For most girls, football game days mean a Penn State hair bow, ear warmers, backwards cap or beanie. But, what about all the ladies actually out on the field? Valley was curious about what the Blue Band girls do to their hair while they are marching with a large hat on their head. We caught up with the Blue Band’s Public Relations Chair, Katelyn Mixer, to see just how it gets done.
“As part of the uniform, all hair is required to be up under the hat with nothing hanging out nor any “wispies” (the little flyaway hairs you get when you put your hair up). This rule goes for guys with long hair, too. We use a lot of hairspray, bobby pins and headbands to keep our hair under control. Girls with a lot of hair will braid it in order to make it fit under the hat but most girls simply put their hair up in a bun,” says Mixer.
Other styles like French braids are also popular because they keep hair up and minimize “wispies”. The girls look for any style that will keep them looking neat and professional.
“It’s definitely a chore, and you need a lot of gel and bobby pins. The silks and majorettes definitely have the most rigorous beauty routine, but for instrumentalists, it’s really just whatever you can do to make it work,” says senior instrumentalist Becky Guldin.
It is important for everyone in the band to look exactly the same. Mixer said it’s a pain to have to cake their hair in gel and hairspray, but no one complains because everyone knows it is necessary. The girls all know it would look very unprofessional if they had their hair down or sticking out.
Game Day hair can be a hassle for anyone after a Friday night out, but there is no doubt the band members have quite the task to complete before a half-time show.
Good luck this weekend, Blue Band!
Photo by Jessi Korch
RT @ValleyMag: We all have our favorite game day hairstyles. But what about the girls of the Blue Band, on the field? http://t.co/TdMVutlsQs