Dreadlocks

But to the many who wear them, dreadlocks-often called "dreads" or "locks" are an extension of one's personality.

According to www.wikipedia.org, the first known dreadlocks date back to ancient Egypt, but the rise in popularity of reggae music in the 1980s, combined with the fame of Bob Marley, caused an international interest in the eye-catching statement.

Dreads are seen on a frequent basis here in Savannah.

Dwayne Stephens, a Savannah native and senior at Savannah College of Art and Design, says they help him stand out.

"They give me a distinct look," he says. "It's rare to see a six-foot-tall dude with dreads halfway down his back."

It is that distinction that caused Stephens to start his dreads some eight years ago.

"I just wanted to do something that no one else was doing."

Despite the fact that dreadlocks are sometimes viewed as an inappropriate hairstyle, Stephens says there are many advantages to having dreads.

"Females are attracted to my hair; random people are attracted to my hair. It's a conversation piece," he says.

Fran Ware, a Savannah State University senior who has been growing her dreads for three years, has different reasons for liking dreads.

"They're low maintenance," she says. "You don't have to do your hair in the morning if you're running late."

Ware and Stephens both agree that the one of the worst things about dreads is starting them.

"You have to go through that ugly phase where you're trying to get your hair to a maintainable state," Stephens said.

"When you're first starting, it looks kind of bad and it can make you want to cut them, but you gotta stick it out," Ware said.

Dreadlocks are not just seen in one's local sphere.

Many celebrities have also taken a liking to this interesting hairstyle.

Whoopi Goldberg, Pretty Ricky and Zach de la Rocha of the now defunct rock group Rage Against the Machine have all made a statement with dreads.

As cool as dreads may be, there are numerous negative associations that come with them.

Those who wear dreads are sometimes seen as anti-establishment and pro-Rastafarian.

Dreads are often seen as a sign of rebelling against the notion of European straight hair or society-approved neatness; accepting one's hair in its natural, ethnic and unruly state is not a thought that enters the minds of critics.

Despite the negativity that may come with dreads, it is clear that they are not going anywhere anytime soon.

Many ethnic hair care lines now make products for dreadlock maintenance and the style was even seen on models by fashion designer Christian Dior.

Stephens sums his feelings about dreadlocks by using a more positive point of view.

"I don't call my hair dreads. I call them locks because I don't feel that there's anything dreadful about them."