SMU student JoJo Shipp poses to show a feather extension clipped into her hair by The Feather Junkie. (The Daily Campus)

After buying her first pair of feather earrings at Wakarusa, a music festival, in summer 2010, Ashley Featherstone decided to spread “the feather love” in Dallas, Texas.

In September, 25-year-old Featherstone started making feather earrings as a hobby in her living room.

“People eventually saw them (the earrings) on my friends and family and would ask if I could make them a pair of earrings,” she said in a recent interview.

Once people began offering to pay for the earrings, Featherstone decided she could start a business.

So, she did just that.

The Feather Junkie was born in September 2010.

After selling only feather earrings for a month, Featherstone began to include feather extensions as well.

By November, The Feather Junkie was providing feathers to local salons in Texas, Oklahoma and South Carolina.

Every Wednesday, Featherstone does “feathers and coffee” at the Starbucks in Park Cities Plaza on Mockingbird Lane from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

However, she is always willing to stay later for SMU students who have night class.

Junior JoJo Shipp got Featherstone’s contact information from an employee at Nordstroms with feathers in her hair.

After contacting Featherstone, Shipp met her the following Wednesday at Starbucks.

Currently Shipp has one feather in her hair but wants at least two more, maybe three before spring break.

“I wanted feathers because they’re unique and no one really has them and I never dye my hair so this is a way to switch it up,” she said.

Featherstone also works out of her apartment in Euless, Texas.

Lacey Crisler, who has been to many raves and electronic concerts, saw the feather extensions and decided to visit Featherstone at her apartment.

“I had just wanted it [a feather extension] for a while so three weeks ago I found her on the Internet and went to her the next day,” she said.

The Feather Junkie also offers lockets, which is one extension consisting of eight feathers.

Currently, Crisler has a locket called “Do you LILAC it?” Her feathers are a mixture of purple, brown and yellow feathers.

Because the extensions are clamped in the hair with a micro-link, the installation process takes a few minutes.

“It honestly takes longer to pick what color combo you would like than to install the feathers,” Featherstone said.

Feather extensions range from $20 to $45 and last between one to four months.

However, they can last up to six months or longer with a quick maintenance visit.

Feathers can be washed, brushed, curled and straightened, “just like real hair,” according to Featherstone. They can also be removed at anytime.

Featherstone gets the feathers from different rooster farms in the United States.

“They are pre-washed and dyed before I receive them,” she said. “No birds are harmed in this process.”