Celebrity Hair Secrets - StyleList

SUNNYBROOK DONOR Michael Suba found his calling through what he remembers as a “terrifying experience” – being diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at 25. Instead of sending him into a depression, Michael says, having cancer and undergoing treatments at Sunnybrook in 1990 gave his life a new direction.“In hindsight, when I look back on it, it’s the best thing that ever happened to me, being 25 and living like I was in a beer commercial. It has a way of focusing you. Two years later I was married and running off and building something,” says the upbeat Toronto native.That something was taking on a full-time role at his parents’ medical wig salon, Continental Hair, where he is now president. Michael, who has been cancer-free for two decades, grew up immersed in an unusual world: being around wigs, extensions and hairpieces in his parents’ Yorkville salon, established in 1964. But he gave little thought to the family business, or its positive impact on many people (women, in particular), until he was going through chemotherapy treatments at Sunnybrook. During those treatments, Michael heard snippets of conversations from women who had lost their hair and were clients at his father’s salon. Many of them recognized him from feather extension the salon as well, where he was then working part time.He remembers hearing how much the wigs improved the women’s self-confidence and helped them maintain a sense of normalcy, because they were able to keep their chemotherapy private. “It just showed me how much of a difference it made.”It was then that Michael, who had a degree in politics from Brock University, decided he needed to take on a larger role in the family business. Being a patient spurred the opening of another Continental Hair salon location. One Sunnybrook staffer overheard that Michael worked in wigs and noted that someone had donated a box of them. He cleaned and washed the wigs for the cancer centre and began sending more used, donated wigs from Continental Hair to Sunnybrook.Once he completed treatment, he put in a bid to open a second Continental Hair in the hospital. That location has now been at Sunnybrook for 15 years, and Michael says he was honoured to have been able to open a business at the facility that provided him with superior care. “They were so professional and caring that it was calming,” he recalls.Two decades in the medical wig industry along with his personal experience with cancer have given Michael perspective on the emotional upheaval that hair loss can cause (although, ironically, he didn’t lose any hair himself during chemotherapy). He is enthusiastic about his line of work, despite the fact that many clients are going Feather hair through a traumatic time. “They feel really comfortable coming here because they know that all the women around them are going through some sort of hair loss. They are not in a regular salon – everybody is in the same boat and we are very sensitive to that.”At times, there is a festive atmosphere. Women bring husbands, wives, sisters and friends and try on different colours and styles.“They see that they’re not going to look foolish; they’re going to look good. All of a sudden their shoulders get more square and they breathe easier.” Michael Suba, owner of Continental Hair SalonHe is now looking forward to a new Continental Hair salon location at Sunnybrook: it’s moving from the Odette Cancer Centre to the new breast cancer centre, opening this year. Michael has a special Hair extensions connection to the new cancer facility, since Continental Hair has donated $75,000. “They’ve done so much for my family,” explains Michael.Besides his own cancer treatments at Sunnybrook, his mother, Emma, has had a doctor at Sunnybrook for years and his father, Peter, had quadruple bypass surgery at the hospital and later passed away there, following an aneurysm. “It was very emotional and the medical teams really were very exceptional in helping us through that.”After his father died, Michael called the hospital and asked how he could help, and they suggested donating to the new breast cancer facility. Michael, whose passion and enthusiasm for Sunnybrook is infectious, says he can’t wait until it opens. “It’s kind of neat to pass by, seeing it being built and look up and say, ‘You know what? I helped out with that.’”It’s obvious from the way Michael talks about his experiences with Sunnybrook over the years that he is a “superfan.”“If we could all go through life and not know the work that they do, that would be great. But when you need them, it’s wonderful to know that they are there for you.”

American Idol Makeup Artist Mezhgan's 5 quick pick me up tips - Make {me} gorgeous! - StyleList

