Questionably Fabulous

There is a different version of this post published on http://mcclure-pictures.blogspot.com/

I appreciate the female form.  I think straight women, gay men, and certainly the straight men and lesbians will all agree that a woman’s body is just simply beautiful.  That being said, I may be in the minority when saying that less is not necessarily more.  Sometimes MORE is more.  As is more clothing can be more sexy.  Am I alone? 

Last week I went to San Luis Obispo’s Native Lounge (http://www.nativelounge.com/) for the fourth week of BOTS – Battle of the Salons – where Shannon McMillan and her husband Eric (http://www.mcclurepictures.com/) impressed us once again with their photography of hair in its purest artistic form – done up and sprayed to death.  (Obvi I was there, where the else would I be on a Wednesday night in SLO-Town?)

The third and fourth weeks were much different than the first and second.  Since this was the semi-finals in a single elimination competition lasting six weeks, I think everyone was feeling the pressure to advance and impress.  I of course was the reason they were trying so hard – I mean, seriously, I have so much power with this blog of mine they all were dying to get a coveted endorsement by AC Fabulous… I’m just sayin’…

In the third week Bladerunner was my overall winner.  Even though I frequent a different salon that was also competing that night, I have to say Holly-Fing-Wow when it comes to the SHOW that Bladerunner put on.  This was the first salon I saw that took the SHOW element to a new level and really won the judges over with not only the hair but the costumes as well.  With a full service salon at their disposal, the make up and nails were flawless and completely added to the package they were delivering in the themed night of Gift Wrap.  And I’m sure many-a-man wanted to UNWRAP the presents that sauntered down the runway. 

To go back to the sexy issue at hand though…  On this night the Audience was dazzled (literally be-dazzled) by an absolutely beautiful woman who went topless (she was also in week too and I referred to this tactic as cheating – if you didn’t read that review shame on you – stop reading this one, go back and do your homework). She was wearing flowers over her areolas the second week and sparkles over her nips the third week so technically I’m not sure if we can call her topless but we were all blown away regardless.  This young lady either had an incredibly talented surgeon or God really blessed her…  Either way, no one could deny that she was sweating sex appeal. 

In week four, however, we were greeted with a different kind of sexy.  A strong and amazing “riveting” kind of sexy.  An overwhelming sexy that appealed to everyone – and I mean everyone!  Faces a la Mode played perfectly into the night’s Industrial Theme with a series of women who were definitely not prancing down the runway.  Dressed as Rosie The Riveter, these women donned the classic red bandana and strong bicep flexing pose all with a lot of extra spice.  Their long legs were covered in tattoos and their button ups were buttoned down enough to tease the audience with the crest of their breasts.  Not too many girls can carry off lots of tattoos -  I don’t mean to get all “oh no she did-ent” (picture a neck swivel and 3 snaps in a Z formation a-la In Living Color) but really?  I think there is definitely a line that some women cross when displaying their skin decorations.  These girls though, they could def carry it off!    

It seems to me that each week get  increasingly better with the creativity and special effects.  While week three impressed me to pieces with the decadent apparel, traditional and outlandish use of bows, tags, LCD lighting, glitter and hair height, week four had moving pieces, billowing clouds coming from hair shaped into smoke stacks and models via wind up dolls, complete with men “turning their keys” as they made their way down the runway.  PS, did I mention that these men were dressed like the CDC?  It was off the hook. 

I would like to touch upon one last thing – this is a bar.  I mean, at the heart of it all this is a great show, but it is also an excuse to get out to the only club in San Luis Obispo.  And I am a big drinker from a big city (and by big city I mean Baltimore so I’m clearly not from a BIG city)…  My point is, I always feel right at home when I’m at Native Lounge, a little dunst-dunst-dunst if you catch my beat bopping drift…  Back to the point – all of the salons have a table with bottle service.  And all of the people at all of those tables take full advantage of their bottle service.  So if you happen to be the last competing salon your representative might be slightly tipsy.  One salon owner teetered down to the judges table to defend her styles at the end of one of these nights and after briefly reviewing her styles she ended her defense with a high pitched drunk slur “We Rocked It!” which to me paled in comparison to a pre-written speech by SLO Beauty School who referred to themselves as the “Silent Dark Horse in the competition.”

Last tid bit – SLO Beauty School, in my option, was robbed.  As reported by Shawn, one of our charming hosts for the night, the competition was so close, the winners won by only a hair. 

Week Three Competing Salons: Bluebird, Bladerunner, Roxy, Clippers

Week Four Competing Salons: SLO Beauty School, Faces a la Mode, Hep Kat, Tigerlilly

To view all of the pictures from Battle of the Salons go to http://www.mcclurepictures.com/ and click on client log in – passcode is BOTS.  Each of the four past weeks are separated into individual galleries. 

As a general reminder, the above opinions / review does not necessarily reflect the opinions of McClure Pictures or Native Lounge but rather the Questionably Fabulous rantings of AC Fabulous aka AC Siapno of www.QuestionablyFabulous.com.