What do scientists say about physical appearance and elections?
A 2007 Finnish study of found that beauty is associated with a boost of 17–20 percent more votes than for the average non-incumbent candidate. The relationship is always statistically significant for female candidates, and in most races for male candidates.
Looks count in the race to the White House but in weirdly unpredictable ways.
When a political rival accused Abraham Lincoln of being two-faced, Honest Abe said: "If I had another face, why would I use this one?" But Americans watching the 1960 presidential debates on TV saw the dry, handsome face of Democrat John F. Kennedy and GOP candidate Richard Nixon's sweat-blotched pancake makeup. Voters told pollsters Kennedy was the winner while those listening on radio favored Nixon.
Time magazine conducted a 2007 analysis of hair's impact on male political candidates and discovered that bald and bearded candidates have a tougher time getting elected than the norm, but the study did not consider odd hair decisions.
Now the hair of GOP presumptive nominee Donald Trump is being scrutinized. Vanity Fair devoted a slideshow to his hair, noting evidence of scalp-reduction surgery that he allegedly endured in 1989, according to ex-wife Ivanka's divorce filing. Outside, where wind might be blowing, Trump often wears a baseball cap.
By 2002, his hair color had become what Vanity Fair calls "Burnt Cheetos Auburn," the magazine's term for his current color. Pundits have debated whether his hair can make him relatable to those cursed with rebellious hair - or anyone, for that matter.
"Hair is sometimes more than a matter of dumb fashion. As the sociologist Anthony Synnott writes: 'The debate over hair symbolism is both ancient and complex, and applies not only to gender but also to politics,'" columnist Lewis J. Parker wrote for Salon.com during the 2012 presidential elections.
"The political establishment and its associated industries simply use a candidate's appearance as a means of weeding out people who don't act in their interests," Parker wrote. "So we end up with phrases like 'presidential hair,' which means, on a more subtextual level, that the man underneath it won't be out of place pressing flesh at a Wall Street dinner or engaging in bonhomie with military personnel."
In other words, hair matters.
Three local hair stylists analyzed Trump's hair and try to explain what he's doing and how they'd fix it if he walked off the campaign trail and right into their salons.
Frankie Chamberlain, White Oak Barber Shop, Red Bank
"I've never doubted for a moment that Trump's hair is real. This 'look' is altogether too real, and I have helped plenty of mature professionals update their tired '80s 'business aesthetic.' The correct haircut will help a mature professional look relevant, fashion-forward and on top of his game, yet polished and sophisticated.
"I think Trump should rock the crisp, white hair that's currently hiding underneath that peachy stain. Well-groomed white hair is like a well-tailored white shirt. It's timeless. It's honest. It's versatile.
"Trump has what I call the Highly Involved Comb Over. I can see in my mind's eye exactly how he achieves that look in the morning. First, using a soft-bristled brush, he lays in a deep side part. He then brushes the sides back, letting them feather, covering the tops of his ears. He brushes the top straight back and slowly uses his hand to push the hair down over his forehead, producing the 'shelf' of hair which protrudes over his forehead. Then, in true '80s fashion, he applies a copious amount of hairspray to hold the style.
"Here's what I suggest: Remove more than half the length from the top, keeping it slightly longer on the sides, and slice in a little texture to create volume, movement and flexibility. It keeps the top of your [hair]style from flattening out like a pancake or looking like a helmet.
"The front of the style (called bangs or fringe in women's hair styling) would be layered so it can be swept back. Or, if the front should fall down over the forehead, it would sweep lightly above the brow instead of hanging like a heavy curtain.
"I would then blend down from the top, adding short layers to the sides. As I follow the blend down to the hairline perimeter, I would free-hand using the Clipper Over Comb technique to create a sharp, tight taper around the sideburns, ears and nape of the neck. This elongates the neck and emphasizes the jawline, accentuating masculine features of the face.
"The look I envision would be unique and unexpected, yet classically presidential."
Jerry Harvey, stylist at the Honeycomb Salon, Cummings Highway, and co-host of WGOW-FM's "The Nth Degree"
"Well, my first inclination is to throw him on the ground, sit on his chest and grab some garden shears and just chop it completely off.
"But, if you ask me from a serious standpoint of what I would do, I would give him what I call the Businessman Cut, which is basically short on the sides and the back with a little bit on top. The style is professional; it looks good, but the head of hair he's got has got to go. It literally looks like an albino skunk on his head, for God's sake.
"I think he got it at the Blue Light Special at the Kmart, I do believe. I mean, it looks like the cheapest toupée that a billionaire could ever wear. Where he actually got it from, I don't know, but he definitely bought it from somewhere because that cannot in any way, shape or form be his natural hair. Cannot be."
Tammy Muniz, owner of Rouge 22 Salon, Gunbarrel Road
"Trump's hair has definitely gone gray. My pet peeve with the color has always been the shade. His colorist, in my opinion, needs to do a deeper shade. It tends to look hollow. I'd deepen it a little and maybe take out a little of the warmth.
"If he's gonna stay tan, or if the makeup team is making him darker, they need to account for his hair color. His face and hair can't be the same color.
"The color wouldn't look so bad if the cut was more tailored. It's left too long and adds years to Donald. I personally don't think he's balding. He seems to have created a bad habit of a major comb-over look that started waaaay back when. Some people get in a rut and stay there, because it's comfortable. But to summarize, I would deepen the color more and cut the style into a more tailored/polished look if he wants to represent our country. Looks-wise, you only get that one chance to make a good first impression.
"I personally would love to send out an invitation to Donald to give him a complimentary consult, color and cut.
"I would be willing to do the same for Bernie and Hillary since they both could use some help, too."
Contact Lynda Edwards at 423-757-6391 or ledwards@timesfreepress.com.