The Mohawk became synonymous with the punk subculture in the early 1980s. It was sported by punk rock stars and their fans alike as an anti-social statement. It still remains so to this day. It's still associated with punk subculture but it has become part of mainstream fashion. The hairstyle became even more diverse as various groups made their own interpretations.
The Fauxhawk hairstyle or "fake" Mohawk is similar to the Mohawk. It is a more conservative approach to the original hairstyle. At first glance a Fauxhawk appears to be just like any other Mohawk. It is not. There are minor but significant differences. These differences are enough to separate the Fauxhawk from the Mohawk.
An examination of a Fauxhawk reveals that the side of the head is not shaved. It is cropped short. The hair on the top and on the back is still kept long. However, it is considerably much shorter compared to the traditional Mohawk. Some prefer the Fauxhawk in order to have a look similar to the Mohawk style. At the same time, they don't want the commitment required of keeping a Mohawk. The traditional Mohawk is a high-maintenance style. It requires regular, careful shaving or trimming.
Then again, enthusiasts of both hairstyles enjoy using bright colors on their hair. Pink, purple, green and blue are commonly used colors. Others bleach their hair but allow the natural hair to keep its much darker, contrasting color. Several new wave artists sported the style in the 1980s. The Fauxhawk look became quite fashionable when it emerged in the early 2000s. Soccer player David Beckham is credited with introducing the Fauxhawk to Europe and the world.
Like the Mohawk, there are variations of the Fauxhawk. One such variation is the pony hawk. It has a row of ponytails going down the middle. The pony hawk variant was worn by one contestant during the sixth season of American Idol.
There is another variation also called a fauxhawk। Instead of having the usual straight spiky hair, this version has a strip of curly hair running down the center. But surprisingly, many consider this version to be a pale imitation of the Mohawk or Fauxhawk hairstyle.
