Girl with fire-engine red hair will be allowed to return to classes in Tavares

Some people have a bad hair day. Mabry Anderson has been having a bad hair week.

Can't BELIVE THIS!Mabry, a 16-year-old Tavares High School student, was told Tuesday that her fire-engine red hair violated the district's policy forbidding "unnatural" hair color. She was given a referral stating that she could not return to campus until she had changed her hair.

She stayed home two days, but chose to return Friday to keep from getting unexcused absences, said her mother, Cate Rettig, 50, of Tavares.

On the first day of school, new Principal Janice Boyd asked all students not to have "unnatural" hair color, but Mabry did not comply, School-district spokesman Chris Patton said.

The battle was on.

Mabry took to Facebook to rally students behind her cause. Her page, dubbed "Team Mabry," has logged more than 800 likes. Rettig said Mabry spent most of the school day Friday removed from class, completing work assignments in an office.

"I'm letting her fight her fight," Rettig said. "And the kids are standing behind her."

"It's definitely a freedom of expression issue," Mabry said of her effort.

By late Friday afternoon, principal Boyd decided to allow Mabry to return to class Tuesday after the Labor Day weekend.

With her red hair.

Mabry said it was because the principal decided her hair wasn't disruptive after all. Patton wouldn't comment on what changed Boyd's stance, but said the policy will be reviewed at an upcoming school board workshop.

"I think it was worth it," Mabry said, describing the outcome. "I get to have my hair now and no one gets to say anything."

The district's hair policy forbids "extreme hairstyles, unnatural hair colors, or make-up that is disruptive or does not allow direct eye contact."

Students who break the policy can face a dress-code violation punishable by a loss of privileges, verbal reprimand or work assignments. Patton said "unnatural hair colors" refer to any color that isn't brown, black, gray or the natural color of human hair.

Patton wouldn't comment on exactly what changed Boyd's stance, but said the policy will be reviewed at an upcoming school board workshop.

School Board Chairwoman Kyleen Fischer in 2011 originally suggested adding a policy forbidding "extreme hair." Fischer at the time argued that unusual hairstyles could distract from academics if students spent too long on preening.

School Board member Tod Howard said he lobbied to tweak the policy to allow hair color that is not "disruptive," but the term means different things for high schools and elementary schools.

"I argued that we need to add 'disruptive,'" he said. "And if it's not disruptive there's no reason for us to be removing these kids from class."

By orlando sentinel

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How to Wear a Ponytail

I love the ponytail and why not? These days you can wear them to the gym then later that evening to a five-star restaurant. They look adorable on short hair (little kid barrettes are fun, even when you're 30) and sexy on long, layered hair. "Done" hairstyles are so 1980s, thank goodness, because who has time for perfection when there's the Internet to surf, the kids to feed and the beach to walk on? Here, we rundown 10 great ponytails and how to style them.
Side ponytails are very popular right now, according to the August 2007 issue of InStyle magazine. InStyle calls the side ponytail softer and more flattering than your average ponytail. 

The Side Ponytail -- Nicole Richie
To get this look (see Nicole Richie's look to the right), follow these directions:

Step 1: Create waves with a wide-barreled curling iron. To do this, spritz styling spray on 2-inch sections of hair and wrap around the barrel of a curling iron. Alternate directions. 

Step 2: Finger comb waves into a ponytail, securing just a few inches either to the left or the right. 

Step 3: For an even more polished look (see Nicole's hair above), take a pencil-sized piece of hair from the bottom of the ponytail and wrap around elastic. Secure end of hair in the band and hold in place with a bobby pin. 

Step 4: Finish with a spritz of hairspray.
Wear this look to the office or out to a nice dinner. Especially gorgeous when paired with thick, dark sunglasses. (Everyone will think you're famous). My favorite look is the sleek ponytail with thick, heavy bangs, as shown here on actress Salma Hayek. 

The Sleek Ponytail -- Salma Hayek
How to get it:

Step 1: Blowdry hair straight. (Wet ponies are the antithesis of sexy). If you have wave in your hair, straighten hair completely with a flat-iron. 

Step 2: Brush hair back into a ponytail. Secure with elastic. 

Step 3: Tame flyaways with a spritz hairspray on your hairline. 

Step 4: For added polish, run a shine serum (we like Bumble and Bumble's Gloss) through ponytail.

The Polished Ponytail -- Jamie-Lynn Sigler
Volume at the crown can be sexy, as shown here on Jamie-Lynn Sigler. To get this look, follow these directions: 

Step 1: Put your fingers on either side of the front of your ears. run fingers straight up. 

Step 2: Clasp the collected hair in one hand. 

Step 3: Tease the roots with a wide-toothed comb. 

Step 4: Spritz hairspray on teased roots. 

Step 5: Let hair go and smooth back into a ponytail, securing with elastic.

The Hair-Wrapped-Around-The-Elastic-Trick Ponytail
Stylists love the look of hair wrapped around the elastic. To get this look, skip the nasty fake hair ones you can buy in drugstores and department stores (tacky!) and follow these directions instead:p] 

Step 1: Pull hair back into a ponytail. 

Step 2: Pull a pencil-thick piece of hair from the bottom of the pony. 

Step 3: Wrap hair around elastic. Leave two inches to pull down through the elastic. 

Step 4: Secure with a couple bobby pins.

