Style At The End of '01

Introduction

What's was really hot for Fall/Winter 2001? "Anything goes," the usual pundit's answer, doesn't help anybody, but the season turned out to be in which you at least, have an incredible number of style choices.

Today, unstructured cuts meet retro styles and multi-cultural mixes in a true "season of assimilation," according to NYC's Fashion Group. There are even mixes within narrow thoughts: In time periods, '50s quiffs meet '80s shags; within textural thinking, African-inspired braids are combined with straight strands. The best way to get a new do: Just pick your favorite elements and mix them up artfully.

Textured and straight looks combine with ease. Undercut pieces actually help make a smooth bob's surface stand out. As for color-it's got to work with the design of the cut, which means it's usually dimensional. Here are just a few influences to choose from:

Right off, call it a straight story. If you believe the runway shows, it's back to straight, shoulder-length and incredibly sleek. But that doesn't mean you can't add a techno-twist of your own to make straight special. Styling products that are on the dry side add a new matte texture to locks; in fact, the professionals at Goldwell say matte texture and color is the next big thing. Temporary colors are on the comeback, meaning that even if you wear your hair straight every day, you can make a color change whenever you want.

In opposition to straight, big hair is rearing its gigantic head and it's not just for curly locks. If your hair is bone straight on its own, adding a mussed-up, tousled feeling gives you the look. Start with a roller set, then use lots of texturizing spray to make individual strands stand out. If your hair is curly, expand that thought. Layered cuts let you style curls for wide body-just keep spraying on a texturizer as you direct air flow from your blow dryer from underneath. For tamer versions of big hair, brush up on roller-setting and backcombing skills.

Last season, everyone was catching a wave, and the trend continues into 2001 with softer, looser, barely there waves. To get them, set hair on gigantic rollers or steal an idea from the '50s; use a well-washed soup can with the ends cut out and set your hair on it. If your hair is short, mold in waves after heavily gelling hair. Soft S-shapes should be allowed to dry naturally for a strong finish.

The '80s still have influence in updated shags, think of a combination of Jane Fonda and the women of '80s rock. These cuts are mid-length to shorter, heavily layered and easy to ruffle and go. Cosmopolitan magazine even coined a new name for their version "The Gutsy." It features a mullet-like, bi-level length and lots of razored layers for a choppy effect. If you don't like the mullet feeling, ask for a version that's not really bi-level.

Strong asymmetry continues to be a trend: For Spring it was paired with undercut bobs, for Fall it works wonders for longer locks. If you like the look, stay with long layers or none at all. Brushing hair from the far side across the head is also a clever way to make fine hair look like lots more than it is.

Color comes in all hues for the season, but this is one of the few Falls there has been an absence of redheads on the runways. Perhaps, it's just that brunettes are grabbing most of the attention. Ethnic-influenced brunettes are ultra-dark, with hints of plum and chocolate cherry, while women whose hair is naturally very dark are opting for bright, wild shades that require bleaching before the color application. The influence is hip-hop, where everyone from Eve to Pink are showing off shocking shades.

Blondes are back to bold, with platinum, buttery blondes and incredibly cool shades taking the forefront. Usually, blondes go gold for Fall but in a switch, colors that are ashy, sandy and beige are getting attention because they're new. Colorists create them with custom formulas that use color-balancing to keep out the warm undertones. With all this bleaching going on, which is required to get very light, bright shades, new conditioning treatments are bound to spring up. Some salons, like Robert Jeffery in Chicago, even have "Juice Bars" in which Wella's Life-Tex hair treatments are customized for condition.

Speaking of, healthy hair is never going to go out of style, which means home conditioning treatments are a must. Today's products are more attuned to specific needs and some even serve double duty. For fine locks, conditioning the ends only is recommended; if hair is thick and curly, leave-in conditioners and frizz-fighters are all part of the healthy hair movement.

If you've noticed hair jewelry is making a comeback, you're right-how else to spark up all those straight styles? Newest ones are covered bands with fanciful cubes on the ends, fruit-inspired clips and sophisticated ribbons, woven through longer locks. No more girlish bugs and butterflies; hair jewelry is high-end.

Finally, cut-in texture is the thing to have if your hair is straight. To make stick-straight new, stylists like Anthony Pawlowski of Details Salon in Rocky River, OH, are using razors, thinning shears and a variety of techniques, such as slide cutting and end-chipping to create precision "sculptures" that are cut to fit. Not only do these techniques allow you to get a mussed look, they're perfect for adding life to ends and making long hair move. Styling waxes, cremes, muds and pomades make texturized ends stand out and help enhance surface texture.

Xena Parsons, owner of Xena's in NYC, agrees with the new textural take and says the best seasonal update for slightly square, layered cuts is to change both the perimeter and interior shapes to make them angular. To enliven the ends and enhance movement, she uses a razor for many of her cuts.

"When you put this much effort into a new cut, re-think color, too," says Xena. "Chunkier color, woven in wide panels and placed on angles, keeps the color strong at the perimeter."

Summary

Which goes to show, if you really want to know what's new and how to best combine the elements of Autumn, look for a hairdresser who keeps up with the trends. A good way to find out: Ask if he or she regularly takes classes on the newest styles and techniques.

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Thank you for visiting us at The HairBoutique Blog and for leaving your comments. They are very much appreciated. We apologize in advance but must remove any direct advertisements or solicitations.

- Revised Publication Date: 03/03/11

Victoria Wurdinger

Social Media Network Information

Please follow me on Twitter at: http://Twitter.com/HairBoutique. I look forward to meeting new people from all walks of Twitter and learning from their Tweets. Visit us at Hairboutique.com located at: http://www.HairBoutique.com, on Facebook, MySpace and YouTube.

Thank you for visiting us at The HairBoutique Blog and for leaving your comments. They are very much appreciated. We apologize in advance but must remove any direct advertisements or solicitations.

- Revised Publication Date: 03/03/11