Hair Affairs

I could not stress enough how important I think hair is to one's personal style.  I'm currently in the process of growing my hair out from a crew cut into a longer 'do, so allow me to muse about hair while I wait.  It might be due to the Asian sense of aesthetic in me that I tend to put a premium on well-maintained and well-dressed hair.  Occasionally I would see a person on the street who captures my attention so forcefully, he/she exudes lightness and body at the same time, his/her movement is sensual and gives off an ethereal vibe, and I realize, it is mostly because of that person's fabulous hair.  I can also clearly recall instances wherein a perfectly stylish outfit would be tainted by a lousy, mousy 'do.  Allow me to share my thoughts on this essential element of style.

my next haircut option one: model George Alan

Hair need not be flattering, you just have to like it.  This is not to totally push aside the artistic principles of angles and proportion, but what I'm trying to say is that with hair (same goes for all other things that you wear), what the wearer likes goes above any other rules imposed by others.  This is why most makeover episodes of America's Next Top Model make me cringe; they try to challenge the girls by drastically changing their hairstyles, transforming them into something they're not.  I mean, a beauty queen in a Mia Farrow 'do, a girly-girl with all her hair chopped off, a brash boho chick given an elf-ish haircut, come on! 

Case in point: the woman shown below sports a hair do that in my opinion doesn't do much to make her prettier, or sleeker, or slimmer-looking (although it does add a few inches of height!), nor is it neat, but I think it works.  It's just that needed dose of "crazy" to set her apart from all the fashion glitterati and the effect is purely iconic.

from The Sartorialist

Screw the coordinating-skin-undertone-with-hair-color rules, color it whatever you wish!  In line with what I previously said, I think people aren't having as much fun with their hair as they should.  Take your cue from the woman below, Sophia Bush on crack and weed.  But seriously, one would think that peacock colored hair combined with pale skin and dark clothes would translate to Hot Topic-clad wannabe goth kid but dare I say that the effect is quite fashion-y, in a good way!  I think the secret lies in the subtle variation of tones throughout the head; some parts tend to look more green and others more purple.  Any of you guys know who she is?  I would love to know; she is just captivating.

from The Sartorialist

As most of my friends who had known me from college would know, I've tried every natural hair color known to man (in order): from sun-kissed blonde to copper-red to plummy red to bleach blonde to ash to chocolate to black, you name it, I've done them all.  That's why for the next time I have my hair colored, I have decided to  branch out into the hues not commonly occurring naturally on human heads!  Here are some of my choices:

Purplish-plum (Comme des Garçons SS 09)

Extra-bright orangey red (okay so this is his natural hair color, but  it is extra bright, and on my Asian skin, natural is the last thing this color is going to look like)

If there's one hair styling tip that I would offer to guys, it would be to go easy on the product.  For most men nowadays, it's all about getting that pieced-together messy look and achieving height and nothing can look more artificially masculine than a guy with a Dep-supported sculptural piece on his head.  A good rule of thumb would be a dime-sized amount of product for the whole head; lets exercise some restraint here.  In fact, some men can just let their hair down, running a comb through their hair a couple of times and they're done!  My new blogger friend Frederic, wears his hair excellently, combed with a side part.  Classic-cool.

Frederic of talesfromfrederic.blogspot.com

Conversely, a few men can pull off a super-styled coif, and if you are positive you can, by all means let the teasing begin!  

height done right (from The Sartorialist)

But chances are, you aren't part of the one in 385,593,475,893,754 who can.

The last piece of advice I would give is to never, ever take hair seriously.  It's just hair.  Dye your whole head green for the weekend and switch back to your natural color before Monday comes!  If the hair gets too damaged from the processing, buzz it all off; wear a wig or go bald!  Allow yourself to try out different things and don't let anyone (even me) tell you what to do with your hair.  With all that experimenting, you will eventually strike gold and find that hair style that speaks volumes about who you are, one that people will remember you by, one that makes you feel like the most beautiful creature on earth, and maybe then, hair would be the only accessory you need.

my next haircut option 2: stylist Keegan Singh