Fashion: Growing Manes

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By Meghan McCain

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Once a well-kept secret among Hollywood divas, hair extensions have stepped into the spotlight. Unlike wigs, which cover your hair, extensions clip or bond onto your own strands to add fullness and length without hiding your locks. And though the older versions involved spending thousands of dollars--and half a day--at the salon while a stylist wove or glued fake hair to your own, the latest trend is in high-quality, clip-in tresses that you can put in and take out yourself. The advantage: they take minutes to attach, they don't really damage your hair and they work on cuts that fall below your earlobes. Jessica Simpson just launched a clip-in line with stylist Ken Paves (from $77.50 at the Home Shopping Network's hsn.com ) that offers 11 colors and numerous lengths and textures of real and synthetic hair.

To use them, start at the base of the head and move your way up, clipping the hair in; all the extensions are connected to a single cap, so you can't lose them. (We were able to attach this piece in less than three minutes.) Other lines sell extensions in long strands that you wear individually, instead of as a bunch, for those who want more flexibility about where to add volume. (See ciaobellahair.com for an assortment of colors, and hairconspiracy.com , which offers more options for African-American women). Because a lot of movement can sometimes make the clips slip out, hairstylists recommend that you apply a layer of hairspray to the area, which will help keep the extensions in place.

Human-hair extensions can also be cut and dyed to match your natural hair. "Get out a hanger that's designed for pants and skirts, hang it on the vanity and style them," says Bevla Reeves of hairconspiracy.com. Now bad-hair days are easier to shake.

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