Clear lines dictate new hairstyles By Sandra Cantzler

dpa German Press Agency Published: Wednesday March 21, 2007

By Sandra Cantzler, dpa =
Cologne- The new darling among women is Bob. Former Spice
Girl Victoria Beckham has fallen for him and in the spring, a lot of
fashion-conscious women will most certainly follow suit.
Bob in this case is not a man, but the classic haircut, which is
making a comeback. Accurate cuts and styles that have a geometric
look - inspired by haircuts popular in the 1920s and 1960s - also are
trendy. Men's hairstyles, meanwhile, are reminiscent of the 1980s.

The new look is flat and glossy, said Stefanie Koehn of the
association of German hairstylists and barbers. Compact cuts are
displacing soft, fringed cuts. "Exact cuts are coming at the expense
of playful elements," according to Germany's central association of
barbers in Cologne.

The new interpretations of the bob are not as strict as they
initially appear. Precision is always combined with a soft structure,
the association says.

"The contours are in fact often very geometric," said hair fashion
journalist Simone Frieb of Cologne. "The cut itself is, however,
flexible and very, very versatile."

Frieb said hairstyles currently are shifting between two poles.

"On one side are the classic feminine looks that are long and
lustrous. On the other side are androgynous looks," she said, adding
that such extreme short hairstyles are ideal in combination with
classically cut pantsuits.

Martina Acht, a world champion hairstylist from Offenbach, also
sees hairstyles moving in two directions. A natural look with long
layers contrasts with geometric cuts in which "hair colour greatly
comes into play.

The favourite is the bob.

"Bobs are the height of current style. Victoria Beckham is the
best example of that," said Acht. Smooth, round and chin-length, a
traditional bob curves around the side of the head. There are new
versions in which the front is cut in a mushroom shape and the back
remains long.

Koehn said current variations employ vastly asymmetric and
undercut sections of hair. Bangs are also in the mix, although Frieb
said they are not per se the fashion statement.

Bangs, however, are an indispensable part of men's current
hairstyles. Men who want to be stylish are having their hair done
like the musicians of the '80s band Duran Duran.

"Provocative and very masculine" is how the central association of
barbers characterizes the new looks.

"Longer hair is clearly in style for men," said hairdresser Jens
Dagne.

The new rock star style uses long layers and asymmetrically cut
bangs. The hair is then twirled, worked over with a straightening
iron and kneaded. Occasionally, it's then slickened with a gel.

Restraint is the trend in men's hair colour, as in women's.

"A lot of dark browns in interesting shades" are the favourites
for summer, said Koehn. Aside from that a lot of time is being
invested in grooming and styling.

"People again value having nice hair," said Frieb.

Koehn added that hairstyles have become "precious and luxurious."
And hair must be well groomed because that's the only way to make it
shine.

© 2006 - dpa German Press Agency

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