Some would say a good hair day comes after a trip to the salon, but at Plattsburgh State, hair will be restyled and reinvented as K.I.N.K.S. hosts its annual hair show tomorrow night in the Warren Ballrooms of the Angell College Center.
K.I.N.K.S. is a club that educates and promotes natural hair acceptance to the campus community. Its hair show theme this year, titled “Out of Your Element,” focuses on the actual four elements: earth, wind, fire and air.
Junior fitness and wellness and gender and women’s studies major and president of K.I.N.K.S. Kayla Marmol said the club plans to have different hair colors and styles represent these elements. A hairstyle with flowers woven into the hair would represent earth, while a gray-dyed and slicked-back style would allude to air.
K.I.N.K.S. Public Relations Manager Mara François is a PSUC sophomore criminal justice major with an English and radio minor. François said the theme was decided on collectively by the club.
“We all pretty much had great ideas,” François said. “That was the more prominent one and the one that we could get the most hairstyles out of.”
Marmol said this is the fifth year K.I.N.K.S. has held its hair show, and it’s usually scheduled every spring semester.
“It’s a fashion-show style, but it’s more about the hair,” Marmol said.
The club has about 15 models lined up for tomorrow night’s show. Each of the models are split up between each of the elements. All of the hair stylists for each section are students.
The hair show theme is different every year. Last year’s theme was decades, or “blasts from the past,” where members styled their hair to represent different decades like the ‘50s, ‘70s or ‘90s.
François said K.I.N.K.S. began brainstorming ideas for the show before winter break, but the club still searches for pieces throughout the semester, sometimes in a panic.
“Even the day before the show, we’re panicking and going back and forth from Wal-Mart and Target and back to the ACC,” François said.
François also said some members look for supplies while home over the winter break as well.
“Most of us are from the city, and there’s a lot more things [there] than Plattsburgh, so when we go to the city, we get items and clothes for the show,” François said.
Marmol said while any member is welcome to participate in the show, the students on the E-board do not model because their job is to oversee the models, set up the stage and coordinate the show.
“As much as you prepare, something’s going to happen,” Marmol said. “[We] have to be as hands-on as possible.”
François said the E-board focuses on the model’s well-being and help their preparation for the big night.
“They could help if they want on the day of the show, but we want them to be stress-free and ready to walk the stage,” François said.
Junior accounting and marketing major Mabel German is the historian for K.I.N.K.S. German said she’s looking forward to seeing what types of hair styles come out of the show.
“It’ll be really exciting [to see] how they feel inspired by the different sections and hairstyles,” German said.
German said because the club focuses on the hair in the show, the models are responsible for choosing an outfit that best compliments their hair.
“It also depends on the audience and whatever they pick up on [with] the model’s perspective,” German said.
German was a model for the club’s hair show two years ago, where the theme was different countries from around the world.
“I was Africa, and I had kind of like a stretched-out hair style, so my hair was rolled up in yarn,” German said.
Marmol said she was excited to see the audience’s reactions to the show when all the hard work comes together.
“You see people’s faces and they’re like amazed, and it’s a good feeling because it’s like I did something,” Marmol said.
All the profits from ticket sales will be donated to Hair We Share, a non-profit organization that creates wigs from donated hair and accepts monetary donations for people who suffer from medical hair loss.
“It makes me feel good because it’s going to a good cause,” German said.
With refreshments like tres leche cake shots, chocolate-covered strawberries and homemade goodie bags for attendees, the doors to the event will open at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are $7 for students and $8 for faculty.
“I’m just excited for everyone to come,” Marmol said.
