Hair. For some, it’s the most essential mode of self expression, and for others, it’s simply the stuff that grows from our scalp. Whether people believe in the latter or the former, anyone will admit that hair has a strong influence on our physical appearances.

At Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA), there is a sea of diverse and unique heads of hair that reflect each person’s personality and creativity. There are bright colors, full afros, alternative cuts and intricate cornrows, just to name a few.

For junior visual artist Clara Long, they would be a completely different person without their hair. “When I do self portraits, my hair is my favorite part and my favorite thing that I draw about myself,” said Long.

Long adorns muted purple wavy hair with self-cut v-bangs. This goth look is something they’ve been doing since middle school. Long recalled ritualistically straightening their hair everyday, hating the fact it was wavy. One day they just decided not to, and now they “appreciate the waves” as a part of their alternative look.

Kai Harris, a junior stage designer, also colors and styles their hair majorly on their own.

“My mom retightens my locs, and whenever I want to do something different with my hair, I kind of just do it,” said Harris.

Harris has purple and green shoulder-length locs, with striped “raccoon” pieces scattered throughout. These locs are over two years old, being started a couple months before Harris entered high school.

On their hair evolution, Harris said, “I used to have a high taper fade in middle school. I used to have a buzz. And I also used to have locs before I cut my hair and then I relocked them.”

For freshman filmmaker Braelyn MacMahon, her hair is a tool for expressing her bubbly personality—as well as a convenience to fit a cap on when she swims.

Upon MacMahon’s head is a short, dark brown pixie cut with faded purple highlights in textured fringe. 

“I first cut it in the first grade and then I took a break for a bit. It took a while to figure out how to cut it. Like, I’ve gotten some bowl cuts before and it was really bad,” said MacMahon.

Now, MacMahon feels pride and freedom with her short cut, yet frustration that with it comes ignorant comments about the length. “It’s just how I want to wear it, so why are you commenting?”

Sophomore visual artist Banner Patterson sees their hair as a reflection of themself. “If I have cool hair, then I’ll seem like a cool person,” they said.

Patterson wears a fluffy, brassy blonde haircut with colorful butterfly hairclips scattered throughout. The clips were a cheap find, inspired by their nonbinary uncle, as well as hair muses on TikTok.

“I saw these butterflies recently and it’s like, this is what people in my life or on my phone would do.” On inspiration, Patterson reflected, “It’s just a combination of all the things I found interesting from when I was yea small to this height.”

Hair has had the ability to transform Patterson into the person they have always aspired to be, an experience shared by senior actor Julia Tollini and junior actor Paige Wilson-Simmons.

Wilson-Simmons has hot pink waves with purplish-pink roots and matching eyebrows. Tollini wears silky straight dark hair with chunky 2000s-inspired bleach blonde highlights.

“I very much love early 2000’s culture and I took a lot of inspiration from Christina Aguilera and Avril Lavigne. Very Jersey Shore,” Tollini added. “I started getting the highlights in my sophomore year, and since then I just haven’t changed it. I don’t know what other hairstyle really looks like Julia as much as these chunky highlights.”

For Wilson-Simmons, the hot pink is a way of connecting to her inner child. “When I was a kid I used to dye my hair a lot. It was red, orange, blue, purple, and I just had a bunch of colors. I haven’t had a bright color in a hot minute, so I wanted this to bring me back to like, 7 years old.”

For both people who like constant change and those who enjoy a stationary look, hair is a crucial tool for expressing one’s identity and finding confidence in it. Hair doesn’t just shape our appearances, it shapes our entire aura.

Tollini said, “If I’m having a bad hair day, I’m just having a bad day. But I can have a disgusting little fit, and if my hair is rocking, that’s what makes the outfit.” 

In a school like BSA, filled with creative people, it’s only natural we see heaps of creativity in one another’s hair. Our souls buzz with artistry, and it’s put on full display through this artform of its own. If you ever feel like you aren’t expressing yourself to your fullest potential, maybe you just need a trim, a dye, or an accessory.

To contact this writer, email Muse Newspaper at musebsa@bsfa.org.

Featured photos by Nikīyah Edwards for The Muse.