I’m honestly not trying to show off my lack of knowledge about black women’s hair, but I honestly don’t know if Janet Jackson’s newly-cropped look is a fashion statement or a styling necessity. Does Janet usually wear wigs? Or does she have a weave? Or was her previous hair all her own? Here’s a photo of her from early May, at the Costume Institute gala. My call? I think the roots are hers but she got some weaves/extensions happening, and probably a full-on hairpiece for the bun.

So, did Janet Jackson chop off her hair as some kind of dramatic fashion statement, or was her hair just over-processed and she needed a clean slate? Or has it been short for a while and she’s been wearing wigs? Whenever I have these kinds of questions about an African-American celebrity, I turn to Bossip. Bossip never fails… she asks “Did She Cut All Her Hair Off Or Is She Just Letting The Lace Front Breathe?!??” Bossip doesn’t know for sure either. However, Us Weekly kind of thinks that this is all because Janet and Jermaine Dupri broke up last year? No, Us Weekly. She would have shaved her head back then if it was about the split.

Oh, and Jesus Christ I want her purse. I LOVE her purse so much I want to take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant.

Janet Jackson in London on May 19, 2010. Credit: Pacific Coast News.