Super-Hair.Net: Style Profile

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Style Profile

May 2002: The Ears Have It

Most women probably would say long hair is more difficult to keep in place than short hair. Yet over the years, there's been one easy way to keep hair off the eyes -- a way that seemed popular in the 1970's, disappeared for the "bang" trend in the 1980's, but has made a comeback in recent years. It's as simple as setting long hair behind the ears. Or is it that simple?

When Marina Anissina and her partner won the Gold Medal in Winter Olympic ice dancing, she offered possibly the most spectacular displays we'd ever seen of keeping hair tucked behind the ears. Anissina's overall strategy was to keep her long straight locks behind the shoulders. This photo from the medal stand gives a hint to what she did - not the hair touching the left ear, but the hair inside it. Strands closest to the eyes are pulled down practically perpendicular to the ground, then set deep between the shoulder blades. Once Anissina put it there, it was there to stay.

During Anissina's ice dancing routines, the long hair flies around quite a bit - enough to bend into her eyes at times. But the tucked-back hair did not, staying in perfectly well-groomed line. From what we've seen on television, she does not seem to use hairpins around the ears to control it. Amazingly, this photo suggests the hair isn't even pinned farther down the back.

Here she bends the head back even more - yet still with amazing hair control. In all the competitions we watched, the strands behind the ear never even appeared close to falling off. Given the speed and quickness involved in figure skating moves, it seems impossible - but she did it.

We wish we could tell you how Anissina does it, but we're still trying to find out. Perhaps part of the answer is the angle of the pull back. It's almost straight, while some women pull hair back in more of an upside-down question mark shape.

HOW CAN A WOMAN MAKE THIS STYLE EVEN MORE ENTICING, YET STILL VIRTUALLY UNBEATABLE?

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Style Profile archives:

December 2001: In Defense of Helmet Hair

May 2001: Wonder of the Wedge

July 2000: Turn of the Pageboy

February 2000: Sweeping Side-part

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Photos this page courtesy Reuters; CNNSI