Yeah, don't get me wrong, my hair was really curly too. (I'm a black and white mix, after all - got a lot of that nappy nappy goin, haha). I just had it growing so long, though, that it would not fall straight down, it would poof out. It would reach my shoulders, but form more of a mushroom-esque shape, with lotsa ringlets and all that stuff.
But it's all gone now, which I'm thankful for cause if I still had a full head of hair in this heat...I'd be dead, lol.