Beyond The Lob
Where our very own Manhattan stylist Patti Vaccaro of the Yves Durif Salon in The Carlyle Hotel sits down with me to explain how to go confidently shorter (relax, we’re not going short-short) and refresh both your look and your attitude heading into fall. (Please, God, the sooner the better. I can’t take this senseless summer much longer.)
Gigi Anders: Patti, lots of celebs have been chopping off their hair -- Adele, Kendall, Rosie, etc. But it’s still basically shoulder length. Do you see that as an interim measure? Kind of like, “I’m cutting my hair but not in an all-the- way kind of way”?
Patti Vaccaro: For some, choosing shoulder length feels like a safer option with an easier grow-out phase. Hair that is shoulder length and above can make a person’s style appear bold and fearless. That’s what makes cutting hair shorter so exciting. I love this length because it’s flirty, and kind of a tease between short and long.
GA: Talk about why you love long hair in the summer and shorter hair for winter. It seems counter-intuitive.
PV: Many of my clients assume I want to cut their hair shorter to combat the heat of the summer months. Not true. Having long hair looks sexy with tanned skin, sleeveless tops, and summer dresses. Also, it’s a great time to give your hair a break from the hot tools and the round brush. The fall is the time to reinvent yourself.
GA: As F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote in The Great Gatsby, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.”
PV: Exactly. Your first big haircut after the summer has the same effect as your first summer tan. People look at you and say “WOW”!!! Meanwhile, repair your hair with conditioning treatments and enrich your color. Fall and winter clothes cover more of your body so play with your length. Free your shoulders from your hair.
GA: How is beyond the lob a fresher take on where hair is going?
PV: It’s just that. We are going beyond the lob this year -- whether you are ready to take it a step further and go shorter like many celebs have, or opt for über-long runway hair. Whether you have straight, wavy, or very curly hair -- you can style it to your natural texture.
GA: Are there any women or hair types that shouldn’t go beyond the lob?
PV: In the short-to- shoulder-length range there is something for everyone. Finding your best look is determined by the texture of your hair and the shape of your face.
Your natural texture plays an important role in the decision. Knowing what your hair will and will not do for you is vitally important because your don’t want to have to spend time fighting with your hair. Shorter hair draws people’s eyes to your face. So knowing what length and angles to cut is important, and which of your features you particularly wish to highlight.
GA: Speaking of which, is it all about the cut, or does color also factor in? If so, how?
PV: I think color plays a big part in all haircuts. Even a soft highlight just around the frame of your face makes the difference between looking tired and looking fresh. If you are feeling a little bored with your cut but you don’t want to change the length, adding color will give you the change you need. If you are going from lob length to short it is important that the color complements the cut. For that reason I always cut the hair before it is colored. Now, for someone who wants to keep her natural color, a simple gloss for added shine is a great and simple way to go.
GA: What products do you like to help achieve this new look?
PV: Shu Uemura is our product line of choice at The Yves Durif Salon. The Ample Angora Volumizing Mousse is great for body and shine. Yves sells an ivory resin static-free comb that I use to apply my mousse. I pump a golf ball-size amount in the palm of my hand, use the comb to rake through the mousse, and comb the mousse through damp hair. It is a great way to distribute the product evenly through the hair from roots to ends. We also recommend the L’Oréal Professional tecni Art line. Am loving the Dual Stylers. It’s a gel and crème in one tube. When you press a target area on the tube, the two products mix and come out together. Put them in your hand and apply to damp hair. There are three different kinds, each for a different texture of hair. I have been using the one in the green tube called Liss and Pump-Up for volume and smooth hair. They are all great anti-humidity products, so if you want to add some waves to your hair you won’t get the frizz that goes with it.
GA: If readers can’t get to see you in NYC, what are the steps they can share with their own stylist to achieve a shorter yet cool, sexy, imperfect look?
PV: It all happens in the consultation. That’s when the decisions are made. When I give a consultation I always offer my professional opinion but it is just as important to listen to my clients’ ideas. I encourage them to bring images of styles they like. I use those as a guide to help describe what they like or dislike in a certain look. Unless you have a client that gives you carte blanche, it is important that they have a clear understanding of what the end result will be. Of course it goes without saying that anyone in the New York City area who would like to come in for a complimentary consultation is cordially invited to do just that!
