Hillary Clinton: My hair is 'one of the great fascinations of our time'

[struggle4progress]

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says her long hair is low maintenance.
By Meena Hart Duerson, TODAY

... “I do not travel with any hairdresser, or anybody, to help me do (my hair), and I’m not very competent myself. I’ve been admitting that for years, which should be obvious to everyone,” she said. “And so it became simpler to just grow it so that I can pull it back, and I can stick rollers in” ...

"It just got to be really burdensome to try to find a hairdresser in some city, somewhere, oftentimes not being able to speak English, that at least I could communicate with," she said. "So I said, 'Enough, we’re just going to try to go with as simple as possible' ” ...

http://thelook.today.com/_news/2012/12/13/15887535-hillary-clinton-my-hair-is-one-of-the-great-fascinations-of-our-time?lite

[Matariki]

1. Respect.

[Kalidurga]

2. I love that...

finally someone that thinks about her hair as much as I think about mine. I come it pony tail it and I am out the door.

[Cha]

3. She's lucky she has

hair that will do that!

[JDPriestly]

16. Yes, she is.

Older women are supposed to wear shorter hair to lessen the prominence of wrinkles, and she probably would like to have shorter hair. But her explanation makes sense, and she looks better in long hair than most of us. She has a good face shape in my opinion.

[shanti]

18. wrinkles?

i had always thought that older women wear shorter hair because one's hair often gets thinner as we get older, and short, thin hair is easier to maintain. myself, i'm like hillary, in that i usually just pull it back into a ponytail or clips, and don't give a damn about what people think of my scrunchies! lol!

[JDPriestly]

69. Good for you. Actually, women used to pull their thin hair back into a bun and use a hair piece --

a little round piece of hair in the center to make their hair look fuller.

But if you think about it, pulling your hair back is a little like having short hair. It takes the focus away from your jaw and mouth and neck where the wrinkles tend to form.

[Surya Gayatri]

54. She has a beautiful head of thick, abundant hair for a woman of any age.

Question: Does she dye or doesn't she? She must do, so how does she manage her roots?

Enquiring minds want to know...

[lumpy]

4. I like her no nonsense attitude. She is a real woman.

n

[Glimmer of Hope]

5. The scrunchie kills me! Love her.

[dballance]

6. And if she were a male we'd be talking about her hair?

Yes, I do realize we have ever more increasingly started to be as snarky about male politician's hair as females. Reagan never seemed to suffer the decent from his "natural" hair color to grey that most Presidents suffer under the stress of the office. Witness Bill Clinton's or Obama's change in hair color. I don't think W really experienced the same thing since he was really so disinterested and removed from real governing it never affected him. Since the real ruler during Bush/Cheney was Cheney and he had no hair to speak of, and neither of them had a soul to speak of there is not a huge change to grey in either W or Cheney like in most Presidents.

[diane in sf]

8. W actually did get grayer, remember when they died it some weird color for one of the 2004 debates?

[femrap]

20. You wrote:

"Yes, I do realize we have ever more increasingly started to be as snarky about male politician's hair as females."

You think our culture talks about men hairdos as much as women's???????? Can I come and live on your planet? I've never heard anyone talk about Harry Reid's hair. Boehner's? His skin color, yes....it's Orange. Was RobMe's hair discussed? How the hell did I miss this???

I rarely hear discussion of anything about the physicality of the political male. Not even if the tie is a total mess. But then I don't read 'People' or the 'National Enquirer.' Is that where all this talk is going on?

[dballance]

28. Try to be nice - I didn't say there is parity

I said we have been ever more increasingly snarky. I didn't say it has reached parity. It was a post that was intended to point out we wrongly talk about the physical attributes of women over their intelligence, experience and qualifications for a job.

[femrap]

32. But it is

just hunky dorky for you to condescend to me and tell the widdle lady to be 'nice.' Want me to smile, too? Pat you on the back? Fix you sandwich?

Would that be nice enough for the big man?

[dballance]

39. I Did not Condescend to You.

In what universe did I tell you to be "nice" because you are a woman? Or did I condescend on your opinions? I may have disagreed with your opinions but that doesn't make me a mysoginest ass. I'm fully capable of being an ass otherwise.

