Hillary’s Hair

Sometimes I forget to read the news. Sometimes I forget there is a world outside of mine. So every once in a while, I like to touch base with what’s going on in the world. I look for something in the news that will light my fire. Something current, something topical, something controversial. For inspiration, I sometimes consult with Drudge Report, or what I like to call a news portal to sensationalist headlines all over the world. In a 20 second glance, I can get a pretty general idea of what’s going on the the world.

On Monday, I found the perfect newsworthy and controversial topic: Hillary’s Hair.

And by Hillary, you must know I am talking about former First Lady, current former U.S. Senator from the great state of New York, and current Secretary of State* Hillary Rodham Clinton. And by hair, you must know I’m talking about the ever changing locks on her head. This actually is newsworthy because apparently her lack of a daring-do made the front page of the Daily Mail, a UK based paper.

If you scan the internet for news at all, you know that most UK papers provide conservative, cutting edge, hardline journalism (note: that is a completely sarcastic comment). But this headline did catch my eye: Oh Hillary, that hairstyle just doesn’t cut it: Mrs Clinton prepares for huge UN meeting with lank locks

And while the article did detail her discussions about the Iranian Revolution, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and the recent release of a U.S. female hiker from a Tehran prison, the lead paragraph focused on what we all wanted to know: what did her hair look like.

“Hillary Clinton has been telling everyone that organising her daughter Chelsea’s wedding was the most stressful thing she’d done in some time.

But with that happy event out of the way, most observers would expect her to be back at the top of her game in time to take on Iran’s President Ahmadinejad at the United Nations General Assembly this week.

With two of the three American hikers still being held by the Tehran regime and Sakineh Ashtiani still facing death by stoning, a mighty war of words is expected in New York.

But if her plan of action seemed to be in place as she attacked Ahmadinejad’s ‘flawed election’ to a second term, her hair wasn’t.”

Can you imagine how I felt reading that?

How far have women come in politics that when a major female political figure is meeting with a controversial world leader, the main focus is on her hair and clothes?

How many times to we have to hear about French President Sarkozy without being reminded (along with pictures) that he is married to a gorgeous model?

How many times do we have to hear about the dowdiness of Queen Elizabeth II or hear a few more scary plastic surgery stories about Nancy Pelosi before women’s brains triumph their appearance?

Apparently a few more times because I, myself, have very strong opinions on the state of Hillary’s hair.

Early Hillary looks just fine. She probably graduated sometime around 1966 and even though her bouffant is pretty tame for the times, she has that cute “debate team” kind of look.

I’ll admit that while her fashion choices were questionable, when she and her husband broke into the political scene, I was pleasantly surprised to see a woman in politics without the super stiff short hair. At least it was free-flowing, sometimes sported bangs, and even a headband. I can respect that.

Perhaps this was when the whole Gennifer Flowers scandal erupted because Hillary’s big mop bears a striking resemblance to that of “the other woman.”

This, to me, is belle of the ball hair. Elegant, sophisticated, stiff. She looks just the part of the First Lady.

Sometimes you take a few steps forward. Sometimes you take a bunch back. While she looks quite coiffed, I prefer a free, looser, less hairsprayed Hillary.

Now even a Republican like me can admit, Hillary looks darn good in this picture. I guess in retrospect, she’s had a few hair missteps along the way. I’m sure life hasn’t been easy. I’ll cut her some slack with the comb up-do. Maybe her hairdryer broke. Or maybe she rolled out of bed feeling like crap but realized that she still had to meet with that Iranian guy. Lord knows I’ve had plenty of those mornings (minus the meetings with world leaders).

Hillary’s hair: newsworthy? Nope. Fun to talk about? You bet.

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*Post revised: Apparently, I thought Hillary’s career ended as a Senator. I kind of forgot she was Secretary of State. Maybe I should check the news more often.

Tagged as: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Hillary's hair, hillary's hairstyles through the years, lank locks, Politics, women's appearance in politics