Finally, some meaningful hair colour analysis

Linda Diebel contemplates Lisa Raitt’s troubles.

Every politician uses image as a tool (or tries to). After the tape story surfaced, Raitt darkened her hair from strawberry blonde to a deeper brownish red and chose a little white jacket with ribbon belt and piping for her news conference. "Darkening your hair like that drives me crazy. I hate it," says Suzanne Timmins, fashion director at The Bay. "When you’re not fair any more, you’re saying, `Take me seriously.’ All women should fight against that (stereotype)."

Wardrobe stylist Loretta Chin agrees darker hair suggests "a position of strength" while the jacket is "softer and more feminine. White also denotes innocence."