No, I'd be quite happy for a white male to make me a sandwich because I don't give a crap if a person is male or female. I challenge you to read my posts and dispute that. In fact, one of the places at which I love to eat breakfast has a white male manager. He's rather nice and quite funny. We engage in conversation because he's a smart guy. Along with him is a very smart African American woman. I have such great conversations with the both of them.

So don't be a jerk.

[pink-o]

47. Femrap, what is with you?

This is the 2nd time I've seen you take umbrage over comments (or comics) that no one else--male or female--found offensive. I am a woman who has experienced plenty of sexism and patronising in my long life, and I'm well aware there are causes to fight--serious, life-threatening causes. But this is the lounge. This is where we come to lighten up.

Please participate appropriately.

[femrap]

80. I see...

when I'm in the basement I'm supposed to take shit. I get it. I thought I was GD unless it was moved.

I lived in SF for 15 years....wow, what was lefty mega cool in my time sure ain't how it is now.

I guess you accept the patriarchy and your place in it....fine w/ me. but i'm not gonna hear about it.

[theKed]

48. Oh come off it

Nobody said it was on *par*. Jesus Christ.

And yes, Willard's hair was discussed here, frequently, and mockingly. And Paul Ryan's hair. And Chris Christie's weight. And plenty of others.

So come on down off the feminist soapbox.

[femrap]

79. I remember lying ryan

being compared to Eddie Munster...and I did see the resemblance. And Chris is a tub....hard to miss that, isn't it.

You haven't been around here much, have you? Why don't you take all your male patriarchy PRIVILEGE and stick it some where we don't have to hear about it.

I know I won't have to read about it anymore.

BTW, Jesus Christ was a cool dude. He cared for the poor, even prostitutes (the only date you may get tonight), and certainly didn't stand on PRIVILEGE.

So come on, dude and realize your gone.

[Surya Gayatri]

58. She did not say "our culture talks about men's hairdos as much as women's"...

She said what you quoted, i.e. "we have... increasingly started to be as snarky about male politicians' hair..."

There's a big rhetorical difference between "starting" to do something and doing it.

How about all of the snark around John Edwards' $400 do?

The press going nuts about Clinton stopping Air Force One on the tarmac in order to get a trim?

Then, more recently, there was Harry Reid's mocking paean to Ben Nelson's mane.

These are only a few examples that spring to mind. You can find more by goggling.
Don't get angry, get informed.

[femrap]

78. "STARTING TO......."

I see. The hair cut was an experience...the press was not discussing the hairdo. The price of Edward's cut....again, not the cut.

I'm not angry. And I love to read....especially about boyz in skirts like Kanye West.

I remember you. And it's a bad memory. I think I'll let you go.

[blueamy66]

60. Yes, Romney's hair was discussed....

as well as the weight of many male politicians.....

[femrap]

77. Which male

politicians. Link, please. Also RobMe's hair....I look for this stuff and I don't remember any mention of his hairdo.

[blueamy66]

81. Okay, I don't save links/posts from DU....it's not my thing...

but if you look, you'll find them. I believe others in this thread have agreed with me.

Relax a bit....everyone isn't out to get women.

[notadmblnd]

21. the use of black hair dye was discussed often in regards to Reagan

So yes, in answer to your question. If she were a male would we be talking about her hair? We could very well be talking about it.

[jmowreader]

41. It's very possible that we would

The clearest example is Donald Trump. DU has had hundreds of threads about Trump's hair. Let's face it, ain't nothin' more fun than raggin' on whatever is going on on Trump's head.(Ragging on the goings-on in his head is close.)

In our society there is a double standard. A woman who doesn't spend hours on her hair, wear makeup or fuss over her clothes is looked down upon as much as a guy who does any of those things.

[treestar]

63. I actually think we are doing better at equality in that respect

We did have some fun with Mittwit's hair.

[siligut]

7. I have to agree, keep it simple

And seriously, why have hair that is a waste of time and money?

[janlyn]

9. adds

This only adds to the respect and admiration I have for this woman!!!!

[flamingdem]

10. Me too! I like the long flat with flip at the end look

I always thought she had a stylist

[Honest_Abe]

11. Best.Secretary of State.Ever

I don't care what her hair looks like.

[struggle4progress]

13. +

[Squinch]

12. Love her. To the end of time.

[obxhead]

14. Shaved my head years ago...

I'll never grow hair on the top of my melon longer than 1/8" again. I love it.

