SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- With less than a week till baseball's Opening Day, a local hairstylist is using her talents to show off her San Diego Padres fandom. Her latest creation pays homage to her son's favorite player, Fernando Tatis Jr.
"I haven't missed an opening day in over a decade -- except for last year -- so we're so excited," San Diegan Bridgett Virissimo said.
Virissimo and her family have been season ticket holders for years. But as much as they support the team, there is one player her 5-year-old son Geronimo just loves: Fernando Tatis Jr.
At the games, little Geronimo is screaming at the shortstop during every play. One day, he told his mom that he wants to be just like him, starting with his iconic hair.
"He wanted these dreadlocks, but it's kind of easier to throw on some clips than putting them in his hair," Virissimo said.
As a hairstylist with experience creating costume hair, including braids and dreads, Virissimo decided to make a hand-sewn set of clip-on dreads for her son.
"You clip them on like so, and it just goes like that," she showed ABC 10News.
Since then, it's been a big hit. Padres fans immediately took notice and wanted them, too.
"People even bought them right off of our hats at spring training," Virissimo said.
What started as a small project for her son has now blossomed into a side business.
"I've put braids and dreadlocks in for every race of people. I don't think it's limited to who you are," Virissimo said. "Tatis and his dreads are his trademark, so we're just representing our favorite player."
Virissumo said she is now working on a patent for the clips. For more information, send a message to her Instagram page.
