Hairstyle of the week: Mohawk

The mohawk is a hairstyle in which both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair in the center. Depending on how it is worn, the hairstyle can be high-maintenance. Regular, careful shaving or trimming is required to maintain a clean line between the shaven and unshaven (or short and long) portions of the hair.

If the hair is to be worn up, brushing, backcombing, blow-drying, and twisting are required, as well as the application of sprays and in some cases other holding agents like white or clear glue, egg whites, cornstarch, or gelatin. The amount of time required for styling may increase considerably with longer hair or complicated styles such as liberty spikes (sometimes referred to as a Libertyhawk).

While the mohawk was prevelant among youth in the 1990s and commonly associated with the Punk Rock era, Millennials can still be seen sporting the spiked “do” at global music festivals. (Photo: Victoria, BC Ska Festival)