The blog of photographer Kim Ayres

Mohawk

When my stepson, Rory, was 14½ years old, he asked if he could get a Mohawk haircut. Maggie and I had only married a week or two before and were still feeling relatively benevolent towards the world, so I got out the clippers and obliged.

A few days later when he asked if he could dye it green, we thought that was taking it bit too far at his age and said no. He wasn’t too happy about our decision. Later we found out that he’d won a few quid with a bet about being allowed to get the Mohawk, but had then lost it when we refused to let him colour it.

My stepdaughter, Holly, was 17 years old when she decided she wanted a Mohawk. Once again I brought out the clippers. I think I re-trimmed the sides for her a few times before she eventually let it grow out.

I’ve been cutting Rogan’s hair since he was 3 years old (see the 2nd half of "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow"), and pretty much every time I’ve brought out the clippers I’ve said, "Do you want a Mohawk then?"

This has always been met with a sigh, a roll of the eyes or a, "Will you stop saying that Dad!"

So when a few days ago Rogan asked me if I would give him a Mohawk this weekend, I thought he was joking. Turned out he wasn’t.

It’s been 10 years since I last created one, but fortunately I still have a steady hand.


Before


After

Now we just have to wait for the reaction from school and his workplace...



12 comments

mapstew said...

Cool!

When I was the same age as Rogan I had a different hairstyle every month! A friend of mine was a hairdresser and I was a model/guinea pig for her trainees. Of course I did actually have hair back then! :¬)

savannah said...

WOW! looking good, sugar.

remind me to tell you story about dr. t and the checkerboard mohawk...

xoxoxo

Mary Witzl said...

As Savannah says, WOW! That does look good!

Sometimes I'm tempted, but then I tell myself I'll just make do with Mohawk genes.

Anna van Schurman said...

I got mine when I was about 17 at my mother's suggestion (seriously). I mostly wore it down--I couldn't be arsed to spray it up--but one Sunday we were going to brunch with my grandmother. I came down in one of my preppy floral dresses and pearls. My mother looked at me and said, "put your hair up." Seriously. So I went to Mother's day brunch looking all sweetness and light from the neck down. And she never minded what color our hair was. "Hair grows out" was her mantra.

Hindsfeet said...

i SOOOOO dig it!!!!!!! OMG! Kim! Fabulous! You missed your calling! ; )

Tell your kiddo he rocks a mohawk! *GREAT* look for him!!!

katierobertsart said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
katierobertsart said...

Weirdly mistyped my comment: Good Job Kim, Rogan - your dad is cool! But you look great :) Katie (thats better)

hope said...

As one who is follicly challenged,(baby fine hair is not cute after the age of 2) I found myself yelling, "No! You have REAL hair. Why?"

But I know why...and so does the cool Dad who wields the clippers. :)

neena maiya (guyana gyal) said...

From innocent to edgy! He really does look cool. It's amazing how a haircut can change an appearance.

Please remember to tell us about the reaction from school and his workplace...

Pat said...

Oh Rogan! You have such lovely hair.
Thank goodness it will grow again.
Old Fogey.

Anonymous said...

I love the last sentence in the post. He's really grown since the last photograph I saw.
My daughter got a tattoo...without my permission. I'm not really happy about that. Guess if I'm to be an example though I shouldn't have gotten one when I was in my 20's.

Kim Ayres said...

Mapstew - I just grew mine longer than any other guy in school, with the exception of Mr Gray, the English/Drama teacher who was an old hippy and drove a Morris Traveller :)

Savannah - Now I'm curious. Tell me about Dr T and the checkerboard mohawk! :)

Mary - you have Mohawk genes? Cool :)

Anna VS - Now that's one cool mamma :)

Liz - missed my calling? I think I'm glad I found photography rather than hair dressing to be honest ;)

Katie - :) or should that be =:)

Hope - a whole new area I was unaware of - how do you have your hair - do you keep it short, or colour it, or shave it bald like that woman in the first Star Trek movie?

Guyana-Gyal - Apparently every kid and teacher in the school stared at him. Some teachers were OK, but one or 2 gave him dirty looks. He's not been into work yet with the new cut, so I don't yet know how that will be received.

Pat - he's 17 ;)

Allen - it's difficult when you have to say to your kid "do as I say, not as I did..." ;)

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