The Runway

Runway models are given hair styles to enhance the clothes or accessories they are modeling. From their original hair, on the runway models are given new cuts, colors and styles. Some even wear wigs. These styles change to what kind of clothing they are wearing. For example, Versace models in the last fashion show, had very straight and sleek hair to show off the clothing more. Also, Versace is a very nice and professional clothing style, so the models had hair to match the style. The site contains a runway section where you can see the runway show for yourself and the style of the models hair. Other brands such as Louis Vuitton put their models' hair a little different. In the summer runway show, the models wore flowers in their hair and all the models shared the same style so that the clothes were being shown off. This site can also be navigated to see past runway shows. This style of flowers may have been the same between the models, yet it is not seen on the streets. This shows that the runway is beginning a new fashion trend, whether it picks up on the average public or not.

Diesel and italian jean company has their models on the runway very new and trendy. In their fall/winter 06/07 runway show, you can see that the models had many different and crazy hairstyles. Unlike Louis Vuitton, their hair is all different; some long, some short, and one even bald. Many models are sporting a look not seen on most people on the streets. Their hair is very big, and looks unbrushed. For most average people, this look would not be acceptable since they must go to work and look somewhat presentable; although on the runway, this is a new trend and stylists want the models to look out of the norm. The question is now, is whether or not celebrities and average people begin wearing their hair this way as well. Will this fashion catch on? This clip on YouTube will give you a first hand look at the Diesel model's hair in the runway show.

America's Next Top Model is a reality televison show that has a competition between women to win a modeling contract. In the show, each week the women have photo shoots. All these shoots require them to change their hair. Since they are working in high fashion, the models many times have outrageous hair that most people would never even think about wearing. These women may have extreme hair styles, but that is what makes them hip. These models can pull off this look, unlike most people. It is interesting to see if celebrities or average people pick up looks seen in high fashion like in the photos of America's Next Top Model (photos). The out of the norm look is what consitutes them as high fashion. To the right is one of the models in one of the photo shoots during the show. We can see that this color and style of hair is not likely seen on the street or even on the red carpet, but it is seen as hip because it is part of high fashion.


Works Cited
"Amanda_3 Picture." https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE7lemCeQYf8wxXFzmfVL3GUXabeq3LBaNOWqc7-RZn97-hYhDjfHBQt3_zPPaHJ_AwGTwV3YVA2x2u7csSW_MvJ_rSs5fcAu-EI_k1aSM9r0Jiy2Dn_KBGerl9MGeGT3F-4wpJIm2mVc/s1600-h/amanda_3.jpg 4/35/07
"Kate Moss Catwalk Video." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lzU_knWLL0 4/23/07

The Red Carpet

Celebrities also use their popularity to begin trends. With paparazzi taking pictures of them on the streets, to on the red carpet, it's no wonder people look to celebrities for fashion. Also, with shows such as Entertainment Tonight and Best Week Ever on VH1, society is always up to date on the latest trends of the stars. With a media filled world in America, style is easy to pick up on if you are willing to try new styles before everyone else. This is what makes fashion hip. If a person sees a style and begins wearing it, they are setting a trend. Unfortunately, when too many people pick up on this look, many times the style dies because it is too common. Just as Leland describes in his book Hip: The History, hip "resists the cycle" (243) and "disintegrates by its own hand" (70).

Jennifer Aniston is known for her beautiful, sleek hair. When she was on the show F.R.I.E.N.D.S., people saw her shag and began copying the look. That was back in the 90s, but is a good example of how people pick up their fashion from what they see on television or movies. When walking down the street, you can still see this shag on many women. It's popularity has stuck since the 90s because it is easy to style and always looks great. While some styles do not stay for long, Aniston's shag has showed increased popularity in all ages of women. Still today, people look at Aniston as a trend setter in hair styles for the average woman. She always has looks ready for any occasion. From the shag, to the bob, to her long locks, women all over the world have envied her beautiful, yet sexy hairstyles.

