ONE thing every top hairdresser you talk to will tell you is that in the late '90s fashion no longer dictates how you wear your hair. The biggest movement in hair and make-up is individuality.

These days a hairdresser should be making styling decisions based on an individual client's hair and what suits them rather than trying to make everyone look like Jennifer Aniston.

Mohawks are back, mullets are in, hair jewellery is sparkling and hair piercing is a painless alternative to holing other parts of your anatomy.

But there are still certain looks that are big for the millennium head of hair. So what's the chop? A selection of finalists in the Schwarzkopf Hairdressing Competition have their hair say . . .

RICHARD KAVANAGH,

finalist in the northern section, manager of Real in Auckland:

"Versatility is the biggest consideration. Most of my clients get haircuts they can wear two or three different ways. People seem to want more interesting shapes in their haircuts--a kind of geometry. It's like `make me look like me--but I want to stand out from the crowd'.

"There's a structured look with asymmetry in short hair, again geometric shapes but with a soft feel. Fringes are a bit page-boyish. They're not as blunt as we've seen the last few seasons and a bit shorter.
We're even cutting the fringe right back to the hair line. "Cuts don't need to be technically perfect.

There might be some long bits hanging out and some short bits. The hair is textured, almost tortured looking. Versions of the mohawk and the mullet cut (long at the back, short at the front) are back.
"Many clients with a more casual shape want a stronger colour. They want people to see their hair has been coloured. However summer will see more natural versions of these bright colours."

CARL WATKINS,

finalist in the southern section, owner, Carl Watkins Hairdressing, Christchurch.

"The key words are uncontrived and unstructured. A lot of what is going on is about redefining classic shapes. For instance a classic bob is cut in with a razor so there are more mutilated ends. It gives a very chopped up look. Hair looks stronger, more aggressive.

I like to use straightening plates. These are like crimping irons but can straighten the hair into a unique, almost spikey look.

"Hair is either above the chin or below the shoulders. There is no fashionable medium length. Those old fashioned shaggies, like the Jennifer Aniston cut, are well and truly gone.

"We are also playing with colouring technique, darkening hair underneath and lightening the upper layer. This adds texture and depth and is especially good for people with fine or medium fine hair. We might also use three colours on one haircut, starting dark at the roots then lightening toward the ends. This adds to that "undone" feeling of a cut.

"Colour does get a lot lighter and more natural in the summer. At the moment we are experimenting with some copper reds and an ash reflect, trying to get the reddy brown to look cool rather than warm."

DEREK ELVY,

finalist in the avant garde and central sections, co-owner of Buoy, Wellington.

"The feeling for the late '90s is mini-malist, that kind of `less is more' thing. Haircuts are not over-embellished and quite geometric, simple shapes. But they are not really angular--they are rounder, softer giving more of a halo effect around the face. There's a futuristic style but with a femininity to it.

"Long hair is really long. There should be enough hair to have movement. It has structure but a lot of looseness as well. With short hair, volume is always softer on the features. There are short fringes around but they are not cut straight across. They tend to be more blunt, a more moon shape.

"Colours are definite and dramatic. Simple, block colours. For me darker shades are where it's at--anything from dark blondes to raven blacks. The colours in fashion clothing are quite monotone and darker shades in the hair make that look more dramatic."

LUCY VINCENT-MARR,

finalist in the northern and male sections, runs Stephen Marr Hair in Auckland, with partner Stephen.

"There is a simplicity to the look--lovely clean lines but movement and texture within the shape. The look is uncontrived, really loose and unstructured. It's not perfect or symmetrical and more texture is being created by using both the cut and a variety of products.

"Even long curly hair has quite a simple shape. The shapes are relatively solid, maybe with beautifully shattered edges. We are seeing a lot of overgrown-looking short hair.

Short styles have a lot of texture but there are also some quite heavy forms coming through with page boys and bowl shapes. Fringes should be appropriate to the individual but can be a little overgrown too.

"There is a lot of emphasis on colour. There are subtle blends that create an illusion of solid colour. They might be darker at the roots and lighter at the ends. This creates more of a 3D effect. I think we'll see more beautiful pastel blonde shades in summer."

What should new styling products do?
* Create a matt look with no shine but lots of texture. These products are often the tacky consistency of dirt.

One hairdresser spoken to has experimented by adding talcum powder and make-up to styling products.
* Texturise the hair to give a fat, chunky chopped-up appearance without looking like there's lots of product in the hair.
* Create a powdery high fashion look.
* Straighten hair.
* Create shine and sleekness.

Hair Accessories for Summer, Plain, dark bobby clips in blonde hair. Or blonde bobby clips in dark hair.
* Hair piercing. These are like small studs that fit between strands of hair.
* Sparkling hair jewellery that attaches with velcro or otherwise.
* Binding hair with fabric to give an almost skull-cap look.
* Embroidery in the hair. Thick cotton threaded through hair as seen in Kate Sylvester's range shown at

Australian Fashion Week.
* Plastic or acetate strips in the hair.
* Hair extensions, hair pieces.
* Elements of New Zealand culture, like feathers and shells in the hair.

Given the chop. . .
* Keyhole or hourglass haircuts, like Jennifer Aniston.
* Spice Girl stripes.
* Animal prints.
* Sparkly butterfly clips,n Heated rollers with big curls.