Le Cheveux a la Cheryl

“Only God, my dear,


Could love you for yourself alone


And not your yellow hair.”


W.B. Yeats

Hairstyles, just like the latest beauty craze, up-and-coming designer or ‘it’ accessory change with every season. But whilst wispy, elfin crops may flit into fashion now and again with the celebrity say-so of Natalie Portman, Carey Mulligan or Victoria Beckham (mostly for film roles or to give damaged hair a break from heavy duty weave extensions and blowdrying) a full and glossy head of hair is as eternally elegant as Grace Kelly or Coco Chanel.

Fairytale visions of Rapunzel-esque princess locks, the Biblical prowess of Samson and Delilah and Shakespeare’s Ophelia with golden hair splayed around her drowning frame all no doubt contribute to our unconscious recognition of the historical and ongoing importance of hair. Throughout history hair has been a marker of health, wealth and social standing. It remains a reflection of diet and well-being as well as a display of style and beauty, and Hubert De Givenchy once remarked in Vogue that “Hair style is the final tip-off whether or not a woman really knows herself.”

Pressure indeed.

Yet throughout history, wigs have been used recurrently by rich and poor alike to augment natural hair to unnatural proportions, the subject matter quickly hushed and any enhancements furiously denied. Consider the embarrassment felt by the Duchess of Devonshire when her elaborate hairpiece was set alight in view of her public or the tentative scene in Sex and the City where Samantha Jones removes her recovery wig. A beautiful, thick head of hair is something that, although literally impossible for many women, is a look we all strive to achieve, probably spending a small fortune on volumising and shine products, countless cut and blowdrys, highlights and GHDs.

Thank goodness for the new, damage-free gentle bond Lucinda Ellery human hair extensions.

This season, Farrah Fawcett-style volume and length are back in, courtesy of Cheryl Cole, Katie Price and Lucinda Ellery Hair extensions. Considering the constant emphasis on long, thick hair within our culture it is surprising that hair extensions weren’t invented hundreds of years ago. Thankfully, whatever Victoria Beckham wants she seems to get, and it was her endorsement in 2004 which propelled bonded hair extensions into the public eye. They became a symbol of money, style and sex appeal – the perfect celeb-chic accessory, their lustrous buoyancy boasting “I can control my hair perfectly therefore I am also in complete control of my perfect life.” Today, techniques are advanced and prices more affordable, meaning that hair extensions just like those worn by Cheryl and Victoria are readily available in reputable salons, of which Lucinda Ellery is the leading name specializing in fine hair and volume. See www.LucindaEllery.com for a full range of services offered.

Possessing fine, mousy brown hair myself, I have often longed for thicker tresses a la Mrs Beckham and after years of wearing annoying (but admittedly cheap and cheerful) clip-in extensions I eventually surrendered and cut my hair short. I loved it, for a few years, but was then quickly reminded of the living hell that is attempting to grow out a shorter hairstyle – a graceful, pixie-like Natalie Portman I am certainly not. After months of enviously scrutinizing Cheryl Cole’s extensions I decided to bite the bullet and go for it myself, booking an appointment in Lucinda Ellery’s reputable Hammersmith salon which boasts celebrity clients including Mrs Cole, Katie Price and Sarah Harding).

My consultant, Sarah, was a gorgeous blonde with an annoyingly flawless poker-straight mane of blonde highlighted hair. She later confessed that she had 120 bonded extensions (a full head) which increased her length by 8 inches and volume by 100%. I was shocked – her hair really did look natural, pulled neatly back into one of those Mean Girls ponytails that swish smugly when you walk. Sarah explained that Lucinda Ellery extensions are completely safe and will not damage your natural hair at all as the weight is balanced and the hair chosen specifically to suit your own, meaning that you can continue to grow out your hair as you wear the extensions (which last for 3 months). I was given two quotes, one for 60 bonds which would mimic Cheryl’s volumised look but keep the length of my own hair the same (£360) or 120 bonds which would also extend my length to 14 inches (£780). Clearly, I was set aback by the prices, but Sarah that if I went for the volume option I may not need all 60 bonds so the price could be a lot lower. This seemed justifiable as the extensions last for 3 months and in the meantime, my own hair will be able to grow through that awkward permanent-bad-hair-day phase. I was sold. The service, personal touches and atmosphere of the salon were impressive enough for me to put down a deposit there and then. I have booked my appointment for a few weeks time….purely, of course, for blog research purposes…and, well, as Cheryl says,

“Because I’m worth it.”

To Be Continued.