Hair Fair 2007 Roundup

April 13th, 2007 at 08:14pm Ryan Darragh

Okay, so it only took me two days to get into Hair Fair 2007.  By that I mean that I tried (unsuccessfully) to get in on opening day, April 6, but both sims (it straddles Hermit Heaven and Prim Paradise) were full every time I tried.  Curses!–foiled again.  My efforts on April 7 met with marginally greater success; I did manage to arrive on one side or the other, I forget which, but crashed almost immediately while chatting with a friend I had bumped into right outside the main gate.  When I got back in-world, it was…lagtastic!  Lagtacular!  Lagarrific!  All that and a bag of chips.  I was finally able to see Hair Fair in all its glory and do some actual shopping late in the evening on April 8.  I ended up having a lot of fun–there’s something about buying whatever catches your eye that just has that effect.  The event runs only through this Saturday, April 14, but even if you can’t get there yourself, you can still do some shopping at the designers’ own stores.  I did take home several new men’s hair styles for myself.  For your benefit, here are the fruits of my labor.

Hair Designs by Tami McCoy (designer Tami McCoy).  The first style I picked up for myself is called “Sawyer.”  I had the good luck to meet Tami herself at her booth and we chatted briefly.  She confirmed that this style is named after Josh Holloway’s character on “Lost” (and yes, there is also a “Kate” style for the ladies).  Tami and I agreed that Sawyer and Kate could stand some styling themselves, as they tend to be pretty unkempt and,  well, dirty.  I also bumped into Celebrity Trollop and, when I confessed that I wasn’t familiar with Tami’s designs,  she said, “Oh, Tami’s wonderful!  And her hair textures are just the best.”  I couldn’t agree more.  “Sawyer,” which you see here in Wine, is nicely flexi, shaggy and flowing but not messy.  Priced at L$250 for any single color.  After Hair Fair is over, you can pick it up at Tami’s shop, Hair Designs by Tami McCoy (Dixie 87, 90, 23).

Artilleri (designer Antonia Marat).  This throwback style is called “Creeper,” and I love it its sleek styling, its impress-the-carhops bad-boy attitude, and the single irrepressible loose strand over one eye.  Although it’s well and truly slicked back, no foolin’, some subtle flexi bits do add life and interest.

Antonia has done a fantastic job capturing the Al’s Diner vibe in this ‘do, and it absolutely fits right in with the rest of her vintage styles.  Throw on a pair of her Bobby Pants and any of her retro shirts and you’re ready to rock around the clock.

“Creeper” is available for L$190 in packs of three family-related colors–big surprise, I’m wearing one of the Reds.  After Hair Fair, get it at Antonia’s shop Artilleri (Axel 200, 190, 703).

Aveda by ETD (designer Elikapeka Tiramisu).  Aveda Institutes takes its first step into SL with a slew of new hair designs by none other than Elikapeka Tiramisu of ETD.  I actually cheated a bit on this one as I didn’t see any men’s styles at Aveda’s booth at Hair Fair, but Posy dropped a landmark on me and told me to drag my ass over before she bought them out of everything.  (I never did seem to get Aveda’s booth to rez properly, so maybe it was available there and I just never saw it, grr.)  This style is simply called “Men’s Short,” which pretty much says it all.  It’s casual enough for a weekend outing, yet neat enough for an interview.  It looks great on Posy, too, so the female of the species need not be deterred by the name.  Available for L$200 in three-color packs at Aveda by ETD Aveda by ETD (Sunset Commerce 82, 213, 26).

Armidi (designer Liam Oliver).  The presence of Armidi at Hair Fair was the first public sign of the eagerly anticipated return of the Elephant Outfitters design team.  ”The Law” suggests an attempt to impose control over what would otherwise be an unruly mass of curls, with impressive results.  This is a restrained style that doesn’t sacrifice creativity, individuality, or good looks on the altar of professionalism.  I’m wearing one of the darker reds here, so it may not be easy to tell in this picture, but the texturing is remarkably good.  ”The Law” is available in three-color packs for L$275.

Also from Liam Oliver of Armidi comes this expressively casual style, “The Poynter.”  If you hoisted a massive Delete key over my SL inventory and threatened to press it, I would probably name this as my favorite new men’s style from Hair Fair.  The decidedly un-styled sweeping strands, fringes and flexi bits give this design a look unlike anything I’ve seen before.  This is one of the lighter reds, so you should be able to make out more of the detail in the hair texture.  ”The Poynter” is available in packs of three colors for L$275.  These two men’s styles, plus the women’s styles that also debuted at Hair Fair, suggest great things to come from the Armidi line.  Until the Armidi shop opens, these are Hair Fair exclusives, so get over there by Saturday, April 14–unless you don’t mind waiting! 

Note:  You can now pick up Armidi hairstyles at what’s described as a “temporary location” next to Elephant Outfitters.  Click to TP directly to Armidi (Maroon 29, 52, 33).

Wig Out (designer Bryce Tully).  This windswept style is called “Hot Rod,” and it really does feel like you’ve just hopped out of your roadster with, miraculously, not a hair out of place.  I’m crazy about the simultaneously slick and spikey look–that can’t have been easy to pull off.  Shown here in Auburn, it comes in four-color packs and is priced at L$185.

Another great style from Bryce Tully of Wig Out is “Hairdizzal.”  The name is a bit of a head-scratcher for me–is it a pun I’m not getting?–but this run-your-fingers-through-it-and-go short style is really working for me.  You see it here in Flame, and like Bryce’s other styles it’s available in four-color packs for L$185.  Both of these styles are available after Hair Fair ends at Wig Out (Illusion 63, 101, 38).

By no means is this a comprehensive list of all the men’s styles available at this year’s Hair Fair.  But these are the ones I paid my own money to take home, and I’m happy to recommend and and all of them to you without hesitation.  Demos are available for all styles, and hair is universally non-returnable, so try before you buy!

Disclosure: Seen in World: Yes | Review Copy: No | Friends List: No

Notes: On Ryan: Dante Light (Toned) skin by Lost Thereian (Naughty). Clothing by Devyn Carmichael (Last Call), Noam Sprocket (Gritty Kitty), Pompo Bombacci (SLAB Designs), Jonquille Noir (Little Rebel), and Donmai Frederick (Back and Forth). Geek Chic glasses by Cienna Rand (Primcrafters). Sporty Glasses by Danny Nolan (Danny's Untitled Fashions). Bishonen Dogtags by Lyra Muse (Last Call).

Entry Filed under: Armidi, Artilleri, Aveda by ETD, Business, Casual, Dressy, Hair, New Items, Period, Tami McCoy, Wig Out