The real song and dance about hair
It is at Eurovision where hair creativity comes into its own
LOOKING at the contrasting images from last week’s Met Gala and the Eurovision Song Contest, it was almost like last year’s supposed cinematic head to head between Oppenheimer and Barbie. On one hand you have a sense of something meaningful and tastefully curated, on the other you have an exercise in sheer fantasy but socially interesting.
There is no doubt both events influence certain aspects of society — the conscientious style observers will look at the Met and peek behind the class and glamour and ask “Is all this a high level exhibition of wealth, beauty and aspiration really needed in today’s world?’ Of course, it’s beyond most people’s reach financially; for the lucky few it’s a celebration of fashion and a fundraiser for the Costume Institute but it’s also an opportunity for the beautiful and talented to show off in the most spectacular extrovert way possible.
Each year the theme changes but there is a taste level that seems to stay intact. It’s almost that in the high quarters of fashion you can be as extrovert or outrageous as you want as long as it’s designer-made, tastefully observed and marvellously expensive.
The Eurovision Song Contest on the other hand treads a very different path — undeniably camp, unapologetically cheesy, lacking in self-consciousness and free to all who wish to join in the annual festival of fun and flamboyance. It still retains that ‘safe place’ mentality where judgement or taste are neither required nor encouraged. And though there may be high camp skirmishes with witchcraft, aliens, nudity, vikings and more, in truth it’s just a week in Ibiza crammed into a few hours with mostly awful songs, suspect social messaging and highly entertaining performances.
The Met Gala is very New York — cool, tasteful, elitist, exclusive and, once the frocks and faces have all been seen, maybe a little dull.
The thing that struck me about the Met Gala hair, unlike this years Oscar’s, is that the A list are braver than we give them credit for. This is where Hollywood and the fashionistas get all avant garde or art house — elaborate head pieces courtesy of Amanda Seyfried, bleached white buzzcuts on Lil Nas X and Doja Cat, or mermaid bum-skimming Rapunzel lengths on Da ’Vine Joy Randolph, Sarah Jessica Parker and Karol G. There were pixie fringes aplenty and swishy, swooshy ponytails , messy buns and super dooper updos — there was even a good old-fashioned backcombed Weetabix sported by Gwendoline Christie who looked like the love child of Cyndi Lauper, Stevie Nicks and Tim Burton and in my book, that’s a good thing.
So here’s the sting — it all looked just a little staged. Yes, some of it was beautiful, even extraordinary but a lot of the stars looked a little self-conscious, almost embarrassed. And this is where avant garde or fantasy hair gets into trouble — when it starts to look like a hair competition. Editorial hair not thought out in complete synchronicity with the wearer never works — if you think it looks too much, it will feel too much to wear.
One of the most wonderful things about being a hair stylist is when you are working with a face that almost suits any look. That type of face — and it’s rare — will never be overpowered by a hairstyle. But the trick is knowing when to stop, when the look is absolutely harmonious and beautiful. Of course, the Met Gala is probably just a rich and famous people’s fancy dress party, and what’s the point of it all if you can’t be over the top? But it seemed a bit too serious and missing the fun factor. I wasn’t there so who knows what goes on inside the venue but maybe dressing up isn’t as much fun as I think it should be.
The Eurovision Song Contest is an institution of everything that goes against high art and sophistication yet draws in even the most outwardly disinterested because the performers, presenters, audience members and viewing public are absolutely focused on the sheer simplistic idea that a country will be proclaimed to have the best song in Europe that year.
But first of all they must convince us of their authentic song contest commitment, in every aspect — the style, the story, the message and absolutely, the hair.
Eurovision hair has no boundaries — from the avant garde to the sheer preposterous, this tongue-in-cheek assault on everything we regard as tasteful or classy leaves us breathlessly bewildered by sheer force of all that is outrageously camp and intoxicatingly overwhelming.
But behind the circus and pantomime, stars will be made and careers built, and even muchcopied hairstyles introduced.
The Eurovision is famous for its inclusivity and acceptance. Although not shy of controversy or critique, the Eurovision divides people as much maybe as it unites but its influence is global.
Maybe it’s because the entrants and fans are normal, everyday people who have dreams aspirations and goals that makes the event so relatable — sure, it has the glitz and glamour, but it’s the ‘it could be us’ quality that makes it so appealing and that’s why Euro hair works.
From Derry’s Dana, to Buck’s Fizz, Abba to Katrina and the Waves to Conchita, Cliff, Petula, Linda Martin, Johnny Logan and this year’s winner Nemo, there is a sense that they could have walked out of any street in Europe and ended up on the Eurovision stage. With that, their style and image says so much about their lives and who they are and they become role models.
Fom the 60s we’ve had France Gall, Sandie Shaw and Lulu — all considered hair style icons of the day and much copied. Into the 70s there was Abba, Brotherhood of Man and numerous others who embodied the disco styles.
Of course these were all pretty mainstream even generic looks but hugely popular. Today we gender fluid, gothic and new wave influenced styling that owes as much to Berlin nightclub culture, British style tribes and Asian street style.
‘What does it all mean?’ you may ask. Where we get our hair ideas and inspirations are not really important, it’s what they say about us that really matters.
WEARING an elaborate million dollar diamond head piece may say something about the person who designed the thing but says nothing about the wearer. The head piece worn by the Irish entrant in this Eurovision Song Contest Bambi Thug was designed and created by Co Cork’s multi award winning hair creative Paul Mac Special.
Paul who collaborated with Bambi to come up with the gothic 80s head piece that was as much inspired as much by classic horror films as it was famous milner Philip Treacy’s work with Alexander McQueen, and made for a fraction of what either would normally charge.
And isn’t this what it’s all about really, creating something unique that says everything you need to say collectively and authentically?
Got a hair problem? and Leisa are Paul your here to answer your queries. Send features@ questions to Stafford write to dailymail.ie or Daily Features, Irish Hair Clinic, Haddington Buildings, Mail, 2 4. Road, Dublin Haddington cannot Paul and Leisa individual enter into correspondence.