TONIGHT: Pre-Revolutionary France in Austin, Texas

Wow, three posts in one day? It's like this is a real city blog!

So tonight, I'm headed to A Hair Affair, a fashion show fundraiser for Locks of Love at The Phoenix. I've been looking forward to this event ever since Austin Eavesdropper superstar commenter, Le Tigre, turned me onto it.  Also, I overheard Ana describing the event at As You Like it Agnes last weekend (see? Am real eavesdropper), so I knew the show was going to be avante garde, pre-revolutionary France style. Or in other words, bonkers.

Ana sought several images to give her some hair-spiration for the show tonight. Here is a small sample.

Question: Why did we ever get rid of ship-themed wigs? I see real potential there.

Ana was also kind enough to give us the pre-show scoop on A Hair Affair. After reading this, how could you not go?

"I chose to showcase the three pre-revolutionary French classes: proletariat, bourgeouise, aristocrat. Why? Because they:

1) Were fun to create hair and makeup concepts for, and

2) Provided an exaggerated, eccentric example of the current imbalance in socio-economic conditions here in the US.

France went broke fighting other people's wars. Its aristocracy got away with numerous tax exemptions, while its middle class was taxed heavily. The nation was near bankruptcy at the time of revolution.

On a purely stylistic note, hair styling saw its boom in this time period. Hair styling became a legitimate profession. Stylists were in high demand to create the most ornate wigs, often themed after whatever party one was attending that evening. Women in the pre-revolutionary French aristocracy would compete to see who could have the biggest hair ... quite hilarious, but this part of the 18th century spawned the most ornate, largest hairstyles in Western history.

So while their hair was getting bigger and bigger, their lower classes were getting hungrier and poorer. Interesting contrast."

I'll say, Ana. I can't wait to see how she translates all this history on the models' heads tonight.

Also exciting?  In honor of Austin Fashion Week, News 8 Austin put together a little fashion street team for reporting.  I get to join these lovely ladies in helping out!  I'm so excited!  

So tonight, I'll be interviewing Ana Castro, the hair stylist for A Hair Affair, as well as a couple of the models, for News 8. Fingers crossed that this opportunity somehow involves me wearing a ship wig.