Blunt Cuts -- Readers Snip Back At The Big To-Doover Hillary Rodham Clinton's Retro '60S Hair Style

In the Sept. 8 Scene section, we noted how Hillary Rodham Clinton's hair had returned to a retro '60s look with a distinctive flip. It was especially noticeable when the first lady made a pointed speech about human rights at the United Nations Conference on Women, which ended Friday in Beijing.

With all the flap earlier about her hair, we asked - somewhat flippantly - just what is the story with the latest style? And we asked readers what they thought. Most of the 100 or so replies (the vast majority of them women) took us to task for making it an issue. Others thought the flip flubbed.

Here's a selection of responses.

I just opened the Scene section of tonight's Times, and I couldn't believe my eyes. In one column on Hillary Clinton's hair, the Scene section reminded us of what it really is: the 1955 Women's Section. I say "1955," because if this were the 1995 Women's Section, this column would be focusing on Hillary Clinton's courageous and much-celebrated speeches at the women's conference in China. Catharine Beyer, Seattle cbeyer@u.washington.edu

I think you guys are nuts. I think her hair looks great. It's the best look she's had thus far. Cait Brennan Seattle

I'm so angry. This so ridiculous. This woman is speaking about human rights, about women and children in the developed and developing world. And you publish something about her hairdos. It's racist. It's sexist. It's stupid. It's putting pressure on women for how they look and not what they do, and we're doing this on our young people, our young girls in junior high school. It's not right. Let's do one on Winston Churchill's do's. Maureen Spracklin Seattle

Hillary's flip is a flop. She should go back to her classic mid-length or chin-length hairdo. She's too old to be wearing her hair straggly. Diane Suhara Shoreline

Hello? What's on her mind is more important than what's on her head. Does anyone care how Newt Gingrich parts his hair, or whether he uses hair coloring?

If Hillary Clinton decides to get a purple mohawk, it's fine with me, as long as she continues to speak her mind. Rich Gough, Seattle rich.gough@pnwpcug.org

When I watched her the other night on the news, I could hardly hear her words for thinking what in the world, with all the people who can help her with her hair, why is she wearing her hair like that? She was beginning to look sophisticated with some of those cuts and I was amazed that her hair had gotten that long and out of control so quickly. It just looked terrible. Nancy Jones Federal Way

I like Hillary's style. I think it's really sad that after women turn 40 we're all supposed to get a poodle perm and get short hair. I'm growing mine out again; a lot of my friends are. If she wants to wear it in a braid or in a French twist as it gets longer, more power to her. Cathy Boorman Bothell

I've been a hairstylist for 30 years. . . . I think Hillary's hair looks great. Didn't you know it's quite in style at the moment? She looks very chic, lovely, very feminine. Leave the lady alone. She's fabulous. Janet Anderson Langley

I'm wondering if there isn't more to this hair thing. What do the image experts and/or psychology folks have to say about someone who changes her appearance so often? Is this a sign of insecurity? Lack of identity? Is it a diversion? I still comb my locks pretty much the way I have since Grandma paid 75 cents to get me a haircut. How often do folks usually change their hair style? Women more often than men? What reasons do they give? Jack Duggan dugganj@scl.ci.seattle.wa.us

I hope that Hillary sticks to one hairstyle. It would keep uncreative reporters and editors from wasting more coverage on her hair than on the closing of the women's conference in Beijing. Sondra Kornblatt SondraK@aol.com

I'm a 13-year-old female and it's just not the look of our times. Maybe in the '60s, but a lot has changed since then, especially hair. Adrian Parks Kent

I think you guys ought to go back to Journalism 101 and figure out what news is. And quit making a big to-do about something as inconsequential as the first lady's hair. Mary Ellenberger Seattle

Hillary's flip has to be clipped. Laurie Basile Bellevue

I don't personally care for the flip, but I get a kick out of watching her hairdos change every few months. I think it's great that she changes them. Look, she's the first lady. She can do what she wants. Cynthia Dean Kirkland

We should all be really happy that she doesn't care about her hair. This is not important stuff. It's what she says and what she does that matters. You guys ought to leave her alone about her hair and her clothes and judge her by content. This would be a better world if you get off her physical appearance. Teresa Kaufman Burien