Sounds easy, doesn't it? Just cut your hair and leave a stripe down the middle.

Make no mistake...it's not as easy as all that. Now, don't get me wrong -- it's not exactly rocket science, either. Doesn't take a degree in physics or engineering (until you want to put it up, anyway); but it does take a little patience and a little care.

If you can think it up, you can do it -- the variations are endless, just be prepared for the time you're going to have to spend on it. The actual cut is the least of it but it is where we start and there are a few things you're going to have to decide. First is height, although this is dependent on how long your hair is to start with and second is what you want to do with the sides. Do you want to stay on the conservative side or do you want to go full-on punk?

Shorter might seem more conservative but it isn't always. Shaved on the sides and brushy through the 'hawk is there and visible. Always. Unless you wear a cap. If you chose this style, wear it proudly.

Longer and taller is more outrageous when it's up, but when it's not it can be a little more subtle and you have more options with it. It'll never be G.I., but at least it will lay down quietly when you ask it to (and sometimes when you don't).

The short 'hawks are pretty simple; fairly easily handled alone with a pair of clippers, a mirror and a roll of duct tape. Simply find the center of your head -- a good way to do this is to start at the tip of your nose and go straight up. Use the tape to mark where you don't want to cut and let 'er rip.

Yeah, the longer styles are a little tougher and you really need someone to help you with them. This is not a 'do-it-yourself' project unless you're really after a very "individual" look. Again, you need to find the center of your scalp and settle on a width for your 'hawk. Then part your hair carefully along one edge, pin it to the opposite side, then clip (for the longer 'hawk, it's okay to leave some length to the sides). Repeat the process for the other side then trim the length. Sometimes it's best to put it up when you trim the ends the last time, just to make sure everything's even and you aren't jagged. You don't want it longer in the back than it is on top.

Oi! Now that's a cut! But wait...why is it just laying there?

Because it's not ready to fly just yet. First you're going to have to:

1. Buy product. Lots and lots of product.

2. Experiment with that product and find out what works best for you and your hair.

3. Make friends with your blow dryer.

4. Condition, condition, condition.

First thigs first. Product. That translates into gels, sprays, gloops, glues, gunk and junk. There's a lot of it out there. Shop around and try different things until you hit on what works best for you. Some food for thought, though -- avoid food products. I've heard stories of egg whites. Since they were handy, egg whites were one of the first things we tried. Egg whites are slimy. Egg whites are hard to work with. Your hair needs to be blow dried. And on a hot day....do I really need to say more? I've heard glue. Elmers glue or wood glue. If you go with this option, whatever you do....make sure it's water-soluble. Best thing we've found? Rave. Mega-hold. The stuff your mom used back in the '80's. Great stuff and stands up in a hurricane. And inexpensive. Which is a good thing because no matter what you use, you're probably going to use a lot of it.

A lot.

Now get your hands in it. G'head. Don't be afraid -- it won't bite. And it'll wash out. Slather it on -- be generous. What works well for us is a box covered with a towel. The kid lays his hair on the towel-covered box, goop is generously applied and worked through, the hair is combed and then blow dried. A little practice and before you know it....a fan. Now, if you want spikes, the process is a bit different. You don't have to lay the hair on a flat surface but you will exhaust your shoulder muscles holding the spikes up. My kid uses tinfoil.

I don't recommend tinfoil, but he swears by it.

One more thing that I can't stress enough. Wash the gunk out. Take the 'hawk down...every single night. Sleeping on it is the single worst thing you can do for and to your hair (not to mention your pillowcase). And condition. Early and often. A lot. Otherwise one day you might be looking into a tattooed mohawk.

Any questions?

Good!

Punk on.