Coiffed Like a Superhero

Have you noticed the plethora of Sex and the City inspired television shows lately, most featuring teenagers wearing ridiculously pricey designer ensembles? Much as I may love fashion and the fantasy of designer labels, I can’t help but feel that the debutantes, snooty girls and serial bed hoppers are out of touch with America’s current socio-economic reality.

Meanwhile, I’ve been admiring the tough, ballsy women on Fox’s Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and their Kickin’ Butt and Takin’ Names hair. I imagine it’s a tad ridiculous to concern yourself with the latest side pony trend when the fate of the world rests in your hands. And while I do appreciate the intricacy and historic accuracy of the makeup, hairstyles and costuming in AMC’s Mad Men, it’s a little difficult for me to get excited about trends that revolved around women being present primarily for the satisfaction and edification of the men in their lives—whether they are bosses, husbands or what have you.

The majority of the female characters on Terminator are beautiful in a strong and powerful way. Their makeup and hairstyling seems effortless, as if to cement the fact that they do not rely on their looks. Without further ado, here they are:

Lena Heady as Sarah Connor

Lena’s haircut is the sort that looks its best slightly tousled. As you can guess, that makes it a wash-and-go cut for anyone with a curly or wavy hair texture and medium to thick hair. Ask your stylist for a shoulder length shag with disconnected layers. The cut is an updated version of Joan Jett’s with just as much bad ass appeal. The layering will take the weight out of thicker hair and may encourage a more uniform curl or wave pattern. Do tread carefully if you wish to replicate this cut on straight hair or you may resemble Mrs. Partridge—if it didn’t look good on Scarlet Johansen, it probably won’t look good on you.

Summer Glau as Cameron Phillips

When you have a massive amount of long, gorgeous locks like Ms. Glau, there really isn’t much need for excessive styling. The subtle layering is appropriate for medium to thick hair of any texture. You can opt to curl the ends for a more bohemian feel or do nothing at all; long, healthy hair tends to speak for itself. Brush the lengths daily to avoid tangles and be sure to use a good conditioner since long hair is prone to damage. This simple cut lends itself to an infinite amount of styling options ranging from intricate chignons to basic ponytails but the best part is how infrequently it needs to be trimmed; if your hair is free of split ends, you can get a as rarely as a few times a year to adjust the shape and maintain the layers.

Shirley Manson as Catherine Weaver

Even though Catherine Weaver is actually a shape-shifting Terminator in disguise (sorry if I ruined it for anyone), she is still a relentless, determined woman; it doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you do it well, right? Shirley Manson is known for her vibrant red hair and flawless alabaster complexion and her polished ponytail showcases both attributes perfectly. This style is great for fine, wavy hair because the pompadour shape at the crown creates a bit of volume.

You could tease and use hairspray but here’s my short cut: Use a comb to separate the front of your hair, approximately an inch in thickness, and part it parallel to arch of your eyebrow on both sides as you would for a half up/half down style. Gather the hair (where you would place the ponytail holder) and twist, then push forward. You should notice a bit of a poof at the front. Secure the hair with bobby pins (in the area where you twisted) and be careful not to flatten the front. Next, take the loose ends and incorporate them with the rest of your hair in a ponytail.

Now get out there and take on the world!

Image Credit: Fox.com, Bestlifeonline.com