Twentysomething Weighs in on Featherlocks

Hair feathers, or “Featherlocks” as some know them by, are a trend that has taken the country by storm. 

Well, it’s not quite that crazy just yet. But you may have noticed more and more people around with a little stripe of color in their hair that wasn’t there before.

This trend initially started in Colorado late last year. Actually, a friend of mine visited me from Colorado just around that time fully adorned with a couple of feathers in her hair and I remember thinking “wow, I wish we had those feathers here!” 

It seems that dreams do come true after all…

Now they are increasing in popularity all over the U.S. (especially in Colorado, New York, and California). Movie stars and pop stars alike have also been caught wearing one or many of these feathery extensions to add some pizazz to their look.

The best thing about these fabulous hair feathers, besides the spark they add to your locks, is that they do not damage your hair at all, unless you get bored and choose to rip them out yourself – which I would not recommend. They are attached with a simple silicone bead extension clip, which does no damage whatsoever.  It’s not like regular hair extensions at all where heat or glue is needed to add some spunk to your do.  

Hair feathers are quick and easy to attach and remove, and they can be put in at any hair salon or even the mall (I actually even got mine moved only a day after getting them in – and it was no trouble whatsoever, I even got to reuse the original feather and bead clip.)

Hair feathers last approximately 6-8 weeks, unless you choose to get it removed sooner, and are surprisingly incredibly low maintenance. Once it’s in, it’s in, and you don’t have to give it any special treatment either. You can blow dry, brush, curl, and even straighten your new feathery addition without worrying about destroying it or fusing it permanently to your hair.

On a downside though, apparently these feathers are actual feathers, from a once live bird. Yes, thousands of girls all over are prancing around with rooster feathers in their hair that were once primarily used as fishing lures. 

This is causing a lot of controversy for two reasons. One – these feathers come from roosters that are specifically bred for their plumage, and at the age of 18 months, they are euthanized to harvest said feathers.  And two – most fishermen are incredibly unhappy that making lures from packs of feathers that once cost $50 now cost $500 (give or take).

As for me, well, I’m still rocking my feathery locks. But I can’t help but wonder if I would have been so quick to purchase them if I knew some rooster gave his life so I could look cool for 8 weeks.