Justin Timberlake is the shining proof of what a difference an inch makes. Remember when he had that all-over-fuzzy pubic mass? Not sexy. Clipping his hair was his reinvention. It was the single most effective step into becoming a sexy pop icon. Would Cameron Diaz have been dating a person who looked like he was wearing a hand-knitted afro? I don??t think so. In the fickle world of pop, where hair extensions and hair dye are as common as Diet Coke, Justin has remained steadfast in his clipped look. Does this make him strong, happy in his own skin, or weak and afraid of change? Probably both.

Justin is a sweet, solid, sensible guy and probably thinks if it's not broken, don't fix it which is fine, but sometimes we require a little more risk in our heroes. Hair Bitch's friend Mark Smith, at John Frieda, doesn??t agree, though. ??Justin??s head is not a good enough shape to carry this haircut. He deserves more. Too many people have this look. Sheep have it once a year, and dogs with fleas. It??s too basic. If you have thick curly hair, there is a way of cutting it, chopping into it against the curls so you literally break the waves. I would like to see it a little longer. Not that much would make a huge difference. And then he should use an oily product to give it shine.??

E-mail: bitch@hairbitch.com

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