Flighty Hair Trends

Humming Keep Breathing by Ingrid Michaelson
Wondering why it is that my contacts and my eyes simply can't get along.
    So. I'm a bit bored with my hair. It needs to be trimmed, and my roots need to be dealt with. In short, it needs help. If you're wondering why on earth I'm telling you all this, bear with me. I have a point.
    I discovered a new-ish trend that seems to be surfacing for short moments during my internet browsings. Being the slightly strange person that I am, I'm all over it. It has been met with mixed emotions by the few people to whom I've mentioned it. Despite my sister telling me that it sounds stupid and looks weird, I have officially made my purchase, and as soon as it is delivered (and probably after I've had my hair done), I will be sporting one of the most intriguing new looks:

Feather hair extensions.

This picture is from Fine Featherheads. Definitely different, right?

     I honestly can't even remember where I saw them, or what gave me the idea that I might want to try them, but I'm completely fascinated. They can be washed, dried, and styled just like normal hair - even straightened and curled on low heat! They just seem like such an interesting idea, and I couldn't resist trying them out.
    I've looked online at Sally's Beauty Supply and a few others, but I can't seem to find them in stores. I'm pretty sure the only place to purchase them is online, but let me tell you - there are plenty of websites to find them. The typical price range seems to be between 15 and 20 dollars, but I've found a few for cheaper, particularly on Etsy.com (which happens to be my new love).
    They're normally sold in bundles of 5 or 7. I found a bundle of 8 for $12.99, with two micro link crimping beads, which is how you put them in your hair. The micro link crimping beads are lined with silicone on the inside so they don't damage your hair. Like hair extensions, they grow out with your hair, but when you take out the crimping bead and slide them off, you can reuse the feathers with a new crimping bead as long as you've cared for them well. They last from one to six months depending on how well you've cared form them.
    Most websites stress the fact that the feathers are "grade A" (like rating beef). They're talking about the birds the feathers have come from, because these are real feathers, most often from roosters. This sounds kind of gross, but they're thoroughly cleaned before they're sold of course. If they were synthetic, they couldn't be styled like hair. They come in a wide variety of colors - anywhere from a natural grizzly (which is what they call feathers with the v-pattern running down their length) to neon pink and purple - depending on the website from whom you purchase them.
    I chose to go with natural colors. I ordered mine off Etsy.com today, and the vendor sent me a message right away saying she was packaging and shipping them today, so they should be here within the next two weeks!
    P.S. Did you get the little joke I made in the title? Flighty? Feathers? Ha! I know, right...