• Though silent-film star Louise Brooks is widely associated with the flapper-era bob haircut, it was actually dancer Irene Castle who cropped her hair for convenience in 1915, sparking a trend. The highly controversial chop (after centuries of elaborate long ‘dos) eventually became the go-to style for women of all ages and hair types and, while most looks come and go, the bob waxes eternal.
But, while bobbed hair usually maintains a classic appeal, the short cut is suddenly the hot look among celebrities like Victoria Beckham, Kristin Cavallari and Madonna. Styles range from short and sleek to modern and choppy. Asheville isn’t anywhere near losing corner on the flowing-hippie-locks market, but still, plenty of bobs are cropping up for summer.
Louise Brooks image borrowed from Pittsburg State University’s Leonard H. Axe Library.
• Easy, breezy: The cute blond bob never goes out of style.
• Working an angle: Layered ends and blunt bangs create a dramatic effect.
• Inner beauty, too: Hair cropped for Locks of Love (a nonprofit that donates hairpieces to disadvantaged children who’ve lost their hair to illness).
Try this on
• Jewelry artists Michele Alexander and Bill Lehnert opened Alexander & Lehnert Fine Jewelry (Grove Arcade, 1 Page Ave., 252-7799) at the beginning of this month. Alexander works in sterling and 18K gold while Lehnert specializes in rings, pendants and earrings with architectural presentation.
