Have you ever pondered getting a mohawk? Coveted one, had one? The mohawk has been around since the what feels like the dawn of times and still looks fresh as ever. The style first rose to prominence during the 1970s and was initially a rebellious way to express certain views and to state affiliation to various subcultures. The classic mohawk features shaved sides and a voluminous or spiky central hair strip.
Fast-forward to today and mohawk hairstyles are still going strong. Ladies with short to medium hair and the courage to commit to shaved sides are rocking fantastic versions of the classic mohawk. Moreover, some women opt for mini braids and unusual colors to make their mohawk stand out form the crowd.
Do you have long hair and don’t feel ready for the big chop just yet? Don’t fret! There are some wonderful fauxhawks featuring poufs and braids that can totally pass for the real deal. Arm yourself with a teasing comb, some bobby pins and your favorite hairspray and let’s go!
The cult classic – shaved sides and central hair strip
Let’s start off with the classic mohawk hairstyle. This one is perfect for short and medium length hair because the hair in the middle can still stand by itself or with a little help from styling products. The best part is that, if you decide you want to grow it out, the process will go a lot smoother, since the difference in length between the shaved hair and the central one is smaller. Onto the styling part: you can choose to tease it and raise it up towards the skies or wear it flat against your head as a makeshift set of bangs. You can always consider an asymmetrical mohawk hairstyle – a contemporary, fresh look that also happens to be easy to style.
The classic mohawk look can be achieved even with long hair and shaved sides. If you are considering going for this style (or have already done it!) congratulations for your unique, daring look. Long hair can be styled into mohawks with the help of braids and knots. Gather all the hair on the central strip and start a French or Dutch braid. Once you’ve reached the end, twist the remaining hair into a big, intricate pouf. Hold everything in place with pins and some hairspray and that’s it. A fantastic hairstyle achieved with so little effort! Done.
The modern twist – braided sides for short and long hair
Not a classic mohawk and not a full on fauxhawk: these mohawk hairstyles with braided sides are the happy middle for the girl who wants clean, strong sides without necessarily committing to a shave. For the courageous girl who already has shaved sides: just pick a strand of hair from the the middle of your head and braid it along the scalp.
Small French braids or twists are wonderful for this task. Keep in mind that the hair must be braided as close to the scalp as possible. The result should be a wonderful braided strand that follows the contour of the mohawk until it reaches the neck. You can choose to blend the remaining braid into the rest of the hair or just let it hang loose. These small braids give away such a bad-ass look. Just imagine throwing a leather jacket on and dancing the night away!
The fauxhawk – a mohawk hairstyle for long hair
The bigger the hair, the closer to God? Most fauxhawks are big, fluffy and unapologetic, making them perfect for long hair. There are two main types of fauxhawks: the one in which the middle part is a single giant braid and the one in which the middle part is a large strip of curls. While the braided one is pretty much self-explanatory, the curly one can often seem harder to do than it actually is.
Here’s how you can achieve a big, curly fauxhawk: start by curling all the hair with your favorite wand or straightener. Then pull all the hair in the middle of your head, creating small ponytails along the center strip, all the way down. Make sure the hair on the side is nicely slicked down. Then proceed to separating the curls and pinning them down as you go covering the small ponytails. The result should be a massive, curly center strip. Finish off with as much hairspray your hair can take, especially if you happen to have fine hair. That’s it! Fauxhawks are easy to do and have a strong visual impact – don’t blame us if you’ll become addicted to them!
Pastel mohawks
And finally, if a mohawk is fun in itself, imagine how much fun a pastel one can be? The pastel trend has been around for a while and it doesn’t look like it’s going away any time soon. Slowly, it has made its way from clothes to accessories and now to hair, but who’s complaining?!
These pastel colored mohawks are bold and dreamy at the same time – two qualities that seem unlikely to go together, yet they do. The secret to this dreamy mohawk is that the pastel colors stay only on the top center strip or on the shaved sides. Not both at once. This way, there is a certain dynamic look to the coif, which keeps the onlooker guessing. With so many temporary hair dyes out there, it is hard to say no to such a tempting display of colors. Will you give it a try?
The mohawk still reinvents itself with every person who wears it and no two mohawks are alike. Which style was your favorite? Let us know below…
