Meramec students weigh in on style choices:
TYRA LEESMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF:
Long-haired students know the issues of dealing with gym hair, especially when there is no time for a shower between working out and work or school. Working out, sweating, and moving one’s body around a lot can create snarls and tangles, dampness, fly-aways, and lopsidedness, particularly in those with long, thinstranded, or curly hair. “I’ve tried dry shampoo, hair spray, mousse. At the end of the day, it’s not even worth it. I don’t have time to shower, either, so I just expect my hair to be a complete wreck. So far my boss doesn’t mind, but there has to be another way to deal with your hair before work,” says Kandice Behari, a gym-goer in Kirkwood. Some exercisers attempt to tame their locks by spending an extra hour in the shower, drying and styling their hair at the gym, or using the locker room showers and mirrors. “The problem with [using the locker room] is that some of these locker rooms don’t have accessible outlets. I can’t find a useable outlet for my dryer or straightener anywhere in the school locker room,” says Maria Pembrook, a Meramec student. Students who seem to have figured out the hair dilemma offer advice: “Grow it out, put it up in a ponytail, air it out a couple minutes, then put it in pigtails. If nothing else, just leave it in the ponytail,” says Pembrook. Other gym-goers argue that putting one’s hair in a messy bun, even for men, is the best option. “Seriously, if you have long hair, it has to be out of the way for working out. It’s a hazard to be in a place with heavy equipment and have your hair down in your eyes. It could get caught in something or obscure your vision and cause you to trip into heavy things. The messy bun isn’t pretty, it isn’t manly, but it’s practical,” says Eric Robb, a man-bun-wearing, gym-frequenter in Kirkwood. Another popularly mentioned option for gym hair that can be worn to work without fuss is the French braid: in pigtails, down the back, or in a bun, for shorter lengths. “I cut mine a while back and I get stray strands falling out all the time. I eliminate that by braiding it and tucking it up with bobby pins. It’s super elegant, and takes a little more time to get put up, but it still looks really cute later if you spray and pin it right,” says Behari.
