Hair worn in spikes is always going to make a statement; it’s anti-gravity and anti-establishment and, despite the myriad hairstyles we’re exposed to on a daily basis these days, still has the ability to stand out and shock.
Making an impact is precisely the point of these dramatic styles; whether it’s the vertiginous style worn by Mohawk Native Americans or the gelled looks of 70s punks. Iron Age Celts washed and styled their with chalky lime water, which coloured hair white and enabled them to style it in giant spikes to intimidate enemies on the battlefield.
Smaller spikes, created with less rock-solid product, inevitably are less intimidating, but no less cool – Tina Turner’s trademark static-styled layers are iconic, Soo Catwoman’s double spikes are as punk as it gets, and the short-lived sixteenth century trend for ‘cow horn hair’ show that spikes don’t have to be threatening – just a little odd.