"This is a serious case about a silly woman, because there is significant money to be made these days from extensions--clumps of real or synthetic hair grafted on to give the illusion of a thicker, bouncier mane. ... The time was when any of these enhancements--the hair, the eyelashes, the tan--might have been done for an especially big night out. Now, they are being marketed on the basis that this is how one can look every day, all year round, if only one is prepared to pour in sufficient time and money. ... I don't think this ultra-grooming is really for male appreciation: there is too much untouchability built into it. Still, what the French call being bien dans ta peau feels a long way away. Rather than the womanly pleasure of self-decoration, much of this hints at an anxious narcissism, born of self-dislike."

- The Telegraph's Jenny McCartney, writing about the lawsuit against Paris Hilton for allegedly wearing hair extensions from one company while being paid to promote extensions from a rival company

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments or send an email to the author at hhorn at theatlantic dot com. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.
Heather Horn