The Cute Ponytail -- Paris Hilton
This look is great for the weekend and works with all lengths of hair. We call this look "cute" because it relies on little kid barrettes or decorative bobby pins to hold back bangs or layers that don't fit in the ponytail. (Check out these funky ones in cool geometric designs).
This look is particularly cute on chin-length hair. The pig's tail curl is super cute. How to get it:

Step 1: Spray volumnizer at the roots, then let hair airdry, scrunching it for a bit of wave. Don't have time? Blowdry hair without brushing, use fingers instead to separate hair. 

Step 2: Rake hair back with your fingers (skip the brush) and secure either at the nape of your neck or just a bit higher. Scrunch pony more for more wave.

Step 3: Pin bangs or unsecured layers with a decorative bobby pin or little kid barrette. We love these France Luxe Long and Skinny Barrettes.

The Rumpled Ponytail
The perfect weekend or after work hairstyle. This look works best with unwashed hair, which we find most manageable. How to get it:

Step 1: Start with unwashed hair or get the messy look by spraying roots with volumizer and airdrying hair, or blowdrying using your fingers instead of a brush. Scrunch hair as you dry. 

Step 2: Part hair slightly off-center (parting in the middle is also trendy). For an extra funky look, create a zig-zag part in your hair with a comb. 

Step 3: Rake hair back at the nape of your neck. Fasten the tail lightly so that it sits slightly below the middle of the back of your head.

Step 4: For more fullness, secure four or five bobby pins just above the elastic. This way you get a fuller look. Scrunch the tail once it's in place.

The Dramatic Ponytail -- Tyra Banks
A high, tight ponytail is swingy and totally sexy. It's also wearable at work or at night. If you have a high forehead (like Tyra) you have to be careful with high ponytails -- you don't want to look bald from the front. Your best bet are bangs (I absolutely love my hair in a ponytail now that I have thick bangs) or a sidepart and fastened lower on your head.How to get it:

Step 1: Spritz hair with a volumizing spray like Bumble and Bumble Thickening Spray, then dry hair straight. If you have curly hair, use a diffuser and an anti-frizz productinstead of the volumizer. 

Step 2: Take a section at the top part of the back of your head and tease hair at the root. This will give you needed volume for the dramatic look. 

Step 3: Once hair is sufficiently teased, carefully brush hair back into a pony up high on the back of your head just above your ears. Gently pull hair at the top of the pony out and up for drama. 

Step 4: Run a gloss (we like Bumble and Bumble Gloss, see sleek ponytail above) through ponytail, using extra at the ends. 

Step 5: If you're going out at night, up the drama ante by securing a gorgeous barrette (we love the ones that look like brooches) near the elastic and on the side of your head. If you use a barrette, keep in mind that it's a piece of jewelry, so be careful not to overdo the look with earrings, necklace and a bracelet. The less jewelry you wear, the more oomph your pieces have. Check out these gorgeous barrettes and books on how to make your own.

The Cheerleader Ponytail
A super-high ponytail will take years off your face, but if you have excessive widows' peaks at your crown or if you have a big forehead, this look can be unattractive. To see if you're a bad candidate, pull hair back and look in the mirror, if hairline starts high at the top of your head, this look can bring too much attention to your forehead.
How to get the cheerleader ponytail:

Step 1: Blow-dry hair using mousse or spray for volume, then pull hair high on top of head (above your eyes). The sleeker, the better, so brush out any bumps. 

Step 2: Secure with a thick elastic band. For added bounce, tease the hair right at the elastic. 

Step 3: Skip the bow, but spritz with hairspray. Try a headband for a super-trendy look.

The Half-Up, Half-Down Ponytail -- Emily Blunt
To get this look:

Step 1: Part hair from ear-to-ear into a top and a bottom section.

Step 2: Secure top section with a ponytail holder. 

Step 3: Take the point of a rattail comb and put it under the hair, just at the crown. Gently coax hair up until it's just a bit puffed. 

Step 4: For more drama, wrap a ribbon or a strip of fabric around hair and fasten with a bobby pin.

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DIY Ombré Hair

So the ombré look is in for the summer, and we all want it. Well here are a few tips on how to do it at home with L’Oréal’s ombré hair kit.

1. Prep: Make sure your hair isn’t tangled. You’ll need smooth hair to brush the product through.

2. Application: If you aren’t sure where to begin the fade, start by your mouth. You can control the color gradation from your natural base, depending on how long you leave the product in (anywhere between 20-45 minutes.) Do a test strand, aiming for 20 minutes and check it every 5 minutes to see how you like the color.

3. Worried about brassiness? If you only want a slight color change, 20 minutes will be your ideal time frame. To make sure your hair color is lifted enough and you bypass that dreaded orange phase, you may need 40-45 minutes.

4. For a more delicate application, wield the brush vertically, to coat only specific strands. For a more intense look, wield the brush horizontally to cover more ground.

5. Don’t get too carried away with too many light pieces. It’s the contrast that makes ombré look the best.

L’Oréal’s ombré hair kit is available in three shades, for the lightest blonde to the darkest brunette and is available in drugstores nationwide for around $12.99. L’Oreal Paris’s newest hair color shades in its Superior Preference Paris, Healthy Look Crème Gloss, Excellence Crème, and Feria Red launch in drugstores nationwide February 2013.

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