Spiked Hair Styles

Iran's fashion police target Western styles

It's an Iranian rite of summer: Islamic morality squads pressure women to keep their headscarves snug and coverings in place, and after a few extra tugs for modesty's sake the crackdown inevitably fades.

This year, Iran's fashion offensive appears bigger and more ominous, and has expanded the watchlist to men's hairstyles and jewellery considered too Western.

No official explanation has appeared for the sterner approach. But it fits with the steady push by Iran's ruling theocracy to reel back the liberal fashion trends that began in the 1990s - such as body-hugging coverings for women and earrings and tattoos for men - and to sweep away non-Islamic influences in universities and cultural institutions.

The conservative forces around Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have already struck back hard at President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's attempts to expand his power base, and are expected to set a hardline tone for parliamentary elections early next year.

Nearly two-thirds of Iran's Parliament have signed a statement supporting the latest fight against "Western cultural invasion". It's blamed for such challenges to Islamic dress codes as women's headscarves pushed back and pants cropped short to show as much leg as possible.

About 70,000 police officers have been deployed in Tehran this month to enforce the dress codes, the state news agency IRNA said.

The fashion targets this year also include men's hairstyles and "un-Islamic" items such as necklaces.

Last year, a fashion watchdog group gave the Culture Ministry a guide to acceptable men's haircuts. On the blacklist: ponytails, a spiked style known locally as the "rooster", and the retro "mullet" do, with its cropped front and cascading back.

pictures of hair updos : : wedding hairstyles

It’s amusing how important the details can be when it comes to pulling together a cohesive look as part of your dressup games. When you’re playing dressup games you’ll want to have a terrific outfit all pulled together, but have you spent time thinking about what your hair should look like? After all, your hairstyle is something of the crowning touch of the whole experience - a bad style can break you just as easily a great style can make you!

Choosing the Right Hairstyle If your hair currently doesn’t have a style, but is something more like a big mop of hair hanging down your head, you need to get something done - fast. If you’re not able to get to a salon to choose a new look, don’t be afraid to put together your own updo. It’s much harder to tell your hair is long and shaggy when you have it pulled up in the back with some loose tendrils coming down than if it’s just hanging there all over the place in its messy glory. Pull it up and get it back from your face. Then you’ll at least look a bit more polished.

Cuts and Colors for Dressup Games Choosing the right cut and color of the dressup games is entirely personal. You can’t make a decision about the right style for a particular look without knowing what it is you’re going for. But with that being said, it’s also important to remember that your hairstyle should match your face and your features far more than just a single dressup games outfit that particular day.

Start with your face shape and size to determine a haircut. The adorable super short pixie cuts are best on those with tiny bone structure who look a lot like pixies themselves. The flared and spiked hair cuts are best on those with strong, bold personalities. Long hair works on younger faces that aren’t long or rectangular and medium hair cuts are great on everyone. Watch out for cutting bangs if you have a cowlick or have a short forehead. It’s always best to discuss your hairstyle and color choices with a stylist, not just your best friend, to determine the best look for you.

Preparing for Dressup Games Once you have your hair cut, colored and styled, you’re ready for a bit of adventure. Look for clothing that’s as snazzy as you are and start pulling looks together. The great thing about having a fabulous new hairstyle is that you can wear just about anything and still look good. But that doesn’t mean you should wear just about anything. Opt for a polished, contemporary look that showcases your personal style and your best features.

Hairstyles of the damned

Clean it! fix it! eat it!, easy ways to solve everyday problems with brand-name products you've already got around the house

Hair care, an illustrated dermatologic handbook

The Cultural Defense

Joey Green's Rainy Day Magic, 433 Fun, Simple Projects to Do with Kids Using Brand-Name Products You've Already Got Around the House