America’s Next Top Model Review: Messes and Makeovers

Weaves.  Wigs.  Bleach.  Cuts.  Color.  On Wednesday’s episode of America’s Next Top Model, we finally got to the long-awaited makeover episode.  For possibly the last four cycles, Tyra Banks has gotten smart about the transformations.  Instead of Tyra telling each girl what she was going to get just to hear her protests and see her tears, this cycle Tyra sent the girls to Laurent D where they found out what they were getting once they were done.  This cycle Tyra at least gave them a little hint and had 11 hairstyles on a pull-down shade in the Top Model house.

Thankfully Brittani had the most positive attitude about her makeover.  She said these people are professionals.  They know what it takes to make someone beautiful, so she fully trusted them.  Hello!  It’s about time.  Besides, it’s hair.  What’s more – I hate to pull the race card – these are non-black women who got the most dramatic cuts.  All of their hair grows back in months, definitely less than a year.  Coarse, African-American hair has to go through about 10 amendments and then an act of Congress before it will grow back.  In other words, suck it up, chicks!  Brittani’s cut was my favorite, and Dominique’s kinky red weave and matching eye brows were my favorite add-on.

As I listened to Alexandria ramble on and on in her interviews and as I watched her interact with the weave specialist, I couldn’t help but to wonder if Tyra ever uses these interviews when making her decision on whether or not to cut a girl?  Alexandria told the specialist that the way the weave looked was not right.  Not that a girl doesn’t know her own hair, but they weren’t even finished with it yet.  She was making a snap judgment about the woman’s work before she was even finished.  After the weave was complete, she acted as if it turned out right because she made a big fuss over it.

Now Molly is the model who should have made an issue over her hair.  After wearing wigs, weaves, braids, perms and natural hair and after having weaves glued and sewn in, I can attest that if a weave is sewn in, traditionally it’s sewn to a net.  The weave specialist created a net out of some sort of thread and then sewed the weave to the thread-like net.  Thus, Molly transformed into a mop head.

Lori Goldstein styled the girls in couture dresses as they modeled in pairs in a whimsical Alice-in-Wonderland garden for photographer Troy Jensen.  However, there are 11 girls, so one set was a group of three.  Two’s company.  Three’s a crowd.  Jaclyn, Dalya, and Dominique posed as a triplet.  Jaclyn and Dalya had great chemistry.  Dominique was the extra friend at the dinner table who couldn’t get a date for night.   While Dalya’s shot was my favorite for the week, unfortunately the judges, Tyra, Nigel, Andre’ Leon Talley, and Lori Goldstein, noticed Dominique’s disconnection from Dalya and Jacklyn, and she was sent home.

Cycle 16, Episode 3:”Lori Goldstein” (originally aired March 9, 2011)

Can’t get enough ANTM? Check out “Gotta Be-weave In Yourself!” by Poptimal’s Desiree Neall.

Get fierce with this cycle of America’s Next Top Model Wednesdays at 8/7c on the CW

Images courtesy of The CW