"Have a nice flight, sir."

Forget that my naturally long lashes were painted twice over with Cover Girl 'Marathon' mascara in "very black".

Forget that I was wearing a cropped bomber and fitted -fitted verging on tight- straight-leg jeans, the combination of which unmistakably outlined my waist-to-hips contour.

Forget that the timbre of my voice is consistently described as somewhere between "sweet" and "girlish."

Forget that I had on my feet and dangling off my forearm a pair of patent leather four inchers and a black leather tote, respectively.

In truth, what stunned me most about my being addressed as a "sir" yesterday was not that the screener -a young man who, given his position as the first line of airport security presumably had no serious vision impairments- had in his possession a driver's license that not only informed him of my first name but also included a 2005 photo from when I was in the thick of my 'Nicole Richie long bob' phase and still thought I looked sufficiently unfeminine to warrant a male assignation, but rather my reaction to his mistake.

I honestly didn't care. My feelings weren't hurt. I had no desire to correct him.

In fact, my first reactions upon hearing these five words were to tilt my head ever so slightly, look this boyish twenty-something squarely in his blue eyes, smile, and say, "Thanks, I will."

Check back later today for the Volvo style epiphany that came to me as a result of my interaction with Derek the Dayton Airport security screener.

*to those who identified the 1985 movie from which the above film still was taken, you've earned my utmost respect

"Have a nice flight, sir."

Forget that my naturally long lashes were painted twice over with Cover Girl 'Marathon' mascara in "very black".

Forget that I was wearing a cropped bomber and fitted -fitted verging on tight- straight-leg jeans, the combination of which unmistakably outlined my waist-to-hips contour.

Forget that the timbre of my voice is consistently described as somewhere between "sweet" and "girlish."

Forget that I had on my feet and dangling off my forearm a pair of patent leather four inchers and a black leather tote, respectively.

In truth, what stunned me most about my being addressed as a "sir" yesterday was not that the screener -a young man who, given his position as the first line of airport security presumably had no serious vision impairments- had in his possession a driver's license that not only informed him of my first name but also included a 2005 photo from when I was in the thick of my 'Nicole Richie long bob' phase and still thought I looked sufficiently unfeminine to warrant a male assignation, but rather my reaction to his mistake.

I honestly didn't care. My feelings weren't hurt. I had no desire to correct him.

In fact, my first reactions upon hearing these five words were to tilt my head ever so slightly, look this boyish twenty-something squarely in his blue eyes, smile, and say, "Thanks, I will."

Check back later today for the Volvo style epiphany that came to me as a result of my interaction with Derek the Dayton Airport security screener.

*to those who identified the 1985 movie from which the above film still was taken, you've earned my utmost respect

Holly's hair - the only redeeming thing about that show

I'm seriously contemplating a change in cut after seeing "Make Me a Super Model" contestant Holly Kiser's edgy, tousled pixie:

Love the profile but not so sure about those femchops...
That sweet little swirl up front is so lovely to look at, but hmm...seems like a lot of product and just so placement might be involved Well, at least I already have one of the four fronts covered

For those of you familiar with short hair and the styling limitations thereof, do you think it's possible to attain this look without giving up asymmetric bangs, or will I need to undergo more drastic scissor surgery?

I'd like to know your opinions before my next trim on Friday, if possible.

k'thanks,
Johanna

*grainy photos courtesy of the pause-button on my Tivo

Holly's hair - the only redeeming thing about that show

I'm seriously contemplating a change in cut after seeing "Make Me a Super Model" contestant Holly Kiser's edgy, tousled pixie:

Love the profile but not so sure about those femchops...
That sweet little swirl up front is so lovely to look at, but hmm...seems like a lot of product and just so placement might be involved Well, at least I already have one of the four fronts covered

For those of you familiar with short hair and the styling limitations thereof, do you think it's possible to attain this look without giving up asymmetric bangs, or will I need to undergo more drastic scissor surgery?

I'd like to know your opinions before my next trim on Friday, if possible.

k'thanks,
Johanna

*grainy photos courtesy of the pause-button on my Tivo

It must be croppin' season!

After the weightiness of yesterday's post, all I wanted to do last night was a put together a piece on pretty dresses.

