How to Make Cyber Goth Hair Falls

Cyber goth is a subset of the gothic subculture. Futuristic music, often upbeat, that speaks of a post-apocalyptic world is common to this subculture. The fashion reflects the music, allowing for the use of brightly colored metals, pieces of outdated technology and materials that appear futuristic in nature. Hairstyles range from minimalistic to wild and outrageous. For the cyber goth who cannot afford to style her hair due to work or time constraints, removable hairpieces, often called "falls," are an easy solution. They allow for a wild and elaborate hairstyle that takes just minutes to put on and take off.

Things You'll Need

• Kanekalon hair
• Fabric covered elastic
• Steamer
• Miniature hair elastics
• Comb (optional)
• Craft foam (optional
• Clothing iron (optional)
• Rexlace (optional)
• Metal tubing or wire (optional)
• Cassette tape ribbon (optional)
• Computer hardware pieces (optional)

Instructions

Creating Hair Falls

1. Choose one or several shades of kanekalon synthetic hair. Kanekalon is a type of synthetic material that is malleable and holds shape indefinitely when exposed to steam. Choose a color that is close to your natural color or a wildly outrageous neon color. Blending both together lends credibility to your hair falls, allowing you to disguse your natural shade and add outrageous colors with believability.

2. Decide on the length of your hair falls. Kanekalon hair comes in long loops of hair. Cutting the loops in the middle will give shoulder-length hair falls.

3. Use the steamer or a clothing iron with steam setting to relax the hair into its final position. This will make the synthetic hair sleek and shiny.

4. Loop sections of kaneklon hair that are approximately the width of a pencil over fabric covered elastic. Fabric covered elastic can be found at many craft and sewing stores for inclusion in waistbands. Fabric covered elastic is generally 1/2 of an inch thick. To make one fall, you will need a piece approximately 12 inches long.

5. Braid the kanekalon hair for one inch or less, and secure the braid using miniature hair elastics.

6. Create multiple elastics with different color combinations for a multi-dimensional, layered look. Affix decorative items into the mix, such as plastic rexlace, metal tubing, wire, cassette tape ribbon, computer hardware pieces or even craft foam. Anything that looks slightly dangerous and futuristic makes a good addition. This is not necessary, but again, creates a dimension and distinct style for your cyber goth hair falls.

7. Consider adding dreadlocked pieces of kanekalon to your hair falls. Dread falls are popular in the cyber goth subculture.

Creating Dread Falls

1. Take a full length of unsealed kanekalon hair that is approximately the width of a pencil. Loop it over a 12 inch strip of fabric covered elastic.

2. Back comb pieces of kanekalon, making them appear ratty and frizzy.

3. Twist the pieces of synthetic hair, and back comb more.

4. Continue twisting and back combing until the piece of hair resembles a dreadlock.

5. Use a steamer or clothing iron with a steam setting to secure the dreadlock into position. This will make the finished dreadlock sleek and shiny, but it will maintain the shape that was created.

Tips & Warnings

• To attach the hair falls to your head, gather what hair you have into one bun (for a ponytail) two buns (for pigtails) or more for an all over look. Simply tie the fabric covered elastic around the buns and arrange the hair to cover the elastic. Use bobby pins to affix the false hair where wanted. A wide fabric headband can disguise normal hair as well as hair elastics.

• Do not use another popular type of synthetic hair, toyokalon. Toyokalon does not hold its shape well, cannot be styled, and will melt when exposed to heat. Many Halloween or party wigs are made from toyokalon.

• Be careful when using steam to set the hair. Steam can cause painful burns to exposed skin.

References

• Goth Style Secrets - Gothic Hair Styles
• Morbid Outlook - Synthetic Hair
• Kathryn Quinn's Guide to Synthetic Goth Hair

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Fake Hair Tutorials for Every Occasion