But hair-based discrimination has left many Pennsylvanians feeling not too regal.
That changed on Thursday with the signing of the CROWN Act. It's an issue that Governor Josh Shapiro says disproportionately affects African American people. He signed the legislation into law at a Parkside salon, where many African American clients come to have their hair done in natural styles such as locks, braids, and twists.
"I love natural hair," said Lorraine Sealey-Ryley as she sat in her salon, Island Design Nail and Spa in Parkside, shortly after Shapiro signed the landmark legislation at her salon. "I love the feel, the texture."
Sealey-Ryley knows, though, not everyone feels free to embrace their natural hair the way she does. She says many African Americans struggle with having to choose a hairstyle that society will deem "professional."
"We have been so conditioned to wear our hair pressed, or weaves just to make society or ourselves feel good," she said.
Shapiro acknowledges that discrimination based on hair is a reality for a number of Pennsylvanians.
"Someone getting fired simply because of how they look," Shapiro said as an example.
The CROWN Act outlaws discrimination based on a person's hair. It took seven years of pushing to pass the legislation in Pennsylvania.
CROWN stands for "Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair."
State Representative La'Tasha Mayes first began introducing the legislation in 2018. She gave a celebratory hair flip with her locs as she joined the governor and other state, local, and federal dignitaries for the bill's signing.
She shared that growing up, she had been told her natural hair was not acceptable.
"We are changing the trajectory of the future of our children," she then said. "That's why this bill is necessary."
House Speaker Joanna McClinton worked with Mayes to push the effort in the Pennsylvania State Legislature.
"They will not look at your hair and decide you can't work here," she said.
The CROWN Law places hair in the same protected class as race under the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. It's a relief for people like Tonya Edmonds, a client at Island Design salon. She didn't always feel free to wear her hair the way she wanted.
"I gauge (my hairstyle choice) based on who I'm working for, who's my supervisor," she said.
With bipartisan support, Pennsylvania is the 28th state to have a CROWN Law. The woman behind the now-nation-wide push is a Philadelphia native, Adjoa Asamoah. She is known as the "CROWN Act Champion."
"It was necessary to change the law to address the longstanding practice of racial discrimination in the form of hair discrimination," she said.
The CROWN Act goes into effect in 60 days. Under the new law, complaints of hair discrimination would be filed with the Pennsylvania Human Rights Commission. There's also an "ongoing push" to pass a federal law.
Shapiro sees the new law as a way for Pennsylvania to send a message.
"No matter what you look like, where you come from, who you love, who you pray to, or how you wear your hair, you belong here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," he said.
It's news that Sealey-Ryley can't wait to share as she teaches others to love their hair.
"It's your crown," she said. "Why not wear it?"