[Curmudgeoness]

25. I never shaved my head, but got a perm

in the late 1970's that was so bad, I made them cut it all out within a month. I have never looked back. One inch is long for me, and talk about no maintenance! This is great!

[ohheckyeah]

15. I'm past the age where long hair

is acceptable to some people but it's easier to take care of. When it's short it has to be styled but when it's long it's wash and wear. So, screw it, I wear it long.

[notadmblnd]

22. I've been fighting with myself for years whether or not I

should get the "old lady cut". So far I haven't succumbed.

[ohheckyeah]

29. LOL I know what you mean.

It seems like it's perfectly acceptable for an older woman to have long hair if she's a movie star....the rest of us are supposed to get the old lady cut. Screw that.

[femrap]

23. I always had long

hair and just loved it. If it didn't look right...ponytail, braid it, bun it....whatever. Someone fried my hair and I ended up with short hair. Bad hair day? All you can do is wear a hat.

I've tried to grow it out...and it just won't grow and I look so sad. Even the woman at Great Clips told me, "Don't let your hair get to this length. You look awful."

I always envisioned myself as an old woman with a bun or braid. Maybe I'll get a wig for the winter season instead of a hat!!!

I love Hilary's hair. And I'm sad that here we all are discussing it. Maybe we should speculate on 'package' size????

[ohheckyeah]

30. It really is a shame her hair is

even a topic of discussion.

[badhair77]

17. great answer for that question

it shows her priorities

I've been a supporter for a long time.

[leftstreet]

19. Haig, Baker, Powell...all found time for haircuts

No, I'm NOT saying she should or shouldn't attend to her hairstyle, etc.


Just saying this sounds like narcissistic attention getting and coming from a female SOS it looks bad

[mainstreetonce]

24. Short

I still think a simple shot hair do would look better.

[riderinthestorm]

38. All of those you mention are men who don't have to "style" a woman's short hair cut

Its immensely time consuming and requires a LOT of styling aids.

I'm guessing Hillary has decided enough! of the hair style bullshit.

She's got one of the most time consuming, wearying jobs on the face of the planet. Maintaining an elaborate (short) style would be so irritating on top of the rest of it.

She's not a model. She's not known for being a style maven.

She's got a brain and she's using it to manage her scarce hours on FAR better things than her hairstyle.

[Skidmore]

43. No, it's not. Sounds like Barbara Walters needs to stop gossip mongering

in these interviews. It was a totally ridiculous and sexist question asked by a woman of a woman. Walters has become more than useless as a journalist over the past few years. She's become a self-aggrandizing, patrician version of a National Enquirer type hype and trivia.

[Beacool]

50. You are going to compare a man's hair maintenance to that of a woman's???

Come on, you must be joking.....or a man.

[leftstreet]

52. Millions of women maintain theirs without stylists every day

Millions upon millions of women style their own hair every day without the use of a personal hair stylist. That's all I meant

[NCTraveler]

56. And millions and millions of women are in front of cameras all day...

Millions and millions of women meet with heads of state all the time.

Really.

[leftstreet]

57. All the more reason for her to invest the 15 min daily?

I'm no expert, but I'm guessing about 15 minutes with hair dryers or rollers or something would maintain a 'style.'


Sorry, I just don't get what she's whining about

[NCTraveler]

59. Whining. LOL. She answered a question. nt.

[blueamy66]

62. LOL

15 minutes??????

[riderinthestorm]

66. 15 minutes??!! You must be a man. Really. Just stop.

Those stylish short cuts with elegant lines and flair take a LONG time to get looking like that daily.

Furthermore, you can't be leading a "jet setting" life with a lovely short bob and expect it to look great all day. It would only take one short trip up or down plane/helicopter stairs for the style to be ruined. Hillary does MULTIPLE journeys like that.

I'd also stipulate that she does a lot of on-the-go power naps because of her insane work hours. You can't lay your head down with hairstyles like that and expect to get up and it still looks fabulous. It looks like you work up with bed-head again so she'd have to go through another 30-40-50 minutes styling it back up again.

That kind of short attractive hair style needs to be cut - frequently. Approximately every month but getting that cut isn't like going to the barber shop for a 15 minute trim. A woman's layered short hair style takes a LOT more time at a competent salon.

I'm guessing Hillary Clinton decided a LONG time ago that it just wasn't worth the time drain. More power to her I say. Her brainpower and expertise matters way too much for it to be wasted on her fussing about her hair.

