Outrageous and usual hairstyles are a common reoccurrence here on Florida A&M’s campus.
From Mohawks to yarn being braided into hair, FAMU has it all. Many students find it cheaper to either style their own hair for free or have a friend style it for them for much lower than the average salon would charge, but there are also the students that leave the fate of their hair to the professionals.
“Creativity has no limitations… everyone has their own sense of style,” said Malik Miller, owner of FAMU’s Rattlers Edge.
The shop is located so close to the dorms and classes, many students find it convenient to stop into the hair salon to get their hair styled. Some of the most outrageous hairstyles that Miller and his hairstylist have received often come whenever there is a large event in town.
During homecoming, one of Miller’s barbers was asked to include a snake etched into a Mohawk with homecoming shaved into the side of the customers head. Other unusual requests they receive are high top fades and permed hair in order to give the Mohawk that certain “spiked” look. One in particular that Miller remembers is a man that wanted majority of his hair cut low except for the center, which he allowed to grow out long enough for him to braid up.
Unusual request that ladies ask for in the shop are even more bizarre than the males. They can range from funky hair colors such as pink and orange to shaving only one side of the head and leaving the other side long.
The only designs that Miller and his employees will not do is anything offensive or derogatory.
Another hair salon located near FAMU’s campus is called Celebrities. Owner Trenice Seniors said, “We stick to contemporary and classy hair styles. Customers know what to expect before they walk through the door”.
The most unordinary request they have ever received came from a young lady who wanted 14 inches of her own hair cut off in order to have a short cut like Halle Berry. Many students use their net checks in order to buy 14 inches of hair to wear on their head.
Seniors said they do not do what is known as “fantasy hairdos” because they have a certain standard they uphold in the shop.
Fantasy hairdos are known as dramatic and bold hairstyles usually reserved for models on the runway, but they have seem to have made their way into the black community and onto FAMU’s campus.
There are certain salons around Tallahassee that have experts at creating amazing fantasy hairdos and others, such as Celebrities, that do not partake in creating these hairstyles. All in all, if you are looking for the regular touch up, relaxer, coloring of the hair or hair cut; Celebrities and the Rattlers edge would be the place to go. Everyone else should either look to a friend or other salons around town to get that certain “fantasy hair style”.