Wednesday, 9 August 2006

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How to get Posh's new do

Now's very own style squad - celebrity snipper Phil Smith and top colourist Declan Sheils - recreate the headline-grabbing Posh bob on Victoria Beckham lookalike Gill Penny...

When Victoria Beckham emerged from swish London salon Lockonego on the King's Road with a sassy new cut, she didn't just single-handedly kick-start what's certain to be this season's strongest hair trend. She also proved herself to be head and shoulders above the rest of the footballers' wives, by leading the backlash against extensions.

With the World Cup spawning a slew of identikit WAGs marching to the beat of Posh's drum, not to mention the ethical implications of the human hair trade, Victoria's shown that she's way ahead of the game – and the competition – by swapping her extensions for a fresh new look.

Posh's new cut makes the most of her delicate features. Sleek, sharp and revealing a sexy glimpse of the nape of her neck, it's every bit as alluring as her old, long locks. And after the high-maintenance regime of caring for extensions, this wash-and-wear style is every mum-on-the-run's dream.

The cut
Before Victoria's hairdresser even picked up a pair of scissors, there was the small matter of the painstaking process of removing the hair extensions, which would have taken the best part of three hours. Then work on the new style could begin.

'To get Posh's new cut, ask your hairdresser for a graduated bob,' advises Phil Smith, who styles
the likes of Tess Daly and Fearne Cotton. 'Cut a V-shape section into the nape of your neck for a soft, shattered look. Victoria's hair has been deep point-cut and sliced throughout to create a softer, more flattering feel and to ensure there are no hard edges.' Schedule in a top-up trim every six to eight weeks to keep this cut looking sharp.

The colour
'Victoria's shimmering colour is a mix of three different shades,' reveals Declan Sheils, senior colour technician at Essensuals in Covent Garden. 'To recreate her look, I used a half head of fine slices of warm golden blonde (Wella Koleston Perfect 12/16 and 12/89) and caramel blonde (Wella Koleston Perfect 87) with a chocolate brown lowlight (Wella Koleston Perfect 67),' expains Declan.

'To emphasise the graduation, I also applied a natural glossing colour in chocolate brown through the back of her hair.'

Click here to see our great new Posh hair photo gallery>>