Millie Brown. Binx Walton. Amber Rose. Cara Delevingne. Katy Perry. All these women have taken the daring action of mowing off their locks for a buzz. Buzzcuts as an emerging trend among women have undoubtedly left a mark on youth culture.

Senior Elly Schnau underwent an experience that changed her life.

“So, I went to my friend John’s house and we went to his backyard, he got his clippers and he gave me a buzz cut and I was in love with it. It was just the best experience,”  Schanu said.

Since the age of 12 she’s been altering the look, color and style of her hair until she realized buzzcuts were a style she had yet to try. Schanu wanted a fresh outlook on life and resorted to a buzzcut, drawing a different kind of attention.

“It’s interesting how the way people decide to make a statement… I’m going to have super long hair, I’m going to dye it crazy colors, instead of taking it completely way which puts more of a spotlight on you for some reason,” Schnau said.

While some students know of friends with buzzcuts, few girls at Palmetto have carried out such actions. One daring student that dramatically changed her look puts it into another perspective. Her freshman year, Breauna Gibbons dyed her hair half red and blue, her junior year contemplated whether or not to get a tattoo and just this month got a total of eight piercings.

“It’s really based on expressing your personality and expressing individuality to others,” Gibbons said.

This philosophy sprung from her restraints placed on her father who limited the way she looked.

“My dad always use to tell me you can’t wear certain things you can’t do certain things so I try to do something super edgy and crazy but also fun for me,” Gibbons said.

The choice to stand out reflects the conflicting bonds within close relationships. Other students at Palmetto feel a similar way, but can feel the pressure on their shoulders just to fit in.

“In the Indian culture, you’re suppose to look a certain way until you’re 18, you belong to your parents. You can’t really change your appearance; you’re a direct reflection of your parents,” freshmen Sangeeta Bahadursingh said.

For those who have the luxury to express themselves, many seek influence from celebrities and the national issues.

“It might be going with the feminist movement..women are trying to eliminate stigmas and stereotypes, where women have to have long hair,” Schanu said.

It all comes down to how one feels, and quite frankly sophomore Christina Gonzalez considers girls who have shaved their heads as empowered and unique.

“There’s a picture in people’s head of this girl with flowing hair and they’re taking it upon themselves to do what they want and how they feel best,” sophomore Christina Gonzalez said.

As this act of standing out expands, one can realize that they no longer stand out. An act of nonconformity transformed into a new trend.

“In this generation people are breaking the boundaries of stereotypes and instead of being stereotypical they’re being more receptive,” Gibbons said.

Take individuals like Millie Brown, Stranger Things star. Her willingness and support from directors Matt and Ross Duffer’s seeked inspiration from Furiosa in Mad Max: Fury Road’s. Her character reflects an individual of confidence and strength. The purpose for her going under the scissors verifies the pattern that many girls today take on.

With the subculture of trends, it becomes socially acceptable among everyday people.

Despite restraints, they look positively to these empowered women and support buzzcuts on girls. Elly Schnau, one who has taken it upon herself to defy typical stereotypes while participating in the trend, has some final remarks.

“In the morning you get up and you do you hair. You put it up in a ponytail and you’re like  ‘i’m going to look sporty today’ you put it up in space buns and you’re like ‘i’m going to look artsy today’ when you don’t have hair you can’t do that. The only way someone knows what kind of person I am is how I speak to them and how I act to them,” Schanu said. “I think every woman at one point in her life should shave her head because a lot of women kind of define themselves by their hair. If they didn’t have their hair they wouldn’t know what kind of person they are.”

When one obliterates apart of their identity they’ve established a fervor for, the result concludes in liberation and a start to a new beginning. Many women have begun to realize this, lighting the spark for the widespread trend.