With cold weather arriving, many students have resorted to bundling up with layers. However, some students are braving the cold weather with summer-esque feathers and unusual headbands in their hair.
Students around campus have been revamping their looks by sporting different hair accessories, including feathers.
“Everyone likes the different colors down here, something more ‘bam,'” said Drew Price, communication disorders senior who styles semipermanent feathers in customers’ hair.
“My clients have been women in general, but more college students. LSU has been pretty big for me.”
Other students use headbands with various embellishments to accessorize.
“I have seen a lot of students with headbands in the past month,” said Melissa Duong, apparel design sophomore. “Lots of bows and bedazzled stuff and even some stylish hats.”
Sometimes students can go overboard, though, Duong said.
“I’ve seen some people with huge bows, and they look really obnoxious,” Duong said.
Some students add splashes of color to their hair.
“I just added some purple to my hair to change it up,” said Mindy Haslauer, education senior. “I would never add a whole bunch, though. I like the little streaks I have.”
Brittany Rampick, international trade and finance junior and feather-sporter, said she doesn’t do much with her hair.
“I just dry it after a shower, and that’s it,” Rampick said. “That’s why having the feathers is cool, because it is something, and I don’t have to work hard to maintain it.”
Price began her feathering business in September and has styled many students’ hair, including Rampick’s.
“When I was in Colorado, I had seen feathers in people’s hair, but none of them really attracted me yet,” Price said. “But then I met this lady who made bundles of feathers, and hers looked really cool.”
At $20 a feather, business has been great for the feather lady.
“It’s been blowing up. I never expected to sell this many feathers,” Price said.
The feathers won’t catch fire unless they’re intentionally lit, Price said.
“You can blow-dry it, wash the feather, curl it up, straighten it. You can do anything with them,” Price said. “You can make them look really dressy and then casual also. They have the best range when it comes to styling.”
Price uses aluminum “brads,” or tiny circles, to hold the feathers in place in hair.
“I slip the aluminum brad onto the hair, and I slide the bundle inside and clamp it down using pliers,” Price said.
The feathers are easy to hide for more formal situations, Price said.
“You can easily hide them by literally just pulling up on your hair,” he said. “But if it’s kind of hidden, all you have to do is pull up and out at the brad, and it shows.”
 
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