I don’t think there is any rock star in history that has inspired so many boys (and girls) to imitate. As my old boyfriend once said, “Oh, so I’m the first guy you’ve ever dated who took a picture of Keith Richards to the hairdresser?” Below is Keith’s tresses through the ages.
By Gillian McCain
Classic early Keith: Probably got treated well at Harrods, even after pocketing that paisley handkerchief. The slightly crooked bangs are in interesting touch. Self-inflicted?
Same haircut as above, non self-conscious. Practicing his chords during detention.
Two shampoos less a week: On his way to juvenile delinquency, vocational school or rock stardom. Mum concerned.
On the brink of stardom, and even brattier. Three shampoos less a week.
The ironic just-about-to-be-thrown out of Eton look. Template for many British rock stars for decades to come.
Experimenting with a Mason-Pearson? Forward? To the side? Forward and to the side? Non committal but very cute.
Now he’s owning it. The rooster shag. Possibly cut by a Morrocan idiot-man-boy-child pool boy? Or Anita?
Boys all over the world request their older sisters to dig out the scissors. Modified-mullet, shag. inspiration for Johnny Thunders who took it to another level—full rooster, plus a shit load lot of aqua net. Then he strutted around like a peacock, and started a fashion trend himself.
HOW DOES HE DO IT? MOST OF US HAVE TRIED, AND SO MANY OF US HAVE FAILED. WHAT IS HIS SECRET?
Rooster without product.
Chop-chop. Possibly the break-up do? Fifty six percent of women and twenty-one percent of men change their hair after a break-up.
Thicker, fuller… and in love again!
Here Keith goes 80s without totally going eighties. Right move: now that everyone is doing the spiky thing Keith gives it up. Now, Patti, thats another story– but she can pull off anything.
Heres that organic thing at work. Just let it grow and see what happens. Okay, there was probably some mousse involved but no judgement. LOVE this.
The approaching middle-aged fuck you, predicated with a touch of gray. I may be getting older but I’ve got a cover girl on my arm, and she’s smart, sexy-as hell, and can almost drink me under the table. And she’s got Staten Island street cred. One more word from you and one of her brothers will pummel you.
The beginning of the trinkets phase. Photos of him of when the doodads were totally out of control seem to have been expunged from the net. Lets just say he had a lot of danglies happening for a while, and that was pre Pirates of the Caribbean. I think.
Obviously covering a later-in-life receding hairline, No die jobs or hair plugs for this guy. He’s an elder statesman and he’s owning it. The hair bands work, but I much prefer them when they match the color of his hair (as above). I could do without the sparkly add on but that’s just me. Pre-trinket, or post, he was sick of his daughters hassling him, telling him they looked ridiculous. Hey, they said it, I didn’t.
The Why Pretend look. The girl on the right is cool enough not to give a fuck, the color is good, its soft, got a move of its own. I love this hair.
Beautiful. Only Keith and Patti can make getting older look so sexy.
