Hair Fair 2012 – Photo Contest, Bandana Day, Demo Group

Hair Fair 2012 is almost a month away, but as every year the month leading up to the event is full of activity. Not just the hair creators involved busily creating incredible styles that will be released, or any of the other behind the scenes things. It is the two big events that happen every year.

In 2008 we came up with the Hair Fair Photo Contest, it was originally an “Homage to Hair Creators” we did actually ask for not only a picture, but also we wanted to hear about how the wearers felt about the style, the creator and other things they would think of in writing…this was difficult for some due to language restrictions, so we changed it so that everyone would feel comfortable entering. Each year the entries have been wonderful and this years collection so far is great.

The theme is Freedom, and we felt that it would mean people could represent through their hair and images what that means to them. I for one feel that hair in SL gives us the freedom to be who we want to be, be as wild and creative or as demure and classically elegant as we choose, and that it can all change in seconds and create a whole new look. If you were to wear a basic black outfit, skirt or pants, top or dress it wouldn’t really matter, but something   simple…then changed your hair, you would definitely see such different parts of you appear.

I hope you consider entering, you can enter up to 8 images, and they do not have to have fancy photoshop/gimp etc techniques or be all about new hair etc. The Prizes are incredible, we have so many generous contributors who have offered prizes, so the winners will get a selection from the prize pool, and then 7 runners up will get VIP Early Access to Hair Fair 2012. All the winners will be shown at Hair Fair on each sim, as we do every year, so you have until June 30th to get your entries in, and if you have any questions just contact Sasy Scarborough or Ashia Tomsen .

Prize Contributors :

Adorkable Poses
Alli&Ali Designs
Argrace
Calico Ingmann Creations
ChiChickie!
Damselfly Salon
DCNY Fashion
Decoy
Discord Designs
EMO-tions
Entente
Exile
Hairoin
HCT
HINAKO
Idiosyncrasy Skins
Ison
KMADD
LaGyo
League
Lelutka
L+N Signature
Loovus Dzevavor
Mina Hair
Mons
Nikita Fride
Nushru
Ploom Hair,Skin and Poses
Tameless Hair And Avatars
Tekeli-li! Dark Artistry 
Urban Lutz Hair Creator
Vanity Hair 
VR Foundry – VR Studio Posestand/Hud
WWinx Home & Garden 
Zibska

Now about Bandana Day 

In 2007 two weeks before Hair Fair was about to start I IM’d Six Kennedy and told her about Bandana Day, an event held in Australia that raises money for children with Cancer. That they sell bandanas for people to wear on that day, and also many people shave their heads to raise money to donate as well… the stories you see about that are always so wonderful. I know of a guy that worked in a bar in Sydney who had really long hair and beard, and they challenged him to do it, and he said that he would only do it if they raised a certain amount of money, because if he was going to do so, then the kids sure as hell were going to benefit from it…it was beautiful to see those strands of hair fall to the floor, they ended up raising much more than what he had originally declared as the amount.

I had remembered that Elika of then ETD had once had a hair she sold for rfl that actually had a bandana on it, and knew that the look was exactly what was needed, so suggested to Six that she should ask her and so on. Well Six said it was a great idea and that I should take care of it, and that is how Bandana Day and Hair Fair became one. That first year I was so excited by how many people sent in bandanas to sell, and I actually stood at the table I had them set out at the whole time I was online, because it was just so amazing to be part of all that excitement. Since then we have had Bandanas on all the sims for Hair Fair , and little things have been added, such as now the bandana is sculpted – thanks to Damien Fate for creating it – and also we now ask that the people that create them include a notecard sharing why they are doing so – if they want to, and if there is a reason that is more personal to them – each year it takes me longer to set up than it should because the notecards make me cry, but it is always such an incredible part of  Hair Fair as a whole.

People contact me leading up to it, and ask all sorts of questions, they arrange parties where they let their friends know to go and buy them and then come back for a big bash, they do their own fundraising at the events and then donate that money to Hair Fair for Wigs for Kids, and all of it is really amazing, and then when it is Bandana Day on the last day of Hair Fair – this year 29th July – where everyone takes off their hair to show they care, and wears them with pride, my heart swells looking at the feeds and seeing blog posts where bloggers are wearing their Bandanas they have purchased.

If you want a kit to create your own Bandana to be then sold to raise money for Wigs for Kids, the kit is available by IMing me – Sasy Scarborough – in world, even if you are unsure get one anyway and play with it, then if you are happy with the result all the info is in the kit. You can google and flickr search for past Bandanas and see all the great and fun looks people have achieved with their bandanas.

The reason we do everything we do for Hair Fair is to help Children through the Charity Wigs for Kids. You can see their mission, their history and all the great things they do on their website.

Every person knows what it is like to be a child, and the idea that through Hair Fair every year we can change even one child’s life in such a way as they do through Wigs for Kids, is enough incentive for all of us to do as much as we can. I hope everyone joins us this year, spreads the word and does all they can to help us raise funds for this Charity.

All of the participants are donating 15% of EVERY purchase at the event…so every purchase you make goes to helping a child.

The Hair Fair Demo Group will also be sending the hairstyles the day before the event opens to the public, so be sure to remember to join that, and spread the word so everyone can get to Hair Fair with their shopping lists ready.

Thank You

Ashia Tomsen

Gabby Panacek

Mel Vanbeeck

Sasy Scarborough

Whimsy Winx