ashley Coleman to forgo the blowout in favor of her natural texture.
The black model has become the first Miss Teen USA to win the title while rocking a natural Afro hairstyle in two decades.
18 year old Kaliegh Garris from Connecticut, proudly embraced her natural hair by modeling an Afro during the Miss Teen USA competition on Sunday evening, which saw her sail through each round before being crowned as the overall winner.
And in an interview with Refinery29, Kaliegh explained exactly why it not only meant so much to her to claim the title, but to do so while modeling her natural curls, instead of while wearing extensions or straightened locks.
‘I know what I look like with straight hair, with extensions, and with my curly hair, and I feel more confident and comfortable with my natural hair,’ she told the online site.
It has been nearly two decades since a Miss Teen USA contestant was crowned while modeling naturally curly hair, according to the pageant website.
Kaliegh wanted to be one person throughout the competition, including when she ran and won Miss Connecticut Teen, to break down the beauty expectations and show off her natural curls.
But she still had to fight critics within the pageant world who thought her curls did not have a place on the stage.
‘There were a few naysayers saying, “You look better with straight hair,” or “You should put in extensions and straighten your natural hair,” Kaliegh said.
She hoped her hairstyle could inspire diversity and confidence for other women watching the pageant
Ignoring critics, Kaliegh proudly wore her hair in its natural Afro when winning the title of both Miss Connecticut Teen USA and Miss Teen USA.
She now hopes to encourage other women and girls around her that they, too, can embrace their natural hair if they so choose.
‘As Miss Connecticut Teen USA, there are girls who would look at me in awe because they’ve always had the image of straight hair in pageants,’ she said.
‘Being able to spread the message of diversity, being yourself, and being confident in your curly, natural hair is something that I’m really looking forward to with my new national title.’
Although Kaliegh now embraces her natural curls, she admitted to previously getting her hair relaxed starting at the age of six.
She would then straighten her hair every day before heading to school. But on one day, the titleholder explained, her friends could still see some curliness at the roots.
‘There was one day when my friend saw my curls coming in from my roots because I didn’t straighten my hair very well that day, and she was like, “You have beautiful curly hair, you should go natural,”‘ Kaliegh said.
That moment was monumental for Kaliegh because it encouraged her to consider wearing it natural more often instead of straightening or relaxing the curls.
During the Sunday broadcast, Kaliegh explained in a video just what products she uses in her hair to keep them defined and free of frizz.
‘It dries out super fast,’ Kaliegh said before running CHI Argan Oil through her locks to promote moisture. ‘I’m really going to focus on the back of my head because that’s where my curls dry out and frizz out the most.’
Kaliegh’s decision to rock her natural hair during the competition was met with high praise online, with dozens of people applauding the teen on social media.
‘Congratulations! The Curl community is going nuts from excitement. Much deserved. Enjoy it,’ one person wrote on Instagram, while another added: ‘We now stan. Also I’ve never seen a crown look this good on hair before.’
One person chimed in: ‘Congratulations @kalieghgarris so happy to see a curly girl as the winner!!!!’
Some also thanked Kaliegh for showing how beautiful natural curly hair can look, while helping to provide inspiration to anyone who was nervous about their own natural locks.
‘And you did it with your natural hair thanks queen,’ a commenter said.
Another then piped up: ‘Congratulations queen! Thank you for being unapologetically you and showing us all that we can do what we want and be who we want!’ while someone else wrote: ‘The Curls are Winning!!! Yaasss.’
Kaliegh followed in the footsteps of Miss USA 2016 Deshauana Barber, who also chose to make her final walk during the pageant with her natural curls.
‘I decided to embrace what makes me feel comfortable and what makes me feel the best and brightest on stage, but also embrace what other people can relate to,’ Deshaunana told Refinery29 at the time.
‘That typical, traditional sleek hair with a big tease, not to say it’s gone out the window, but it’s transitioning a lot.’