Wild Hairstyles

Girl with orange hair wearing a smooth purple turtleneck — Photo: Shutterstock

A Walk on the Wild Side

For most people, there is more than enough variety to be found in hairstyles by combining natural colors with classic and aesthetic cuts. But some people want hair that makes a definitive statement about their personality.

There is no truth to the often-asserted idea that people who want wild hairstyles and hair colors are more creative. And showing a bold look to the world at large isn't always a statement of rebellion against the mainstream.

The simple fact is that it's just a haircut or hair color. It's a statement, yes, but a statement of what that individual wants and desires. The only thing a person with pink spiky hair has that the person with the blonde bob doesn't is the desire to have pink spiky hair and the courage to go for it. That's all it takes - a bit of courage and the desire to go wild.

Wild Styles on Men and Women

The only difference in men's and women's wild or "punk" hairstyles is usually the length of the hair - with men's hair tending to be shorter on the whole. There's a wide variety of products available that can give you literally any color of hair found in the rainbow. I recently had a male client who wanted wide, bright green stripes along the temples.

I cut his hair super-short at the bottom hairline, tapering out to about 1 inch at the temple and left about 3 inches on top, which were razor-cut for a choppy effect. I lightened the two sections on the side to around level 8 then applied a Kelly green hair color. I personally found the effect strange, but he was thrilled with the result, and I got several calls from his friends and co-workers (who wanted less unusual styles).

Choosing the Right Salon for Wild Styles

Some hair salons are hesitant to cater to clients who want wilder hairstyles, because they are trying to cultivate a specific clientele, or are trying to cultivate a certain image for their business. They feel that beginning to draw clients with wildly-colored hair or "out there" cuts and styles would deter the clients they are trying to attract. While this may seem like a narrow-minded approach to business, it is certainly the salon owner/manager's right to have such restrictions.

Hair with wild and unusual colors — Photo: Pixelshot/Canva

But that leaves the question of where to go for a wild look. The easiest method (of course) is to ask someone who has a wild look who does their hair. The issue with this approach is the number of people faced with the same problem who decided to take matters into their own hands.

The odds are good that the person you seek a referral from has done her own creating. In this case, she is untrained in hair services and should not be considered an option for your own hair, particularly if you are looking for a color service or other chemical service.

Finding a suitable salon for a wild style is much easier in urban areas. There is a larger population base and thus a larger number of people who would want wilder hairstyles. In a big city, you can probably look through local magazines or online and find a listing of hair salons. You can simply call the numbers provided and ask if they will provide the style you want.

Call until you get a few yes responses and then go visit the salon. Ask to see scrapbooks and portfolios of the work done in the salon. Take a look at the current customers and the styles being done while you are there.

These are all common-sense approaches, obviously, but the benefit is that by visiting the salon, you get an idea of the general "vibe" of the salon. Is it a more traditional salon that serves the occasional client who wants wild styles, or is it a trendy salon with stylists who have a hairstyle you admire? You probably want the latter, since the stylists will be more in sync with what you're after and you'll have an easier time explaining the look you want.

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