Familiar trend reappears, but at only half-strength

It is not a new phenomenon that history has a way of repeatingitself. Fashion tends to follow in this pattern. We have time andtime again taken “inspirations” from decades past andtailored pieces to our modern liking.

There are many trends that we hope never repeat themselves, suchas tapered jeans. And stirrups. And shoulder pads. As we read eachone, a look of horror overcomes us as we think “Oh geez, whatwere we thinking?!” This is exactly what I was thinking as Imade my way down the Boulevard this weekend for SMU’s firsttailgate of the season.

Mohawks

I thought we had long since graduated from these wanna-be punkedup dos. I’m not actually sure when the trend truly becamepopular and not just some guy spiking only the middle of his hairstraight up. This trend has done what all previous trends havedone, however, so I must give props when it is deserved. The Mohawkhas been manipulated and modernized, making today’s wearersmore conscious of the distractions Mohawks formerly created.Instead of shaving off the sides of your head, such as the exampleof the past, today’s Mohawk-ers are gelling the frontsections of their hair together, creating a “half”Mohawk, or faux-hawk.

This trend, also noted, is not just appearing on the malespecies at SMU, but all over the country. In a recent conversationwith my best friend who attends Miami of Ohio, she spat out,”What are those? Half Mohawks? Can you really only havehalf?”

And I had to think. Can you really only have a half Mohawk? Isthat like having a half mullet? Personally, I consider anyonewalking around with the front part of his (or her) hair shorterthan the back a mullet. And if these Mohawks are coming back instyle, are mullets next?

I think it truly started with David Beckham, the notoriouslygorgeous English soccer player, who began sporting this faux-hawksometime last year.

Kellan Zindel, a junior psychology major, has been sporting thefaux-hawk since early this past summer.

“I never intentionally did the Mohawk,” Zindel saysof his hair. “I had longer hair at the end of school, then abunch of my buddies and I decided to shave our heads. As it grewout, it was just really awkward and I didn’t know what to dowith it.”

Zindel put wax on the front section of his hair, spiking it upand together. When Zindel’s hair began growing out, he beganintentionally cutting the sides of his hair shorter than the frontand middle.

“The key is to blend the sides into the middle,” hesaid. Perhaps that is the modernized difference between pastMohawk-ers and today’s.

“Not too many frat boys are into the Mohawk look,”Zindel said.

This may be the reasoning behind its slow but certainly growingtrend of the faux-hawk at SMU. Zindel knows he will only be able tosport this half Mohawk and still be considered original before itretires with the numerous other trends that have been overplayed atSMU.

The faux-hawk is only suitable on males with enough confidenceto walk proud and stand tall. Let’s just hope that Bill RayCyrus’ unforgettable mullet is not next on the list.

Hill Fischer is a senior english major. She can be reached [email protected].