So for those who are "natural" what did you do w/your hair to prepare for your...

They are the same as cornrows.

OK, thanks. 

I washed and conditioned it and then plaited it up into two cornrows.  I tied it up at night and it stayed up fine. 

I was teased on the board about my lovely "style" in my before pics but I was too tired to care. lol I just put my hair in 2 plaits and tied a scarf around it. My wonderful friends on the boards said that I looked like a crip (sp?) gang member, of course my mean looking expressions probably had a lot to do with it also. lol  I would probably do braids if I had to do it all over again.

I flat ironed my hair and pulled it up into bun on the top of my head.