KAPAA — When people drive by, Jeanette Huttger said she wants them to think of one thing. Well, a few things. Crowns, gowns and hairstyles fit for royalty. “That’s the Princess place!” she said of how she wants girls to
KAPAA — When people drive by, Jeanette Huttger said she wants them to think of one thing.
Well, a few things. Crowns, gowns and hairstyles fit for royalty.
“That’s the Princess place!” she said of how she wants girls to remark when they see her salon.
Sunday, it was impossible not to think just that as Huttger and her team of hairdressing professionals at Salon J transformed nearly 40 young girls into princesses during the salon’s Princess Day event.
“This is the day before Girls Day, and we want to be able to help the abused women and children through the YWCA of Kauai,” Huttger said. “We wanted to do something to give back to the community, and to be able to do something here in the salon.”
The salon charged $30 for the princess-like makeover, and donated all of its proceeds to the YWCA for its abused women and children shelter. Girls Day, which is today, is a Japanese tradition which celebrates young ladies on the third day of the third month.
One of Huttger’s clients said she remembers a princess beauty place on a visit to Disneyland, and after some discussions, the Salon J crew was on board to host a Princess Day where young girls between 3 to 13 years old could be transformed into a princess fit for a story.
“Our professionals are donating their time, their knowledge and the materials to help these young ladies become princesses,” Huttger said. “Each client receives a goody bag containing the magical tiara, a wand, juice, a granola bar and other goodies.”
There was no shortage of takers as the appointment book quickly filled for four hours in the afternoon. The three chairs were constantly filled as clients filed in and out in approximately 20-minute intervals.
“These girls all have princess complexes,” said Jennie Waiwaiole-Vega, who was watching her daughter Presley being transformed into Princess Jasmine. “They want to shop, they want things for their hair. We’re having a tea party at the Brick Oven Pizza after everyone’s through.”
Waiwaiole was at Salon J with her friends Natassja Stickland and Anela Bargamento whose children assumed princess roles based on costumes they had on.
Treatment included hair, nails, makeup, and the coronation with the tiara and presentation of the princess wand with a touch of magic hair glitter for effect.
“This is kind of a practice run for us,” Huttger said. “We would love to do this every first Sunday in March. When people drive by, we want them to say, ‘That’s the Princess Place!”
The salon is located at 4-940 Kuhio Highway
• Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
