Twist for me, lil darlin'.

I love these hair portraits by Etsy seller nosideup. Prints are available for $20.00. A customized sketch of your own updo can be yours for $75.00. Peruse her shop for other delights such as paper bling and your very own "it" bag. To be cool like her, follow her blog.

The Hair Club for Presidential Men.

Do you recognize these dos? It's a folicular history of our fearless leaders. The Times' Op-Art column takes a look at the styles of our men of substance. Penny Howell Jolly, an art history professor from Skidmore, gives a great translation of what their hair was saying. From relaxed styles usually followed relaxed politics. Powdered wigs were rejected as signs of the old, upper-crust. Facial hair signaled virility when times were tough. Now, a new style entirely is another sign of our unprecedented president.

Not to be left behind, the First Ladies are given similar hair treatment.

It's amazing that you can recognize an entire person--era, beliefs, politics, and all--based on their hairstyle. Check out the full feature here.

d'Ys The Man.

d'Ys and a creation for Kawakubo.

There are haircutters; they work in your local mall, know how to operate a pair of scissors, and love to give blowouts and blunt cuts. There are hairdressers; they work in salons outside of malls, make sure your scalp is massaged by the shampoo person, love executing a good razor cut, and will primp you til you look marvelous. There are hairstylists; they charge a bunch of cash, snip with precision, wear cool clothes, and have private studios above the ground floor in Manhattan. Then, there is Julien d'Ys. He's a hair sculptor and, well, he's one of maybe three names that the fashion world turns to to create magic.

Magic hair sculpture in Vogue.

From runway shows to museum exhibits, Julien's work is as much fine art as it is hair styling. He's spun magic for Galliano, Rei Kawakubo at Comme des Garcons, and countless editorials for the heavy hitter Vogue photographers, like Meisel and Elgort. Mr. d'Ys is also gifted with a sketchbook. His drawings have a classicly cool fashion illustrator's touch and they've been used in print and on the walls of the Met for the Models as Muse exhibit. His work speaks for itself; take a look:

Julein's drawings in the final room at the Model as Muse exhibit.


Julien explaining his art to Hamish Bowles.

How does he do that cotton candy hair? I wonder...

Fade In.

Trend alert. At the Porenza Schouler show a few of the models were given slight hints of haircolor. Their manes were tinted with washed out, faded colors. There were pale, ashy purples and rinses of green. It was a subtle punk, kind of like a sunwashed rebel; like punks bleached by the beach. And now, I'm spotting the subtle colors on the streets. More than a few cool girls are rocking the quiet shades. The look is a strange cross of grayish hair which looks old, and poppy colors which look young and edgy. Would you do this do? Would you?

Photos from Style.com.

Get Your Hair Did.

Julien d'Ys does his thing for The Met show. Art hair sculpture. Yes.



Amazing.

The Marathon.

I love fashion. I do, but my, oh my, the show season is like an endurance test. My interest in the catwalk shows has slipped a bit. Instead, it is merging into thoughts about how they do it, mostly the models? How the hell do these girls go from show to show to show with all of the extreme make up changes (glitter to grease paint to talc powder to glued-on lashes) and hair switches (wigs to slicked back to teased to super straight to frizzed) without losing their souls, an eye, or clumps of their hair? I mean, I really want to know if there are Fashion Week Season-specific rashes, conditions, or ailments that these girls suffer. Pink eye? Break outs? Scalp burn? I don't wear so much makeup but when I have in my life it was always a pore clogging problem. I really wonder how these girls do it. I bet you there is some kind of great expose, underbelly story to do here. I should get on that...

Photo: Pascal Rosignol/Reuters for The New York Times

Hair Apparent

I'm not crazy about Galliano's new couture collection for Dior. He's gone all Dutch on us. While I can never knock his immensely impressive craftsmanship and his "dream my little dream" fantasy mentality, I suppose my fashion dreams just don't involve stiff, overstuffed Flemish Master Painter-inspired gowns because I'm not feeling this collection.

It reminds me a bit too much of stuffy living room upholstery, and giant window treatments. You know what I do love, though? The hair:

I know, it's crazy. It's a lion's mane of crimped tresses all sewn through with string and braided in corn rows. It seems to be showing the underpinnings of a wigged woman, the behind the scenes, undone state of something meant to be more pristine. I love it. See, that makes it into my fantasy land. Big hair does it for me. Something undone does it for me.

Photos: full body: Alessandro Lucioni/Imax Tree; details: Matteo Volta/Imax Tree; all via Style.com

Commune With Nature

Before my recent experience at salon-cum-gift shop Commune International in Williamsburg, I would have flatly turned down any invitation to shop in the same place I get my hair cut. Most affordable salons in the City are hectic hair dryer wind tunnels scented with the distinct odor of burning hair; not the most browse-inducing atmosphere. But, thanks to Commune's focus on all natural ingredients the subtle smell of aromatherapy shampoo greets you at the door and leads you happily by the nose into the minimal yet homey space where store displays are decorated seasonally and overseen by art director Yoshiaki Takao.

While waiting for your stylist you can inspect the shop's gorgeously curated display of delicate, nature-inspired jewelry and homemade beauty products. Or, you can flip through a politely supplied current selection of fashion magazines (I think this was the first time a salon stocked magazines I actually wanted to read; Nylon and W, not Hair Trends) . When it's your turn to head to the whisper quiet salon in the back of the store, you sit for a brief consultation with your stylist followed by the most moan-inducing aromatherapy shampoo and head massage you have likely ever experienced. Just choose your scent and let the expert hair washer's hands make your eyes roll back in your head.

The cuts here are layered and flattering. The mostly Japanese staff who carefully snip your tresses with sharp shears are precise and thorough but quick. When you are finished, the $55 haircut will leave you with enough cash in your wallet to consider investing in one of their special jewelry pieces with natural touches: charms shaped like birds, stars, and twigs accompanied by semi-precious stones. They aren't cheap, but they certainly don't look it either.

I've endured my share of costly cuts in this big city, and I've mostly come away irritated and unimpressed. Commune left me delighted, relaxed, and needing to practice how to take a compliment. What more could a girl want?

Commune International


All images: CommuneSalon.com

Let's Wrap It Up: Heads Up!

Hate your hips? Well don't! Easier said than done? Then, keep the focus on your upper half with a bold Spring '09 trend.

Heed the designers' calls and tease your hair into tornadoes of curls and mussiness. I know it doesn't seem practical, but I also know that somewhere inside of you there's a woman who's always envied Marge Simpson. Grab a can of Aqua Net and get to work!

*Ed Note: I fear it would be socially irresponsible for me not to point out the heavy sarcasm in this above post*

Images: Fendi (l) and Comme des Garcons (r), both Style.com

Soften the Edges

Am I obsessed with the Sartorialist? In a word: Yes! He makes me happy. What else can I say? He has such an incredible eye, and people watching is my absolute favorite past time (well, that and singing along to Christina Aguilera songs at the top of my lungs while driving really fast). His blog creates a new venue for my voyeurism. And he's incredibly handsome.

Anyways, he snapped this lovely lady in Paris and commented on her beautiful mix of hard angles and softness. I agree, I'm loving the asymmetrical hair. Even though I've seen it in so many iterations over the years, she makes it look like a fresh idea.

Images: The Sartorialist