[leftstreet]

72. Why didn't Condi Rice grow her hair out?

I said I was no expert - I guessed at 15 minutes

Surely there are skilled and competent stylists out there who could give Hillary a 15 min low maintenance hair style with monthly cuts

[Beacool]

67. Yeah, the little woman is whining........

She's not whining about anything. She responded to Barbara's question and explained why she keeps it long. She was not the one who brought up the subject of her hair.

Gee!!!

[treestar]

64. Disagree

The attention to her hair comes from without - she's responding to critics of her hair.

[Curmudgeoness]

26. I have never broached this subject

and would not now if Hillary had not started it.....but I absolutely cringe when I see her. She is too old for hair that long, she looks horrible when it is pulled completely back without even bangs, and I have seen times when it was just straight and she looked like a bag lady.

I love Hillary as a woman, and as a SOS, but I think she would look great with short hair. But I am old-fashioned that way. I was taught that older women should not have long hair unless they were wearing it in a bun all the time.

With that said, I couldn't care less what she does or doesn't do with her hair. It is insignificant. And I love her reasons for having it long.....agree or not.

[deurbano]

33. I don't think she started it...

<<Though Clinton was a good sport about the question, she also nodded when Walters noted that "nobody asks the men that."

"Have you noticed?" the Secretary of State said with a smile.”

This is hardly the first time Clinton's hair has made headlines -- she's famously sported all kinds of styles, from scrunchies to headbands, and in May she found herself defending her style after sites like the Drudge Report poked fun at her ponytail and lack of makeup while overseas.

“If I want to pull my hair back, I’m pulling my hair back,” she told CNN at the time. “At some point it’s just not something that deserves a whole lot of time and attention. If others want to worry about it, I’ll let them do the worrying for a change.”>>

She may have "difficult" hair. My mom (older than Clinton) has short hair, but it is still extremely high maintenance because it is so thin, fine and straight. Sometimes she wears wigs. Other times, hair pieces. But, when she does neither of those two things, it takes her forever to get ready. Even then, the hair doesn't always last well through the day (weather, etc.), so she wears hats a lot, too. Seems like Clinton didn't find all the maintenance (which she says she is not good at) that practical as SOS (traveling a million miles)... not to mention, Drudge (etc.) could just as easily be screaming about what a narcissistic spendthrift she is for hauling a hairdresser around with her.

[Curmudgeoness]

35. Good points.

I love that she doesn't care what anyone thinks about it.....and she is right. I can't imagine what conditions she has been in as SOS and how many times she has been literally pulled out of bed for something.

That doesn't mean that I like the look. I don't. But it isn't something to spend time worrying about. I do hate that the talking heads are have such an obsession about it though. And as one who does not wear makeup, I love to see her turn her back on that sometimes.

[Xipe Totec]

27. Mh..., Mh.. M'hair!

Damn! We're in a tight spot.

[customerserviceguy]

31. If she didn't change the style so radically every decade

It wouldn't be a topic of discussion.

I remember the preppie look while Bill was governor, she shed that during the first term, when she wanted an active role in the Administration. Then she went for the "Take me seriously" look that she maintained all the way through the White House years and the Senate term, and through the 2008 campaign.

Now we have the "I'm young enough to still be elected President" look, why wouldn't people talk about how she's used hair to shape opinions of her?

[deurbano]

34. Disagree

<<Now we have the "I'm young enough to still be elected President" look, why wouldn't people talk about how she's used hair to shape opinions of her?>>

I totally disagree. My feeling is that if/when she goes with a shorter (more high maintenance style), and starts piling on the makeup again, that will mean she is seriously interested in running. The current look (with the hair pulled back) is about low maintenance and comfort... while still looking presentable. (Not about looking young...)

If you look at Clinton as a young woman, her hair and appearance were never a high priority. (Frumpy comes to mind.) I think she paid for that as a politician's wife. (Don't know how Barbara Bush got away with it...) Over the years, she tried to come up with a look that worked better for her (and all the critics)... sometimes more successfully than others. Her decorating style (in the WH) was attacked, too. I don't think these are her areas of expertise or interest. I'm sure her presidential primary look was carefully crafted and maintained by those who do have that expertise and interest...and since that type of look would be expected of Clinton the candidate, she will get with that program, again, if she decides to run.

