Hair Stories: To Shave Or Not To Shave

Cassie Ventura, Lala Vasquez and Keyshia Cole all took the plunge and shaved one side of their head!

1. ConAirPro Moda Groom Single Speed Clippers, $79.99, www.groomers.com 2. Creme Of Nature Ultra Moisturizing Shampoo, Kiwi & Citrus, $3.99, www.walgreens.com 3. Kidada For Disney Couture Pocahontas Gold, $78.16, www.asos.com 4. John Hardy Baby Monkey Silver & Black Palm Wood Hair Brush, $52.50, www.jewelrygalboutique.com 5. Aveda Brilliant Humectant Pomade, $22.59, www.target.com 6. Orangewood Large Porcupine Boar Brush, $6.99, www.sallybeauty.com 7. scunci Classic Pins. $1.29, www.walgreens.com 8. Tui Leave in Conditioner, www.carolsdaughter.com

It used to be that the ultimate hairstyle statement for a woman was to shave your head bald (or close), but these days celebs have put their own twist on the avant-garde style. If your not sure that you, or your head shape, can pull off a completely shaved look, ease yourself into the style by going partially bald first. Cue Cassie Ventura, Lala Vasquez, Keyshia Cole, Raven Symone and the pioneer Kelis. They've all put their unique interpretation of the style by adding hair dye, patterns, track lines and even ultra girly curls on the side of the head still with hair.

If you're going to try this style be prepared. Stock up on bobby pins to stop your long sided hair from falling across the border. Also, invest in a good pomade to keep your shaved side neat and frizz free. As always, keep your hair healthy with a good conditioner like Carol's Daughter's Tui Leave-in and Creme of Nature's moisturizing shampoo. So come on ladies, do Grace Jones proud and get the clippers out!

Pucci. Prints. Perfect.

Joy Bryant arriving at the Costume Institute's Party of The Year in May 2008.

Michelle Ogundehin at the VIP Dinner and Cocktails hosted by Nadja Swarovski celebrating The Crystal on December 5, 2007.

Keyshia Cole attends the If Looks Could Kill party hosted by Toyota and ESSENCE on June 11 2008 at Eyebeam in New York.

Jill Scott's Real Thing Cocktail Reception at the Roof Top Garden on June 14, 2007, New York City.

The pioneer of kaleidoscope prints, Emilio Pucci, started a trend in the late 60s that just won't go away. Whether you love or loathe the bright in-your-face psychedelic shapes that have become synonymous with the designer, you certainly cannot miss them (or the woman who dares to wear them). Nowadays many designers and stores have copied the famous prints and used them in their own designs. This however hasn't stopped anyone from being able to identify a genuine Pucci. See the ladies above for proof that pucci + prints = perfection!

Knitted Affair...

Thandie Newton attends the American & British Vogue London Fashion Week cocktail party, hosted by Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue Anna Wintour and her UK counterpart Alexandra Shulman in February - Too chic!
Zoe Saldana attends a special screening of "Melinda and Melinda" last year
Keyshia Cole attends the Jacob & Co. Sneaker Launch at Manhattan Motors during Olympus Fashion Week September 13, 2005 - Lovin' this cardigan!

I was inspired by the first photo of Thandie Newton wearing that gorgeous knitted shawl over her equally fabulous dress, and it got me thinking about how knitwear is making a come back. As the summer months draw to a close I may invest in a chunky cardigan, as opposed to a jacket, to see me through the seasonal transition. Most people wear cardigans in the day or for unofficial occasions (see Keyshia Cole), but I think with the great selection out there, you can also wear them for more formal occasions (see Thandie Newton). Learn how in the next post…

Keyshia Cole in Vibe Magazine...

Love the pic on the right, her hair looks amazing!
Keyshia Cole is going to be on the cover of the August issue of Vibe magazine. Rumor has it that she replaced Christina Milian who was dropped from the cover after being dropped from her labal... OUCH!! Anyway, Keyshia looks fantastic in this shoot, not too sure about all the tatoos but she's still rockin it! Make sure to catch Keyshia’s new reality show, ''Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is'' on BET on Wednesdays at 9 p.m EST.

Credit: 'CuteCentral.com' for the scans of Keyshia :)