Hair Style Speaks... Listen Up Before You Cut

by Naomi Mannino

The way your client wears her hair speaks volumes about her inner personality and how she wants the world to see her. Listen carefully!

Hair is one of the first things people notice about us. It is the highest thing on our head, it's shiny, it moves and it attracts our attention…that's when it SPEAKS volumes. It declares our identity if we have the courage to let it! Rose Weitz, prominent sociologist and author of Rapunzel's Daughters (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2004) gives an eye-opening look at the central role hair plays in our personal relationships and our relationship with the larger outside world. In fashion photographer Francesco Scavullo's classic book on beauty, Scavullo on Beauty (Random House, 1976) Barbara Walters speaks the truth: "I have always felt that if your hair looks good, everything looks good." As far back as cultures have been recorded, there have been indications about hair and what it says about a person's gender, social class, age and status among other things. Across cultures and down the centuries, women's hairstyles have varied wildly from ankle-length false braids worn in 12th century England to chin-length 'bobs' worn by American flappers in the 1920's. But in each time and place, ideas about women's hair have reflected ideas about a woman's nature and how she lives her life, reports Weitz.

A question of length
Every culture has its ideals. In our current culture, long hair is considered more attractive and it almost openly speaks about its owner's sexuality, just as the shaven head of a monk represents abstinence. The right haircut can improve any face, make any statement a client wants. But whether a woman knows about scientific research or feels it intuitively, at the moment when she wants to accumulate her sexual energy, she grows her hair. If her sexuality is excessive her hair becomes shorter. For example, famous sex-symbols Marilyn Monroe, Sharon Stone, Demi Moore, Halle Berry began their careers with long hair but eventually shortened their hairstyles as their careers advanced into more serious roles. Long hair is most worn by young girls, young women and housewives because they are all interested in cultivating a woman's energy, though for different reasons. Even hippies' long hair in the 60's and 70's is an evident indication of sexual freedom. Picture Jerry Hall's hair falling all around her… you know she is showing off her love for her hair and the fact that she knows men love her for it. When asked why she's never cut it, the reply came to Scavullo, "Because it's part of me. I love to feel in on my back when I walk, every time I move. When I laugh I love to throw it around." Other long-haired classic, sexual beauties? Jacqueline Bisset, Brooke Shields, Renee Russo, Portia DeRossi to name a few. Even Bianca Jagger makes this statement of truth about men to Scavullo about taking her long, flowing, natural locks short, "I'm dying to do it, but Mick doesn't like it." In contrast, what do the shaven heads of women represent? Sinead O'Connor's strong convictions, Demi Moore's toughness in the movie GI Jayne, although some say androgyny is also sexual as illustrated by certain infamous Calvin Klein fragrance commercials.

Style makes a statement
There is a great contention, obviously, that women with short hair are not less attractive. Scavullo says in his book "If your profile is strong and classic consider wearing your hair quite short," as in well-known jewelry designer Elsa Peretti's signature style. Elsa just washes her hair and shakes it dry… how easy is that? Her classic Roman profile is superb against her close-cropped hair. He also points out that close-cropped hair can give great emphasis to facial features like eyes as in Liza Minelli's signature look that has withstood the test of time. As for active women or those in decisionmaking roles, short hairstyles can make them freer in their actions and demonstrate power. This can be said about Hillary Clinton and Margaret Thatcher. Would anyone take Hilary Clinton seriously as leader of our country with long flowing tresses, worn free? Consider fashion legend Gloria Vanderbilt and her signature tailored, flipped bob, as Scavullo states, "If you find a look that works, stick with it!"

Exclamation points of Color!
When considering a client's color, classic colorist Robert Renn sums it up this way, "hair color must do something to make you look better - not just different." A good colorist will ask lifestyle questions. A client and colorist should discuss time, care, pros, cons and expense involved in the type of color to consider. Adding the proper tones of to hair can pick up on skin tones, eye color and add contouring to a client's face. Changing from one complete color to another, again speaks volumes…make sure that's the statement your client wants to make! Get to know the woman inside. Sit down and engage your client in a hair dialogue to find out what she wants her hair to say before you pick up your scissors and cut.

See More Stories