Halle Berry is also known for her various hairstyles. While she has had long hair, she has also had a shoulder-length bob, and even a short "boy-cut." To many, short hair is was not seen as sexy, like long locks were seen; although Halle Berry proved people wrong in 2002 when she sported a very short "boy-cut" hairstyle in the movie "Die Another Day." This short style brought out her facial features and showed that women could be sexy with any hairstyle. With her face and hair all over the big screen and in movies, this style quickly picked up to women as a new way to extend their femininity by taking over a man's traditional style. This crossover from a man's look to a women's has not been seen much in hair fashion. Men and women have not shared many hairstyles in the past, and now that this crossover, makes it hip.
It's hip to be different, sexy, and rebellious at the same time. Many women today wear their hair short as well, and strut down the street feeling sexy. Halle Berry began a trend with short hair and has made women feel comfortable, beautiful, and sexy all at the same time.

Natalie Portman took her hair style to a new level when she shaved her head. With people questioning short hair, Portman stepped out to show that women can be sexy with any hair, even none! This action taken by Portman was a bold statement, and put her in many magazines and escalated her a hip icon. It makes a person wonder if this look will catch on and average women will begin shaving their heads as a fashion trend because of its presence in the media.

Works Cited

"Halle Berry Photo/Picture." http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&um=1&hl=en&q=halle+berry 4/26/07
"Halle Berry Long Hair."
http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/ap/pw80603281026.widec.jpg 4/26/07
"Jennifer Aniston as Friends." http://theage.com.au/ffximage/2004/11/29/rachel_narrowweb__200x286,1.jpg 4/25/07
Leland, John. Hip: The History. New York, NY: Harper Collins, 2005. (70, 243)
"Natalie Portman." http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&um=1&hl=en&q=Natalie+portman+bald 4/26/07

The Rack

Average women today have styles pulled from the runway and celebrities. The styles might not be exactly the same; many times they have been toned down to look more ordinary. Most people want their hair to be trendy, yet professional. Hair fashion seems as if it trickles down from the runway, the red carpet, and finally to the rack. While this is true, it is also important to think about the changes it encounters on the way. For example, runway models might start a trent of long curly hair. This is hard for the average women to do because they do not have the products, stylists, or hair extensions to use. Money, time, and effort have a big role in how hair trends change from the runway to the rack. In these photos is Samantha Gurowski, a sophmore Syracuse University Public Relations major, showing off the Syracuse campus hip hair fashions.

One example of a style seen in today's society is the "poof." It began on the runway and made it's way to celebrities. Unlike models, the streets see people with more of a small poof whereas the models on the runway had them inches in the air. This style has become very popular in the past year, but most likely came out on the runway months before. Syracuse students live by this hairstyle, whether it be to class or at the bar, you will see girls everywhere with this style. From blonde to brunette, long to short, straight to curly, this hairstyle is easy to do and fits any occasion.

Another hip look is wavy hair. Instead of tight curls, long wavy hair has come into fashion with its sexy style and ease. Instead of having pin straight hair, women are currently putting some wave in their hair to either work or on a date. This style is good for any occasion and can dress up any outfit you wear. This style of wavy hair has been taken from past years. Throughout the 80s, many women would not leave home without a curling iron touching their hair. This style of big and curly brings the 80s back, but with a different twist. The curl is a little different, yet the overall idea of waves is reoccuring. While straight hair is still widely seen, the popularity of curls is back on the rise.

The side-swoop bang has also become a major fasion trend in the street world. Beginning on the runway and moving down to celebrities, women now all over rock the swoop bang. This bang is different than past years since it is longer in length, yet still covers the forehead. It can be many different lengths and easy to style. The swide-swoop bang has been popular for couple years now, but its popularity keeps increasing. Women are looking for a small change, yet something noticable. It is easy to be pulled back because of its long length, yet easy to style when wearing it down. This bang looks great on most all hair types mostly likely will stay in fashion for awhile longer.