No one can accuse would-be First Lady Cindy McCain of having a dull, predictable hairstyle. Over the course of the campaign, she has been photographed wearing her flaxen, shoulder-length hair up in a tight bun, up in a tight ponytail, up in a high bun, up in a soft-sided semi-ponytail (a bit like Sarah Palin), in a loose bun, down with waves, down without waves, down with a flip, with bangs and without.

Most of us couldn’t pull off that many looks in a lifetime, much less in the course of a campaign. She is always elegantly dressed, and we find ourselves wondering which hairstyle she’ll have in the next photo-op.

A recent look that plays up her intense blue eyes and striking facial features is one of loose curls and soft bangs. Most of her hairstyles since the summer have been softer, such as a flattering low bun with bangs and loose curls. She began wearing an even looser, softer style in July, which suits her features. 

Even though she is the wealthy scion of one of the largest U.S. distributors for Anheuser-Busch, McCain is surprisingly low-key about her hair. She doesn’t talk about it much. References have been made about her traveling with a stylist, but no name has emerged.

In May, however, McCain made a bit of a splash when she reportedly paid an impromptu visit to the upscale Julien Farel Salon in New York City. She requested a $95 wash and blow-dry — in the VIP room, stylist Alina Novikov told the local news. Novikov described McCain as easygoing and gave her carte blanche to style her hair the way she wanted - not what you’d expected from such a high-profile woman. 

In the past, McCain received some style rebukes for wearing very tightly pulled back updos and ponytails. Years ago, her hair was close-cropped, layered and darker. Cindy McCain, a reported size 0, is unafraid to experiment. You might even call her a hair-style maverick!