I was even going to call it "The pretty dress post" or perhaps something simpler like "Pretty Dresses - yay!" or "These dresses - pretty, no?"

In it, I was going to include a brief, substance-free intro on why owning a pretty dress makes a girl feel pretty and how when a girl feels pretty, even if she's not, she somehow magically becomes pretty (eye roll), and so on and so forth.

But just as I was about to find this pretty lady 11 or 12 pretty friends, I checked my inbox and found no fewer than six enthusiastic e-mails from readers either requesting I write a short-hair post or specifically asking me for my stylist's name* so they, too, could take the pixie plunge.

It seems there's something in the DC air that has women hankerin' for a croppin', and about that I could not be more pleased! I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is nothing more confidence-boosting than catching a glimpse of your hair in the mirror, even on a bad skin/hair/waistline day, and thinking to yourself, "I don't want to change a thing."

And what's even more gratifying than that is when those same words involuntarily come running out of your mouth in fierce Tyra fashion when a smug critic likens you to a Thai ladyboy or Christian from "Project Runway." Until I went super-short last July, I'd never had a cut about which I felt so protective -- not even close.

But now that I do, I'm addicted, my standards have risen, and there will for sure be no going back to letting myself live with ho-hum hair.

Just to be clear, I'm not implying long hair is always ho-hum and short hair is always va-va-voom -not at all, I mean, hello and hello- but I am saying there is a strong tendency for women with longer hair to lazily rely on their length to make their looks look more pulled-together. A fabulous short cut, by virtue of its relative rarity alone, requires much less of a day-to-day time and product investment to make a strong statement.

As with a strapless neckline and short-shorts, however, not everyone is a good candidate for short hair; be sure to rely on your stylist's honest opinion before you opt for the chop.

So anyhoo, for those who asked and also for those who will inevitably tell me I should grow out my "Hungry Like the Wolf" hair, here below are some of my favorite above-the-shoulder lock looks, in order from boldest to longest.

Enjoy!

Swedish Model
(Summer 2007)

Natalie Portman
(Winter 2006)Selma Blair
(Summer 2007)

Elisha Cuthbert**
(Winter 2007/'08)

Audrey Tautou
(Summer 2006)
Agyness Deyn
(Fall 2007)

Bop Model
(Winter 2008)

Katie Holmes 2.0

(Winter 2008)

Katie Holmes 1.0
(Fall 2007)

Paris Hilton
(Winter 2007/'08)

*Karen Doron, PIAF Salon, (202) 783-3334
** your Editrix's favorite (after her own, of course)

It must be croppin' season!

After the weightiness of yesterday's post, all I wanted to do last night was a put together a piece on pretty dresses.

I was even going to call it "The pretty dress post" or perhaps something simpler like "Pretty Dresses - yay!" or "These dresses - pretty, no?"

In it, I was going to include a brief, substance-free intro on why owning a pretty dress makes a girl feel pretty and how when a girl feels pretty, even if she's not, she somehow magically becomes pretty (eye roll), and so on and so forth.

But just as I was about to find this pretty lady 11 or 12 pretty friends, I checked my inbox and found no fewer than six enthusiastic e-mails from readers either requesting I write a short-hair post or specifically asking me for my stylist's name* so they, too, could take the pixie plunge.

It seems there's something in the DC air that has women hankerin' for a croppin', and about that I could not be more pleased! I've said it before and I'll say it again, there is nothing more confidence-boosting than catching a glimpse of your hair in the mirror, even on a bad skin/hair/waistline day, and thinking to yourself, "I don't want to change a thing."

And what's even more gratifying than that is when those same words involuntarily come running out of your mouth in fierce Tyra fashion when a smug critic likens you to a Thai ladyboy or Christian from "Project Runway." Until I went super-short last July, I'd never had a cut about which I felt so protective -- not even close.

But now that I do, I'm addicted, my standards have risen, and there will for sure be no going back to letting myself live with ho-hum hair.

