Staying in style

Cherubs relax in Evanston hair salons

By Adine Mitrani

After 1,070 words, dozens of interviews and countless hours of writing, Kelly Regan, a cherub from Overland Park, Kan., finished her first draft of the trend story and headed to a trendy salon.

“I was really stressed after the trend story,” Regan said. “I wanted someone to massage my head and make my hair look pretty.”

Stressed cherubs turned to salon scissors as a form of stress relief during the five weeks of National High School Institute journalism program.

Regan went to Steven Papageorge at 1721 Sherman Ave. where the hairdresser trimmed her ends, cut her bangs and freshened her layers. Regan is happy with her choppy, layered look — a Meg Ryan signature.

“As they cut each layer of my hair, I felt like a new person,” Regan said.

For $46, the hairdresser cut her hair more professionally than her hairdresser of six years back home, Regan said.

Alex Katz, a cherub from Newton, Mass., also searched for a way to relieve stress. He got his haircut at the Omni Salon at 1729 Sherman Ave., during the fourth week of the program.

At the salon, Katz’s new hairdresser alternated between a razor and scissor. He buzzed. He snipped. He buzzed. He snipped.

“But despite the good results, I still felt weird about getting my hair cut in a foreign land known as Evanston,” Katz said.

Katz had used the same hairdresser for four years back at home, but he said he felt as though he “cheated” on his hairdresser when he stepped into the Omni Salon. And when Katz looked in the mirror he realized that the spot above his left ear was a little short.

“I was nervous already,” Katz said. “And for him to mess up further exacerbated the situation.”

Carley Lake, a cherub from Los Angeles, didn’t feel this nervous when she decided to get her hair cut. At home, she spent the last couple of years exploring trendy L.A. salons.

At Hair Cuttery on 1704 Sherman Ave., Lake got two inches cut off in less than 15 minutes. It cost $13.

“It’s cheap, and they do a good job for what it costs,” Lake said.

But “cheap cuts” have been an issue for instructor Victor Chi, according to his fiancée and fellow instructor Jenny Hontz.

“Last year, he went to a place that butchered his hair,” Hontz said. “It was close to the bone, and he wound up wearing a hat for the majority of the summer.”

Chi now goes to Noyes Street Barber Shop at 916 Noyes St. where they take appointments only.

“They are very good at what they do,” Chi said.

The shop uses old-school straight razors for the sideburns and warm towels to lather in.Chi said he likes these last touches and recommends the “Noyes Boys” to future male cherubs for their “fine services.” He also does not want to repeat last summer’s episode.

 “He can’t mess up now,” Hontz said. “I’m getting married to him in a month.”