Gabby Douglas Hair: Gymnast Recruits Celebrity Hairstylist Ted Gibson to Escape Controversy

Whether you believe it or not, the way your hair looks can affect your life. When you have a bad hair day, it can leave you feeling a bit frumpy. Moreover, those in the public eye can get dogged out for not having star quality hair. 

Such is the case for  star American gymnast Gabby Douglas, who ended up in the middle of a war of words over her 16-year-old tresses during the London Olympics. Now that this Olympic medalist is a household name, she has decided to begin seeing one of the best professional hairstylists to maintain her hair. Ted Gibson, known for his makeovers on “What Not to Wear,” is the hottest hairstylist for celebrities and stars. His regular clients include Angelina Jolie, Anne Hathaway, and Gabrielle Union, to name a few. Though he rarely works with younger clients, he’s even done the hair of Zahara Jolie-Pitt, 7-year-old daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.

In an industry of “straight, white men with accents,” this gay African-American from little old Killeen, Texas has definitely made a name for himself.  Not only is he a talented stylist, but he has a line of self-named hair care products. Ted Gibson has not one, but two luxurious yet cozy salons, including the original Manhattan salon in the Flatiron district, and has been campaigning on both his Facebook and Twitter sites to get the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to award an Oscar for hair, so the hairdressers for all of these award-winning movies can finally get their much needed credit. The Academy gives awards for everything else, so why shouldn't hairdressers get credit for helping these characters come to life on screen?

Gibson said that when he heard about all the backlash about Gabby’s hair, he couldn’t and still can’t believe it. He felt all the talk was “ridiculous and shameful.” When asked about the vision for his new client, Gibson said, “It’s tricky because Gabby is 16 and I don’t want to do anything to make her look 25 years old. Together with her vision, I hope we can create something that’s easy and looks great no matter what she’s doing or where she is. I hope to create something that makes her feel good about herself as well. That’s so important and a big part of what I do for all the women I work with.” I love a hairdresser who has a passion for what they do. My hairdresser is just like Ted Gibson in that manner. He loves what he does and actually sets out to create a hairstyle that you’ve both brainstormed about. To him, it’s not just doing your hair, it’s maintaining your crowning glory.

There are people who just do hair, and then there are those who love it. Lots of people can do many things, but only some have a passion for it. Hairdressers don’t just do your hair, they change your whole look. Speaking as a woman who appreciates the blessed fingers that some men and women have, I’d just like to say thank you to Gibson and others for using your gift.