Less than 48 hours ago, NASA did something BIG. A huge­ leap forward. A robot named Curiosity safely landed on a planet far, far away that we call Mars. You know, the planet that makes an appearance in many movies; the one thought to have formerly had life on it, the one science teachers say we may live on one day? Yeah, that one.

Okay, awesome. I’m thinking one day in my lifetime, humans will land on Mars. Probably true. Then, I see the man behind the machine. Enter: Bobak Ferdowsi, flight director. Or, as the internet now refers to him, “Mohawk Guy”.

Bobak Ferdowsi

Let’s objectify for a slight moment; NASA apparently isn’t all white lab coats and gray hair and glasses–this guy is HOT. And young. With a mohawk. With red and blue tips and bleached stars. And he is handsome.

Okay, done objectifying. Moving on. I don’t know about the rest of you, but growing up as a “rebellious” teen coloring my hair and getting tattoos at age 16, I always heard from my elders how “you’ll never get a good job looking like that.” “What type of job do you plan to have with all those tattoos?” “Who’s going to take you seriously with a half-shaved head?”

Well, e­lders, I’d just like to show you this: a head honcho at NASA has a dyed mohawk. He’s my hero! Finally, it seems the workplace standards are changing and broadening. As someone who’s held a lot of jobs, some with prestige, all while being my modified self, I’ve seen the changes.

As a teenager fresh out of high school working at Limited Too I was told to wear bracelets to hide my tattoos. The more I got, the less I could hide, and the District Manager didn’t seem to care much. When I went to college I toyed with dying my hair unconventional colors before shaving off one side in 2009, which I’ve kept up with ever since. Three years later, and my resume has grown extensively, with no holding back in the job front, or in my body modification.

When I go in for interviews I flip my hair and my nose ring, and take on my conservative alter ego. Towards the end of an interview I always ask how they are about wardrobe and presentation, and explain that I have a shaved head and a nose ring, as well as a few tattoos on my arms. More often than not they’re intrigued as I quickly flip back to “me”. Have I ever not been hired because of this? NO. Barney’s flagship NYC store hired me because they actually loved my fun, unconventional look, and I was instructed to rock it as much as I wanted. Working corporate for Rue La La, it was a little more “as needed”, ie: for some big meetings I needed to look more conservative, but around the office I could wear my shaved head loud and proud.

Mohawk Guy holding such a prestigious position got me thinking about other non-conservative successful people. Take Jenne Lombardo, for example: founder of The Terminal Presents, Global Fashion Director for W Hotels, and the creator of the M.A.C. and Milk Studios partnership–this shaved-head, tattooed woman is my ultimate inspiration.

Jenne Lombardo

Finally, Dr. David Ores: Harley rider on the weekends, life saver by day. A Manhattan doctor who even provides free care to uninsured patients.

Dr. David Ores

These people aren’t celebrities, models or rock stars. They’re hard workers with a tough look that pushes the boundaries of what was once acceptable in the workplace. The world is changing in our generation: tattoos are becoming mainstream, and there are even robots on Mars!

Written by Sahra Schukraft
Follow her fashion and lifestyle blog, Effortless Cool!