Hairspiration: DIY Dye Job

In my continued quest to discover other people's hairspiration I've uncovered a big secret. People are DIY-ing it - for real.

I'm not just talking about cutting your own bangs. No, this is much more than that. And yes, heavy duty bleach is definitely involved. Now I'm all for the whole DIY thing (I have an odd affinity with any and everything IKEA), but it takes serious cajones to bleach and dye your own (!) hair. Not to mention in fluorescent colours (we're practically talking glow-in-the-dark). Essentially the days of 'The Rachel' are so behind us.

Megan Mouren (the creative force of Cloud Hunter) and Camille Labat (whose Alison Mosshart-inspired hairspiration I covered here) have been doing the DIY dye thing for a few years now. For Camille it all started with pink tips. "X-tina in a subtle, less dirrty way, although I love that album!" Of course one thing always leads to another. "Dip-dyes, purple-tips, multi-colored streaks, the ombré thing - I've done it all." Labat, who currently sports natural roots, a deep red body and magenta tips, aims to explore blue tones next. For Mouren, a recent trip to California Roots Festival in Monterey over Memorial Day Weekend was the ideal catalyst for venturing into a triple dip-dye situation. A trifecta of neons green, yellow and orange tints. "I wanted something reggae appropriate - you know? And everyone kept trying to grab my hair, thinking it was a wig - which it isn't." 

Two DIY-dyers are certainly better than one. Together the pair are eye-catching and incredibly easy to spot in a crowd (which comes in handy). While maintaining the vibrance and tonality of neons is an arduous task at best, the eventual run and fade thing is quite charming. Colours become soft and powdery; think Kurt Cobain meets Marie Antoinette. It's all mildly punk, yet overtly lovely.

Discover more hairspiration features by clicking here.

Megan Mouren & Camille Labat, in basics by Acne and J Brand, photographed by Alexander Atkins in San Francisco.

Hairspiration: The Dip Dye

By now I'd say I've made my views on hairspiration known, and so nothing is more exciting than seeing it become reality.

Hairspiration is a real thing and you, dear reader, are being led to it's very essence. Hairspiration in action! And if that sounds a bit too intense for a Tuesday morning, relax. Just look at the pictures and click the links - you'll get it.

When my friend Camille (who has always had great hair moments - remember?) decided she was going to go all Alison Mosshart-circa-right-now this past weekend, I was beyond excited. I mean who doesn't like The Kills? (Especially now that Jamie Hince is actually Mr. Kate Moss.) That's right, we all love them. 

Some of the best decisions we make are impulsive. Changing-up your look is real when it's impulsive, because your gut knows you want it. Camille settled on her hairspiration twenty minutes before her actual appointment. Judging from these shots I'd say it was a hugely successful source of inspiration. Centrally parted, teased or even tied back in a high-pony, the triple dip-dye job has proven its versatility. And besides all that, aren't we supposed to do this kind of thing in our twenties?

Tuesday just got a little more interesting.

Camille Labat, wearing an Acne leather jacket, photographed by Alexander Atkins in Palo Alto.

*Camille Labat wears blue-tinted Ray-Bans and an Acne leather jacket. Click here to visit her tumblr.