Seniors seek the right 'do' for their portraits

Senior portraits may mark a critical moment in a Princeton student's life, but members of the Class of 2004 have many solutions to make sure that they are ready for the camera.

Asked if he had done anything special in preparation for his senior portrait, Brad Hudgins '04 said, "Um . . . no."

There are still those students, though, who decide to get that hip new haircut to look their best for the momentous event.

Despite the variety of salons located within walking distance of the University, however, some Princeton students are resorting to long flights and drives home for the noble purpose of hair care.

"Hair gets messed up here," said Milton Georges '04. "I don't care if I have a mullet – I'm still not cutting it [in Princeton]. I go home to Atlantic City for that."

Other students who sport similarly full heads of hair, such as Jon Schettino '04, apparently agree.

"People in Princeton don't know how to deal with black hair," he said. "I went home to cut mine. I went to Willy's Barber Beauty Shop."

Those students who choose to have their hair trimmed or partially highlighted in Princeton, however, find quite a few discounts at their disposal.

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If Schettino chose to wander into the store with the bright blue awning next to CVS, for example, he would find Cosmo Bleu Salon, where a full 10 percent discount would await him.

Having just opened this fall, Cosmo Bleu presents students with a new option for hair care.

If he headed for the Continental Barber Shop on Witherspoon Street, Schettino could get a haircut for starting at $25.

Or if he felt so inclined, Schettino could visit La Jolie, across from Halo Pub, where he would receive $5 off any haircut.

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La Jolie has been ranked in the top 200 salons in the nation by Salon Today magazine for the past three years.

"Most of our clientele are [permanent] Princeton residents," admitted Barbara Rush, La Jolie's founder and owner. "We really cater to the students, though. We hope they come."

Students including Schettino and Georges, however, are seeking and finding their own methods of personal beautification.

Schettino uses Luster's S-Curl, which according to the bottle "helps eliminate breakage and keeps your curls, waves and natural hair soft, healthy and with a lasting sheen" to maintain his locks' luster.

And Georges has discovered several "precautionary steps" which, if taken, can prolong the amount of time between haircuts indefinitely.

"I put a little extra conditioner on every day, and while I used to wear a hat all the time, now I don't, because you don't want that line in your hair!" he said. "Because I take those precautionary steps, my long hair just naturally falls into place."