However, the current look leaves me thinking she is (currently) not committed to another run.

[customerserviceguy]

44. Oh, she's running, all right

That's why she's taking the breather from the SoS job at this time. She now has solid foreign policy credentials, and can say that she was running the most successful part of the Obama Administration.

She tasted the White House for eight years, she wants to be back in there again, I guarantee it. I remember when she said that all she wanted to be was a US Senator from NY.

[otohara]

70. Hair Changes

I would love to have the hair I had 10 years ago, 20 years ago, but it changed radically... all by it's self.
Thinner, grayer, lifeless, dull...

Her hair has never shaped my opinion of her, maybe because I'm a woman with hair who's had all sorts of hair styles over the years, like most women.

What's your opinion of Madeleine Albright's hair.

[womanofthehills]

36. Actually, I like her hair long

Most of my friends are around her age and older and we all have long hair. I take a lot of the amino l'arginine which seems to promote hair growth.

[Beacool]

37. Ahhhh, the eternal "Hillary's hair" discussion.

Hillary has always been a brainy girl who has never cared much about fashion. She always jokes that in her family fashion sense skipped a generation. The whole subject annoys her because she thinks that it's sexist and that there are other far more important things to discuss. She has learned to accept with grace the constant scrutiny, but it does irk her.

Last Sunday I was at the Macy's in the King of Prussia mall outside Philadelphia. I was waiting for a friend to finish shopping when I started talking to an older man who was waiting for his wife. He mentioned that they were from Scranton and we started talking about the Rodhams. He mentioned how much they are all liked in town and how he hoped that Hillary ran again for president. He ended the conversation by saying that he hoped that she cut her hair, he didn't like it that long. So it's true, people can't help discussing Hillary's hair. LOL!!!

[eppur_se_muova]

40. Well, historically, any cabinet member's hair has ALWAYS been a topic of extensive discussion.

[Victor_c3]

42. We used to have a political party named after someone's hair

the whigs...

[Egalitarian Thug]

45. But what does Julian think? n/t

[Nonhlanhla]

46. She's funny

Last edited Fri Dec 14, 2012, 11:42 AM - Edit history (1)

I like that line - it shows she has a sense of humor about it. I can respect that. It's what's inside her head, not on top of it, that matters.

That said, I would personally prefer that she cut her hair short - there are short styles that are easy to maintain, and I think she would look better with it. But that's my personal view, simply based on aesthetics, and it is utterly irrelevant. She's gotta do her own thing. I don't complain too much when Barack Obama wears mom jeans, or when Michelle Obama wears those awful belts. They do their own thing. Let them be.

[Arkana]

49. If I were her, I'd start getting Queen Amidala-esque hairdos.

Just to fuck with the media and the right.

[Beacool]

51. Or the Princess Leia do.

Those things looked like a cinnabon on top of each ear.

Imagine if Hillary would show up every day with a different movie heroine hairdo, just to mess up the media and her critics.

[Arkana]

53. Maybe she could get it cornrowed.

Don't change anything else--just do one of the morning shows with her hair in cornrows and act like she doesn't even know while David Gregory/Bob Scheiffer's mouths hang open in shock.

[treestar]

65. That would be funny

David Letterman and that actress Natasha Something or other did that. She came out to his desk with her hair sticking straight up and acted like there was nothing weird about it. He talked to her a while and finally brought it up - she acted like he was weird for mentioning it. It was hilarious.

[Beacool]

68. Bo Derek style.

The possibilities are infinite.

Princess Leia



Bo Derek in 10



Princess Amidala



Lady Godiva



Rapunzel



Feel free to add your own.

[struggle4progress]

61. Yeah, she had an easy "Just get up and go" style: a quick brush-through and you're on your way!

[hamsterjill]

55. Hillary is a very secure woman, and I love that about her!

I love the fact that she is comfortable enough with her body, her style and her self that she understands that it's her brain (and not her hairstyle) that is important!

Go, Hillary! She is one of the biggest and best assets that this country has ever had.

[arthritisR_US]

71. +100 !

[Beacool]

73. Hear, hear!!!

She's also self deprecating and has a wonderful sense of humor. She takes her job seriously, but not herself.

[dipsydoodle]

74. Hedges come to mind.

.

[struggle4progress]

75. ?

[dipsydoodle]

76. No

Part of an English expression.