Hillary's Butterfly Clip Will Not Bring Relief To Pakistan Or Haiti

In Jenna’s words, “I expected some kind of pink-and-purple glittery shit from Claire’s. I clicked the link and…she pulled her hair back? I don’t get it!” And yet, The Hair is an international topic.

Here’s the part that no one seems to be getting around to until the fourth paragraph: Secretary of State Clinton was at the UN to discuss disaster relief for Pakistan and Haiti. The controversial images portrayed a meeting with Norway’s Foreign Minister, Britain’s International Development Secretary, and members of the State Department. She was also presumably gearing up for a meeting with Ahmadinejad. In other words, this is a serious visit.

Here are a few choice quotes describing the event:

“The secretary of state’s chic coif was nowhere to be seen as she arrived at the United Nations over the weekend with her hair clipped back.”

“Mrs Clinton’s hair was scraped back and clipped on top of her head, but looked lank and in need of some love and understanding.”

“With minimal make-up, Mrs Clinton’s 63 years came into sharp focus as she moved neatly from urging Pakistan to mend its reputation to an attempt to undermine Mr Ahmadinejad within his own country.”

“Hillary Clinton worked a new ‘do on Sunday at the United Nations, using a jaw clip to keep her locks off of her face.”

Well might one be surprised, then, to find that this noteworthy coiffure was…her hair pulled back with a clip. A touch casual? Maybe; claw-clips have bad associations for many of us who weathered the 90s or have gotten highlights. And the fact that it’s generated this much ink is, presumably, proof positive that it was distracting.

But while a puff piece is all very well, when there are real issues of state and security at stake, is it Clinton’s responsibility to not “distract” the press from important issues? She’s a busy woman who wanted her hair off her face. And yet, if anyone knows the press’s penchant for seizing on any idiotic appearance-driven trivia — especially hers — it’s Clinton. However, we’re going to go ahead and suggest that a stint in the rug-and-pelt-heavy senate probably inures you to hair-related distractions. And, further, Ahmadinejad was not influenced either way.

Hillary Clinton’s Hair Clip Brings Out Critics [USA Today]
Hillary Clinton’s Hair Clip: Hot Or Not? [BuzzFeed]
Secretary Of State Hillary Clinton Unveils New Hairdo For UN Meetings [NY Daily News]

Oh Hillary, That Hairstyle Just Doesn’t Cut It: Mrs Clinton Prepares For Huge UN Meeting With Lank Locks [Daily Mail]
Hillary Clinton Wears Hair Clip To The UN: ‘Do Or Don’t? [Huffington Post]