When we have questions about makeup, from styling tips to using tools, we turn to style star Mezhgan, our favorite American Idol makeup artist. Mezhgan is an expert at getting people ready for their closeups, even in HD! She's sharing her wisdom with us each week in this regular feature Make {me} Gorgeous! Michelle Obama Inauguration Predictions If expectations are high for Barack Obama, they're no less soaring for his wife -- at least in a sartorial sense. After two decades of Bush and Clinton women -- for whom style was not a sixth sense -- the inarguably fashionable and seemingly fearless Michelle Obama has trend-watchers in a frenzy. Tall and taut, with the broad shoulders and self-confidence to carry off whatever she wants, Obama has spent the past 21 months being compared to Jacqueline Kennedy. And, so far, Obama has acquitted herself well, showing off recession-friendly dresses from White House/ Black Market and pricey styles from edgy designers like Isabel Toledo, who she wore (left) last spring to a fundraiser with fashion industry heavyweights. What will she favor for the White House? StyleList takes a look at her past -- and offers some predictions for the future. And for those who think clothes don't matter, remember the words of JFK as he introduced his wildly popular wife at a 1961 State Dinner at Charles de Gaulle's presidential palace. "I am the man," Kennedy said, "who accompanied Jacqueline Kennedy to Paris." Marcel Thomas, FilmMagic.com She hasn't even gotten to the White House, but Michelle Obama has already done more than any fashion mag to make Thakoon a household name. The Thai-born designer's dresses were perfect for several major moments on the campaign trail, including (at left) the final night of the Democratic National Convention. At right, the rose-colored silk dress as it appeared on Thakoon's runway. Mrs. Obama seems to have made no changes to it -- except the addition of three her trademark pins to bulk hair the neckline. (And for those who can't afford Thakoon's four-figure price tags, the designer debuts a more recession-friendly collection at Target in December.) PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Image No, we don't expect the new First Lady to parade her abs at the Easter egg roll. But with just a few strategically placed swaths of fabric, this delicate floral sheath by Thakoon could meet the needs of the most demanding East Wing schedule. Chris Moore/Catwalking/Getty Images Back in 1982, when Nancy Reagan wore rhinestone-trimmed knickers to a dinner at the American Embassy in Paris, she was ridiculed across two continents. So it's no surprise that Michelle Obama decided to keep her thighs safely away from the runway version of Moschino's flowered silk shorts (right). What's a First Lady-wannabe to do? Moschino took the same gray-and-purple fabric and used it to bare Mrs. O's knee's in a more Donna Reed way -- a soft shirtwaist that made her look both comfortable and camera-ready for the debut of the Obama-Biden ticket in Springfield, Ill. last summer. Surely, Nancy would have approved. Karl Prouse/Catwalking/Getty Images hair bulk This purple silk coat and carnival-striped dress from Moschino's spring collection strikes the perfect balance between the White House need to look sophisticated and Mrs. Obama's penchant to shake-it-up. Catwalking/Getty Images If fashion tells a story, Michelle Obama's fiery red confetti-printed dress conveyed every bit of her Election Night euphoria. True, the Narciso Rodriguez sheath, modified from the runway version at right, earned as many barbs as raves -- "Maybe it looked really awesome up close?" one fashion wag asked. But you won't find a trace of disappointment on Obama's face, which glowed as brightly as her $10,275 Loree Rodkin diamond earrings. Joe Raedle, Getty Images Narcisco Rodriguez's edgy black-and-white dress would be techy enough for the You Tube generation and graphic enough for those Dinosaur Age readers of print media. Chris Moore/Catwalking/Getty Images Tall and toned, Mrs. Obama isn't afraid to experiment. She plays with color (usually favoring brights) and shape (usually body-hugging) -- and, just when you think you've figured out her fashion maxims, she veers in another direction. The cantaloupe-colored Moschino dress that she wore to her husband's acceptance of the Harold Washington Award this fall was a softer color and silhouette than her typical fare. chinese remi Chris Moore/Catwalking/Getty Images Hillary Clinton made front-page news in 1993, when she co-hosted the Governors' Dinner at the White House in Donna Karan's "cold-shoulder" dress, a dramatic long-sleeved black sheath with -- surpise! -- the shoulders cut out. We're not sure the world is ready for a First Lady in a cut-out torso, but with a bit of fabric in all the right places, Narciso Rodriguez's 'bondage" gown would be a fierce addition to Mrs. Obama's don't-mess-with-me repertoire. Chris Moore/Catwalking/Getty Images Peter Soronen's fashions are fun, flirty, and fit for a woman confident enough to show off her curves. Small wonder he's earned red-carpet time from the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Jennifer Hudson and Tina Fey. He's also added Michelle Obama to his roster. At left, her white delicately-patterned dress is adapted from Soronen's houndstooth check sheath. Peter Soronen Got a question for Mezhgan? Leave it in the comments and we'll answer as many as possible in future posts.