Just to be clear, I'm not implying long hair is always ho-hum and short hair is always va-va-voom -not at all, I mean, hello and hello- but I am saying there is a strong tendency for women with longer hair to lazily rely on their length to make their looks look more pulled-together. A fabulous short cut, by virtue of its relative rarity alone, requires much less of a day-to-day time and product investment to make a strong statement.

As with a strapless neckline and short-shorts, however, not everyone is a good candidate for short hair; be sure to rely on your stylist's honest opinion before you opt for the chop.

So anyhoo, for those who asked and also for those who will inevitably tell me I should grow out my "Hungry Like the Wolf" hair, here below are some of my favorite above-the-shoulder lock looks, in order from boldest to longest.

Enjoy!

Swedish Model
(Summer 2007)

Natalie Portman
(Winter 2006)Selma Blair
(Summer 2007)

Elisha Cuthbert**
(Winter 2007/'08)

Audrey Tautou
(Summer 2006)
Agyness Deyn
(Fall 2007)

Bop Model
(Winter 2008)

Katie Holmes 2.0

(Winter 2008)

Katie Holmes 1.0
(Fall 2007)

Paris Hilton
(Winter 2007/'08)

*Karen Doron, PIAF Salon, (202) 783-3334
** your Editrix's favorite (after her own, of course)

Passing the torch

Having rocked the Asian-style bob from birth until I was old enough to say, "Yeeeah, I think I'm gonna try something different this time" to my stylist, I'm more than happy to pass the torch onto...


...the lovely Katie so she can now enjoy the more grown-up version thereof.

Go ahead, people, say she looks 45, say she looks suburban, silly or severe -- none of your barbs will change the fact that I think she looks absolutely divine. Deliciously so.

Not that I'm biased or anything.

To see more pics of Katie and the debut of her new like-Mommy-like-daughter 'do last night at the Bambi Awards in Düsseldorf, click here

p.s. bring on the "heavy leg" jokes -- I'm armed and ready with two pockets full of retorts!

Passing the torch

Having rocked the Asian-style bob from birth until I was old enough to say, "Yeeeah, I think I'm gonna try something different this time" to my stylist, I'm more than happy to pass the torch onto...


...the lovely Katie so she can now enjoy the more grown-up version thereof.

Go ahead, people, say she looks 45, say she looks suburban, silly or severe -- none of your barbs will change the fact that I think she looks absolutely divine. Deliciously so.

Not that I'm biased or anything.

To see more pics of Katie and the debut of her new like-Mommy-like-daughter 'do last night at the Bambi Awards in Düsseldorf, click here

p.s. bring on the "heavy leg" jokes -- I'm armed and ready with two pockets full of retorts!

That for which I'm most thankful this Thanksgiving

My ultimate wishlist item - this McQueen funnel-neck mini - is still available in my size. Even when I'm frantically busy, I always remember to visit her at least twice a day at her home on Net-a-Porter.

Never have I found a pair of shoes to which I'm so attached I don't mind wearing them five days in a row. They're tall, they're ladylike, they're complementary to everything in my wardrobe and best of all, they're affordable enough so that I could buy not one but *two* preemptive replacement pairs.

The Mr. Bigs of this world may cause us an inordinate amount of heartache, but ultimately, when you bump into yours on a random Saturday evening in the parking garage just outside Neiman Marcus and it's all still very much there for both of you - palpably so - you know he was worth all 377 plays of "Tears Dry on Their Own."Katie Holmes.

This photo from The Sartorialist. It was she who inspired me to chop mine off.

The Midwest. My besties. While their hair hues may match the SatC girls' to a perfect 'T,' believe me when I say their three-dimensional personalities are loads more compelling. We may only regularly see each other Monday nights in BridalBird's nest, but more often than not, they and their sent-via-e-mail caustic wit are the best part of my every day. C, K, L and L FTW!!111!!1
Doggies...especially that little breakfast burrito in the lower right hand corner.
At the risk of sounding like a bad Academy Award acceptance speech, I'm most thankful this year for all of those who have supported this blog, which just a year ago was barely a zygote of an idea in my long-haired head. Without your supportive readership, I'd probably still be getting eight hours of sleep and maintaining healthy relationships with my friends, family, Monte and maybe even a nice 63 year old, flag-lapel-pin-wearing Republican. And for that, I thank you.