5 Down-There Hairstyles Defined
Dear Em & Lo,
A friend and I disagree on pubic topiary terminology and I'm hoping you can settle this for us. I say the mohawk and the landing strip are the same thing, and the Hollywood is when you go totally bald. I also say both styles are types of Brazilians. My friend says the landing strip style is called the Hollywood, and it is not a type of Brazilian. She says the only Brazilian style is the totally bald style. Who's got their facts straight on this issue?
--Kate Bush
Dear Kate,
There doesn't appear to be any kind of national advisory board on pubic hair styles, so we can't say that the following definitions are exactly official...but Wikipedia agrees with the following terminology, so that's good enough for us:
1) Landing strip -- Most of the hair is removed except for a vertical rectangle of closely trimmed hair. This rectangle starts at the top of the vulva and goes up (sometimes as far as the hair goes, sometimes less). Depending on how much hair is removed from the surrounding territories (labia, perineum, bumhole, etc.) this might be referred to as a kind of Brazilian. But if only the mons is manicured, it doesn't really qualify.
2) Hitler 'stache -- Some people refer to all landing strips as Hitler 'staches, while others reserve the term for shorter versions. And still others prefer not to invoke the man at all (especially those women who have a tough time dealing with the "pube mustache" look of a man performing cunnilingus).
3) Mohawk -- It's like a landing strip except you don't trim the strip of hair so closely, so it can be spiked up like a mohawk. Detractors say this look tends to look a little unfinished, though apparently it is popular among punk kids. If you don't shave anything and just style the pubes into a mohawk, then it's a fauxhawk.
4) Brazilian (a.k.a G-wax) -- Traditionally, a Brazilian means removing every last hair from the bum, anus, perineum, labia, and most of the mons. Think of it as extreme pubic hair care. Most Brazilians leave a small landing strip because, well, a lot of people find that pre-pubescent, shaved-cat look kind of disturbing.
5) Hollywood (a.k.a. Sphinx, Full Brazilian, Bare) -- This is when you take everything off, a sort of scorched earth approach to pubes. Note to Hollywood starlets: if you get the Hollywood and you insist on wearing micro mini skirts and you can't get out of a car without spreading your legs for the paparazzi, this style will reveal your C-section scar. In some parts of the world, this is known as "too much information."
Advocates for pubic health,
Em & Lo
