Short Hair for the 30-Plus Crowd Plus, Updating a Man's Seersucker Suit and Summers Without Pantyhose By Retha Hill Washingtonpost.com Staff Monday, June 8, 1998

Short hair is more sophisticated, but not a right of passage for turning 30. (Illustration by Donald T. Early for washingtonpost.com)

Stephanie
Copenhagen

A: Dear Stephanie of Copenhangen,

There is no question about it, short hair is much more sophisticated than long Marcia Brady tresses, although the DressMe experts can think of more than a few women who wear long hair well. Cindy Crawford's shoulder blade-brushing style is just the right length and textured wildness. Jeri Ryan's updo makes her "Star Trek Voyager" Seven of Nine character even more fierce. Lynn Whitfield's classic French rolls and Victory twists in the hit movie "Eve's Bayou" gave her long-suffering character a dignified beauty. And singer Janet Jackson's long reddish ringlets are being emulated throughout urban America.

Okay, Celine Dion does look goofy with locks flying about like third-class passengers hitting the deck of the Titanic. And one wishes that Maria Shriver would do something unexpected with that thick auburn mane of hers. But in general, there is enough anecdotal evidence to support the notion that women over 30 can do long hair right.

There is no consensus on the matter, Stephanie, among hairdressers and women. Short hair is in, especially during the summer months, but so is long hair, provided the hair is healthy, sports an updated look and is flattering to the wearer. On the runways during last fall's spring shows, even the ponytail made a return appearance and was touted as being fresh and sophisticated for spring/summer '98. But there is an admission among many hairstylists that shorter, above-the-shoulder lengths are better for women in the business world.

"In general – though it is not always true – a woman looks more professional, less sexy, to have hair above the shoulder or shorter," says Lisette Attias, owner of Piaf's salon in downtown Washington. "They don't take people too seriously when they have long hair. For women who want it longer, it is better if they have it pinned [up]."

Anwar Saleem, stylist and owner of Hair Rage International in Northeast Washington, says shorter hair gives women "a younger look." He says the determining factor, though, should be the woman's lifestyle. If she's busy with activities, work and family, a shorter style might be more appropriate because it requires less fuss.

Another consideration is her height – some very tall women need longer lengths to balance out their porportions. And, Attias points out another consideration. "As we get older, we have wrinkles. Some people need to camouflage bad necks," she warns.

So take a long look in the mirror, Stephanie, and ask yourself if your hair has become a nuisance because it is long – that is, you are spending more time than you'd like fussing with your hair – and if you can carry off a short pixie style or a shoulder-length bob (take into consideration your height). Finally, ask yourself if you are bored and ready for a change. Comb the magazines for the latest styles and talk to your hair stylist about alternative shorter hair looks so he'll begin thinking about new 'dos for you. Then go for it. If the style proves to be wrong, you can always grow it back.

Q: I am attending an afternoon wedding in a couple of weeks in the District. I plan on wearing a seersucker suit. I was wondering what kind of accessory recommendations you could make to update the look into something subtly hip, something that will, in a very understated way, make me stand out in the madding crowd.

Allan
Arlington

A: Dear Allan of Arlington,

Oh dear. And we thought seersucker suits went out when "Kolchak: The Night Stalker" went off the air in 1975. All right, we used to see a few holdouts as late as the first Reagan administration, especially in places like Greenville, S.C., and Ben Matlock was fond of them, wasn't he? So if you are doing a retro thing, Allan, you are definitely way ahead of the curve. Otherwise, you've got some work cut out for you to pump up the hipness quotient of seersucker. Our DressMe experts suggest going for a monochromatic look with a strong pastel-color dress shirt and tie combination such as a violet or a beautiful blue with matching tie. If the suit is gray and white, go for a strong mid-tone – not dark – gray shirt, suggests Roberta Bernstein of Neiman Marcus at Mazza Galleria.

"I would suggest a pair of Gucci loafers, probably black," Bernstein says. "The socks should always coordinate with the suit." In the case of the gray and white seersucker, look for a pair of stylish gray socks. Bernstein also suggests you update your glasses with, for example, a pair of narrow, wrap-around sunglasses.

Lastly, Bernstein suggests, "He should get rid of the suit and start over."

Q: Now that Washington's heat has returned in force, is it necessary to wear stockings to work?

Maura
Northwest Washington

A: Dear Maura of Northwest

Unfortunately for some of you, the answer is not that simple. It depends on the corporate culture of your place of employment. If your employer allows for a more casual dress style, then by all means ditch the stockings. That does not mean you should couple legs sans stockings with micro minis or don your feet with flip flops or other super casual sandals. Leave those styles for the weekend and the beach. For those of you who work in a formal environment – a K Street law firm, lobbyists' row or a bank, for example – you are going to have to continue to wear stockings, no matter what the temperature. Lighter-color hosiery can be worn with pastels, but stay away from the rude contrast of pearly white stockings against a dark skirt hem. As an alternative to pantyhose, you can switch over to thigh highs under a knee length or longer skirt. Just be careful when sitting to avoid exposing too much of your aversion to hot weather.