Beauty parlor styles rockabilly, retro hairdos

When retro hairstylists Stephanie Koon, Kristen Noble and Kelly Reneau opened their salon, they decided on a pinup and rockabilly theme to showcase their personal fashion senses.

Bettie Bangs Salon, located in the Lake Creek Festival shopping center at 13729 Research Blvd., Ste. 600, opened in February 2013. Services include haircuts, coloring, facial waxing, and on and off-site makeup application. In keeping with the theme of the business' name, stylists specialize in retro 1940s–'60s hairstyles and makeup application.

Noble said it was her husband who came up with the business's name, which is a nod toward a classic 1940s pinup hairstyle for bangs.

"We thought it was just a cute, catchy name for a salon," Koon said. "I've always liked that pin-up, kind of retro style. I feel like I was born in the wrong [era] sometimes."

For highlighting color services, stylists use the balayage technique, in which stylists paint color directly onto the hair using a paddle. Balayage is meant to create a more natural look for highlights by blending the highlight into natural hair color.

Noble and Koon both grew up with mothers who were hairstylists, and that sparked their interest in starting a career in the beauty industry, they said.

"I would go with her to the salon, and she would put me in the back with a mannequin head and I would play with the hair all day long," Koon said.

The Texas natives decided to do business in Northwest Austin because it is close to home for many of the stylists as well as regular clients.

Since the salon's opening, staffers have been involved in many community events, including styling hair in 2013 for South By Southwest Music and Media Conference badge holders as well as performers such as Charli XCX and fun., which Koon said generated a lot of new business. That same year, Austin Monthly Magazine named Bettie Bangs as its Best New Salon.

Employees have also hosted charity events such as Haircuts for Hunger, a raffle and haircutting event to raise funds for Austin Food Bank. The salon donates hair to Wigs for Kids, a nonprofit that serves children with hair loss.

"It's so rewarding to be able to help people have extra confidence," Noble said. "We've had a client come in before an interview one time just so that she [could have] that extra confidence. It can change someone's day. It's really rewarding."

Paloma Settles, who said she has been a regular customer at Bettie Bangs since it opened, said she gets her hair done at the salon because of its comfortable and fun environment.

"They are very talented women," Settles said. "They make me feel like one of the girls."

Bettie Bangs, 13729 Research Blvd., Ste. 600, 512-249-9400, www.bettiebangssalon.com, Hours: Tue.–Fri. 9 a.m.–7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.–5 p.m.