Let the faithful cheer and the pundits critique. We are concerned with something that will not impact the economy, or taxes or war. It is not of national significance: it’s Sarah Palin’s hair, the likes of which have not been seen on the front lines of American politics.

It dips below shoulder-length and is a auburn, with subtle highlights. Occasionally she wears it down, but mostly it’s in an updo: one casual, such as the half-updo we saw at last night’s Republican Convention (pictured). The other is a complete updo. She tries to tone it down with bookish glasses, but nobody’s fooled.

Will Palin’s looks have an impact on the election? Who knows? Let’s just talk about hair. First, think Audrey Hepburn, with the quintessential Holly Golightly updo that set a modern standard (pictured). Palin’s half-updo may look casual - but it’s not: There was some precise teasing underneath the crown of last night’s look, and the back was very carefully coiffed. Her full updo isn’t tossed together either - it’s tightly smoothed and perfectly puffed and heavily sprayed, not loose and tousled like on the red carpet or catwalk.

We have found many different updos for you to consider. Allure’s video of models backstage shows famed stylist Orlando Pita talking about loose updos, those with a messy, casual feel. “There’s absolutely no technique whatsoever,” he crows. Not true. Stylists say to put mousse in wet hair, let it air dry and then smooth it out as you tie it up. BellaSugar has another recipe for a do. Daily Makeover instructs one on the step by step with each of their celeb updo pictures.

We’ve found a scary similarity between Palin and Drew Barrymore in 2006 (picture her with rimless glasses: yea, kinda freaky, see the picture?), and, thankfully, no similarity with Amy Winehouse. BellaSugar has a slide show of hot updos over the last few years, as does InStyle.com; Daily Makeover has a gallery of updos. Cynthia Nixon has worn a similar style, as have Halle Berry and Maria Menounos. Palin wears basic bangs with a side part for that conservative touch, but celebs’ bangs are longer and sideswept, or pulled back tightly.

Besides product (mousse, hair texturizer, flat irons, hair spray), other tools to employ in an updo attempt can include a Twistie, a carefully placed pretty comb, regular hair pins (don’t let ‘em show), tiny barrettes, the perfect brush or bust out of the conservative mold with a flashy jeweled pin.