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Madonna pays a few bob for new blonde look
Last updated at 00:07am on 21.09.06
Madonna tries out a radical new hairstyle.
From strawberry blonde and permed, to Gothic black and straight, there are not many hairstyles that Madonna hasn't tried.
Now, with a dramatic new platinum blonde bob, the 48-year-old singer has undergone yet another reinvention.
While the shade is reminiscent of her 1990s Material Girl heyday, the blunt-edge cut is different to anything she has ever previously had,
Costing a cool £750, it is, however, a little more pricey than the average cut n' blow-dry.
"Madonna wanted to do something spectacular to mark turning 48 last month," said a source close to the star. "There is no way she is going to grow old gracefully.
"The cut had been planned for quite a while and was by no means a spontaneous decision. Madonna knows she is in as good a shape as ever and facially barely looks a day older than she did when she first started out.
"As a result she wasn't in the least daunted by the prospect of returning to a hair colour that she first had nearly 15 years ago.
"It's not the most forgiving of shades, but Madonna looks great - and she is delighted with the end result."
The performer, who is on the final leg of her Confessions world tour, showed off her new look at the X-Static Process photography exhibition at the Louis Vuitton store in Tokyo yesterday.
Celebrity hairdresser Andy LeCompte is thought to be the man behind the edgy style.
The Beverly Hills-based crimper has been accompanying Madonna throughout her gruelling world tour, washing and styling her hair before each and every stage performance.
Wearing a black satin zip-up jacket and scarlett red lipstick, the mother-of-two teamed her platinum locks with a heavy lashing of dark eye make-up.
While it is not known just who, or what, the inspiration behind Madonna's latest haircut is, intriguingly it is remarkably similar to the bob recently revealed by Victoria Beckham.
Of course, ardent Madonna fans have grown accustomed to their idol's many changes of hairstyle.
Naturally auburn, she sported a zebra-like blonde and dark crop in 1984 when she released her first single Like A Virgin.
Five years later she returned to her roots once again for her controversial Like A Prayer video, in which she staged a mock crucifixion.
After that she was a bottle blonde for nearly ten years, with hues ranging from ice-white to bohemian-inspired strawberry tones.
For her Ray Of Light album, she dyed her tresses a vivid jet black colour, as she first began dabbling with the Kabbalah faith.
But in 2000, with the release of the album Music, she returned to long blonde curls.
Her most recent hairstyle has been a 1970's, Farrah Fawcett-esque feathered number.
Reader views (29)
Not bad for a 48 year old
- Vleon, imperialist usa ;)
I woulda done it for £7.50 - Maddy, come check me next time! You look young and fabulous. Keep it up!
- Tanya, London
you've got to give her credit for re-inventing the wheel ... again and again ... think she looks fab ...
- Davidz, NYC, USA
Awesome fit bod, but she's definitely not aging gracefully.
- Alex, NYC, NY
Madonna should give it up. This aging icon is trying to compete with the younger sex symbols of today and she is not making it, even with her outrageous acts. She should concentrate on bringing up her children, enjoying the money she made and try to age gracefully.
- Dan Scalera, Brick- USA
Madonna used to be attractive, with a heart-shaped face. She needs to gain about 20 pounds. Though I know she's in incredibly good physical condition, her face is gaunt.
- Becky, Shalimar, FL
No matter how Madonna wears her hair, she will always be gorgeous. No matter how they try, no one can reinvent themselves like her. One in a trillion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Miriam Jakubowitz, USA
So, when you spend hundreds of dollars on a haircut do you get to keep the gold scissors used to cut it ?
- Melinda, California USA
Only Madonna can pull off such a transformation--especially the white-blonde! You go girl--I think you look gorgeous!
- Lachlan'S Mom, Atlanta, GA USA
I think she paid 749 pounds too much for that do!
- Linda, Gilroy, CA- USA
Hmmmm. She could have saved herself a LOT of money and gotten that cut at SuperCuts! Looks better than the Farrah she had though. That was ridiculous.
- Paula, USA
I've been a closet Madonna fan since Like A Virgin came out. Unfortunately her age has caught up with her. She looks like a Melanie Griffith impersonator in this pic. If I hadn't read the name Madonna I was wondering why they dragged poor old Melanie out into the daylight.
- Richard, Long Beach, CA
Stunning! She looks 10 years younger at least!
- Dan, USA
Are you kidding me that she doesn't look any older than when she came on the scene in 84?
- Peggy, Oklahoma City, OK
She looks like Andy Warhol
- Lbo, Indianapolis, IN
You're kidding, right? She looks like every other chick walking around Manhattan -- on what planet is this "edgy"?
- Martha, NYC
Absolutely great! I couldn't stand that Farrah Fawcett flip do.
- Jane, San Diego, California USA
Once a narcissist, always a narcissist
- Leslie, Bethesda, MD - USA
You're all kidding, right? She looks so much older. I prefer the previous cut... by FAR!
- Sandy, Los Angeles, CA
It looks horrible. It makes her look old. She needs to change the color, the cut, and her make up.
- Marcy, Washington, DC
"While the shade is reminiscent of her 1990s Material Girl heyday". 1990's?
Material Girl peaked at No.3 in the UK in March 1985 and spent 10 weeks on the chart.
- Jeff, Los Angeles, USA
I cannot believe she is almost 50. I love her.
- Angel, Morristown, NJ
Madonna looks fantastic. She obviously takes very good care of her body (and should, being as wealthy as she is). I saw her in concert this summer: you can't fake being in that great of shape. Go Madonna!
- David, New York, NY
It makes her eyes look awesome. Love it!
- Jason, USA
I think she tries too hard.
- Noelle, Philadelphia
She looks better with dark hair, she looks like an old version of Sharon Stone...
- Lisa, London
No, she doesn't. And that is just my opinion. She looks tired, but beautiful!
- T4nj4, Netherlands
I think she looks fab.
- Jet, London
She looks awful.
- Eric Blair, UK
