DATE: Sunday, November 2, 1997              TAG: 9711010275

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 04   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   83 lines

STYLIST'S CHRISTMAS TREE HAIRDO IS A CONVERSATIONAL CONTEST ENTRY

We've all heard about bad-hair days. But last week, Samantha ``Sam'' Scott had what could only be called an unusual hair day.

The manager of the Hair Cuttery men and women's hair salon on South Military Highway had a coiffure that resembled a uniquely decorated Christmas tree in all its glory.

Her upswept 'do included small gift bows, tiny plastic candy canes and bells that actually tinkled. For the piece-de-resistance, the ``tree'' was crowned with a small harlequin doll.

The unusual hair style was worn by the Norfolk resident all last week. It was part of Holiday Hair Style, the Hair Cuttery's in-house competition open to the chain's 600 salons located in 14 states. Each store could enter one hair style. Photographs of the design had to be sent to the chain's Falls Church main office. A regional Hampton Roads winner will be announced Monday at the Holiday Inn in Hampton.

Although Scott, a Colorado native, wore the style, the design was a collective creation from the imaginations of the salon's stylists - Tawanda Harris, DeeDee Thaemson, Dolly Juliano, Purina Batan, Loretta Burroughs, Erika Williams, Angelina Morring, Sandy Quillan and Lisa Carrington.

``Weeks prior to the final creation we all came up with designs and sketches,'' Scott said. ``We jotted down exactly what we wanted. We all knew we wanted to create a tree, something festive and perky, something that would draw attention.''

After deciding on the exact design, the hair-team rolled up its sleeves and went to work. After about 5 1/2 hours, the ``tree'' was complete.

She said first her hair had to be pulled up in pony-tail fashion. Then a 14-inch tract of hair was added and set on large rollers. And finally, each curl was separated and pinned.

``I have at least 200 bobby pins in this hair style,'' Scott said.

After the hair was formed into a tree shape, the decorations were added.

``Before we created the final version of the style, we went to the dollar store, art-supply stores and craft stores looking for the decorations,'' Scott said. ``They were easy to find.''

After the tree's creation, Scott had the nerve to wear it in public for about a week. She said wanted to gauge public reaction.

``I have a very bold personality,'' she said. ``I've always been a stand-out-ish person. I didn't mind at all wearing this out in public. I'm proud of this, everyone used their imaginations to create this.''

Scott said she has been stopped scores of times by people who had to ask about her hair.

``At first, people looked puzzled and asked why I'm wearing my hair like this,'' she said. ``They've also asked `how can you walk around with that on your head?' or they've told me `I can't believe you have the nerve to wear that.' Generally, I just told people that the style was created by my salon team, and why, and then I handed them a business card. I've handed out many business cards.''

Scott said her hair style has mainly elicited smiles.

``People loved it when the bells started to jingle,'' she said. ``Another time when I was cutting this man's hair, he kept staring at it, as if he was in a daze. Whenever I asked him if his cut was right, or if he wanted something else trimmed, he never answered. His wife had to give me the instructions.''

So how did Scott walk? How did she sleep?

``Well first, it's not heavy at all,'' she said. ``And with walking? I have very good posture and I tend to walk and stand very straight. I only had to tip my head when getting in and out of my car.''

Sleep was no problem, either. Before she retired she tied a satin scarf around her hair and then put a loose-fitting cap over the entire thing.

``And I'm not a restless sleeper,'' she said. ``I sleep in one space and never move.''

And how did Scott's husband Randyll and her five daughters, ages 14 to 18-months, handle the hair-do?

``My husband thinks I'm a nut, but he fully supports me,'' she said. ``My baby loves it; she's fascinated by the bells. My twin 14-year-old daughters think it looks great on me, and my two other daughters think it's great and want me to wear it to their school.''

For show and tell, no doubt. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by ERIC FEBER

Samantha ``Sam'' Scott, manager of the Hair Cuttery on South

Military Highway, had help from several of her store's stylists in

creating this coiffure, which will be submitted for entry in the

chain salon's hair-design contest. The ``tree'' was the result of

several sketches and took 5 1/2 hours to complete.

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