Super-Hair.Net
Cutting-Edge Hair News
When we compiled our Ultimate 50 at the launch of this site in late 1999, a few "supermodels" had to be on the list. Some may have been surprised that we ranked Naomi Campbell above Cindy Crawford and Carol Alt - but we did because she showed amazing skill with keeping long hair in line. Campbell's length has gone up and down in the last 25 years, with some blaming that on extensions. Now in her mid-50s, Campbell still keeps us guessing - such as in a Harper's Bazaar "icons" September cover shoot. The woman who's admitted battling alopecia is shown with a short cut with nothing seemingly dropping on her neck.
Is shorter classier for Campbell? Not at all, our voters say; they unanimously voted it down in a one-week poll (5-0). A series of questions filled the comments section: "Did she get her hair caught in desk fan... Did she get drunk and chop... Is that style called the Moe Howard?" The latter "Three Stooges" reference may be unfair, since Campbell turned it into a short steamy style during New York Fashion Week. But we understand the longing for her long locks. Perhaps the magazine did as well...
...because the cover story also includes this photo: Campbell with a ponytail (clipped on?) racing a cheetah - the fastest animal on Earth. Now this is the "Super-Naomi" we've come to admire and dream about. Would you try to chase this supermodel down - and if you caught her, would Campbell's reputation for fighting prevent you from capturing her?
Thanks to all of you who take part in our polls! And we welcome any news tips you have on changing celebrity styles. Contact us at: SuperHair@Gmail.com - or via Twitter: @SuperHairNet.
**********
They may not be as famous as "Travis and Tay-Tay" - but actress/singer Hailee Steinfeld is dating a pro football star. Her "beau" is Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen. And in recent months, Steinfeld has broadened her career to include a "Beau Society" newsletter for her fans. It's there where Steinfeld explained a major change in her hairstyle. She also explained it to People magazine: long hair feeling like "dead weight... I'm constantly trying to get it out of my way." So she had stylist Mara Roszak cut it in June - all the way to a nape-of-the-neck bob.
Did Steinfeld call a good "audible" with this cut? Some Hair Fans sacked it: "Terrible. Long hair icon no more," one commented. But Steinfeld escaped the negative onslaught to win a 57% vote of support for the cut in our week-long poll (4-3). We're frankly surprised the margin wasn't larger, given the photos we posted - with her short hair leaning at the very brink of collapsing. If Allen's a real Hair Fan, he might go after it for more than a two-minute drill.
**********
Her latest album is titled Short n' Sweet - but the hair of pop singer Sabrina Carpenter certainly doesn't fit part of that title. She's displayed long blonde styles since emerging as a star on a Disney series in the mid-2010s. In videos from her first albums, Carpenter kept her hair basic - natural waves that didn't seem to require much effort. But in her 20s and the 20s, Carpenter has become more glamorous in her look. The most noteworthy change for us is the addition of bangs, which come in handy considering her videos have become more violent in theme and even controversial.
Did Carpenter make the right cut by adding bangs? Our Hair Fans are impressed, with 83% supporting the bangs over our week of questioning (5-1). "Awesome," one supporter wrote; "Full, fluffy, soft-looking" - in other words, great to watch in action. For older Hair Fans, it's tempting to add another question: does Sabrina Carpenter's hair now top Karen Carpenter's in her prime? We personally lean toward Karen, because Sabrina seems to let things get out of control too much - like she's had too much Espresso.
**********
Well before the Olympic and Paralympic Games arrived in Paris, "Emily" was there. Lily Collins has become a style maven in the HBO series Emily in Paris much like the ladies of Sex and the City did two decades ago. Her ways with her have earned her several Crown Award nominations, including a shared prize for the Best Bangs of 2022. But for Season 4 of her series, Collins apparently has banished the bangs - and in fact, several inches of hair. She showed up at the Hollywood premiere with a short cut that some dubbed a "French bob."
Should Lily receive the roses of victory for this latest move? Not according to our voters. Our one-week question found 75% of them prefer the Collins cut longer (6-2). "Not even close," one wrote; "the short hair is horrible." Another called the change "limp and lifeless." Yet another voter wondered if a compromise would work: "Like the shorter cut, but wish she'd kept the bangs." Now that would really be Parisian - as in Mireille Matthieu, the winner of our first EuroCup in 2004. We'll see if Collins cuts into that bob; at age 35, time is on her side.
**********
Our Crown Award for Best Hairstyle in Journalism has been dominated from the beginning by U.S. women. Even occasional U.S. viewers can understand why. But Monika Plaha changed that in 2024. The BBC News anchor not only won the Crown, but finished third in our Eurocup '24 representing England. She also won a Super-Hair Wars match. And now, people in the Leicester and Nottingham area (she anchors East Midlands Today) can rejoice again - as Plaha and her cascading brunette waves have been voted #1 hairstyle in the world!
Our annual one-week contest is based on the cuts in our Top Ten Tresses list. Plaha jumped to the lead and left the rest in the dust, gaining 60% of the votes. Second place was shared by shorter styles, as Caitlin Huey-Burns of CBS News tied at 20% with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. (Did we overlook her for EuroCup?) Yet as in 2023, only three members of the Top Ten received votes. No one left a comment about any of the Ten - but we know from other comment areas that at least one sportscaster could be on precarious ground.
**********
She's a model. She's an artist. And in the eyes of the paparazzi, Ava Phillippe might as well be the twin sister of Crown Award winner Reese Witherspoon. They look that much alike, especially when Philippe's hair is blonde. Yet in reality, Phillippe is Witherspoon's daughter. That's why they're seen together often. But with Phillippe a couple of years out of college, she may have felt it was time for a break. In late July, she showed off brunette hair on Instagram - announcing: "Time to see how the other half lives."
Was Phillippe living her best life then, or now? The darker shade has our voters impressed, as 57% supported it in our one-week poll. The old blonde color was backed by 29%, while 14% seemed to prefer something in between (4-2-1) - "auburn or strawberry blonde." Phillippe seems to prefer an all-out change, as opposed to something gradual. At least now, we'll have no trouble telling Phillippe and Witherspoon apart.
**********
When we search for City League entries, we often utilize lists - lists arranged by colleges, universities or TV stations. That's how we found Bailey Vaughn, a journalist at KTEN-TV in the "Texoma" region of north Texas. The photo posted on the station's website shows her with waves which stop at the shoulders. We think that picture was taken in 2021-22, but Vaughn's X/Twitter feed shows she hasn't settled for that. She's had longer styles - such as the one on the right, from a news trip to Oklahoma City in May. It's a few inches longer, with some curls that are invitingly full.
Were we misled about Vaughn? Based on your response, everything's OK. Our one-week poll found 89% of Hair Fans prefer Vaughn with a longer style (8-1). The good news for them is that photos on her feed show an even longer look, probably resulting from a straighter style. If she can keep it all under control (and it appears she's able to do that), the future for this young anchor/reporter seems quite bright.
**********
Review other Cutting-Edge votes: 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002
Home Page what is Super-Hair? top Ten Hot List
Ultimate 50 Super-Hair Wars Style Profile Hair Headlines Super-Hair World Cup
Crown Awards Super-Hair Q&A Hair Pressure Attachments Word of Warning
© 2002-24 www.Super-Hair.Net, All Rights Reserved.