Political Hairdos - Hair Trends - StyleList

AP Photo | Time Life Pictures/Getty Images | AP Photo | AFP / Getty Images Looks like Hillary dusted off the collection of twisted headbands she sported throughout the '90's (left). On August 14th, 2009, she wore a white one to complete her nautical-hued ensemble. oyce Naltchayan, AFP/Getty Images | STR/AFP/Getty Images Hillary's hair had extra body at a press conference in Kenya in August 2009. Her usual straight, conservative cut was blown out in layers, leaving extra height at the top and sides instead of her usual face-framing straight strands. Tony Karumba, AFP/Getty Images Her up-do is the work of the Beehive beauty parlor in tiny Wasilla, Alaska, not some tony salon in New York, but you couldn't tell that by the frenzy over Sarah Palin's twist. For those whose Hair extensions hair won't do the 'do, there's always the Palin wig which are selling like hotcakes for $75 each. From the moment she was chosen to be on the GOP ticket Palin's sexy librarian look has gotten nearly as much press as Posh Spice's bob. Robyn Beck, AFP / Getty Images When Bill Clinton landed on the national stage, Hillary was at a loss to define her role, and, for eight years, her hairstyles reflected her confusion. Was she a policy wonk? Cookie-baker-in-chief? Defender against the "vast Right Wing conspiracy"? As she tried to sort it out, Hillary became a Rorschach tress-test, morphing from Yuppie lawyer in a headband (shown here during the '92 campaign) to sexy Gennifer Flowers wannabe, prim Rosalynn Carter helpmate and helmet-haired anchor-woman lookalike. Feather hair John Mottern, AFP / Getty Images It's hard to know which has been discussed more, Hillary's hair or her pantsuits. What is clear, though, is that, by simplifying both when she ran for the U.S. Senate -- hair, short, blond and swept back; pantsuits, crisp, comfy and monotone -- she finally switched attention from her looks to her words. Well, not entirely. This summer, Presidential candidate Hillary sparked headlines when she moved her part from left to right. Some pundits saw it as ceding her claim to the Democratic nomination. Others said it was nothing more than a (brush) stroke for healthy hair. Rich Pedroncelli, AP Which twin has the Toni? First Lady Hillary Clinton and Second Tipper Gore may have graduated from the out-of-the-box home perms that were so popular when they were girls, but they sure sported similar big blond bobs (or are they blond blobs?) for the 1994 Summit of the Americas in Florida. Still, their cookie-cutter poufs -- along with broad-shouldered suits, red lips and nearly-invisible gold jewelry -- proved that the wrong look can make even dynamic women dowdy. Cynthia Johnson, Getty Images Though critics have tried to feather extension portray Michelle Obama as a radical in an Angela Davis Afro, her hair owes more to the other end of the '60s -- the non-threatening flip that Mr. Kenneth whipped up for Jackie Kennedy. But if Obama's day-to-day 'dos are brush-and-go, for high-profile events, like the Democratic National Convention, she's enlisted the blow-gun of Frederic Fekkai stylist Johnny Wright, who created a sleek bob. Stan Honda, AFP / Getty Images In the three decades since she married Joe Biden, the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Jill Biden has worn her hair soft, blond and shoulder-length, a look that seems to work effortlessly for a life split between being a Senator's wife and a college professor. She must be doing something right: She earned a 6.0 on her RateMyProfessors.com "hotness total." Ted S. Warren, AP Cindy McCain long ago abandoned the short pixie crop she sported in 2000, when her husband first ran for President. But her long hair has generated almost as much buzz as the $3,000 Oscar de la Renta dress (shown here) that she wore to the Republican National Convention. To fans, the long wispy bangs give the 54-year-old a youthful air. Detractors, however, say it's time for Cindy to shake off the standard-issue Republican 'do for something more chic than cliche. Alex Wong, Getty Images

Do-it-yourself Halloween: making costumes, food and fun

Holding all four pipe cleaners (99 cents for a pack of 20 at Michael's), center them at the base of the pop and wrap them around the stick once so there are four legs on each side. Bend the legs.2. Glue on googly eyes (99 cents for a pack of 35 at Michael's).Note: Adapted from familyfun.comInside decor: Creepy couchHave you ever wondered how to chinese remi decorate your home for a scary Halloween party? It can be relatively easy and cheap, too. Turn your sofa into a creepy masterpiece.1. Start with ripped cheesecloth ($2.29 a pack for 2 square yards) (we used two packs) at Michael's.2. We added one orange throw pillow ($14.99) at Bed, Bath and Beyond and one black throw pillow decorated with a skeleton head ($12.99) at Target.3. Complete your scary look with a large hair bulk black spider ($7.99) and rats ($4.99 to $7.99) all from World Market.Face paintingWe asked face-painting expert Jessica Dana to help us come up with an easy way to make a big impact with Halloween face paint. Here's how she achieved the purple monster:1. Start by brushing purple face paint all over the face, including the neck and ears. (Grease face paint available for $1.99 a color at Johnnie Brock's stores.)2. Next, take a coral color paint and outline a lopsided mouth, starting at one end of your natural mouth and extending a couple inches to the other side. Using white paint, draw in crooked teeth. Fill in the surrounding area of the mouth with coral paint bulk hair and then outline all the teeth and the mouth with black paint.3. For the scar, start by drawing a "wound" with red and black paint. Next, using regular household thread, tie five or six knots around a pencil. Cut the string. Slide each "stitch" off the pencil and then cut the loop. Then, using an adhesive such as Spirit Gum ($5.99 with remover at Spirit Halloween Superstores), attach the stitches to the wound.4. For the eyebrows, draw lines with a small brush using black and white face paint.5. Add a basic pair of false eyelashes ($4.99 at Spirit Halloween Superstores).6. The hair was transformed using weave pieces and plastic spiders pinned in place with bobby pins.