A $400 haircut? Preposterous! declared a barber in the Quad-City Times. Crazy! claimed a stylist in the Arizona Republic.

Actually, not all that surprising, say three Denver salon owners when asked if the price paid by John Edwards for a couple of recent haircuts seemed exorbitant.

Last month, it was reported that the Democratic presidential hopeful charged two haircuts, priced at $400 each, to his campaign committee.

The cuts came from Beverly Hills, Calif., stylist Joseph Torrenueva, according to a report filed with the Federal Election Commission. Torrenueva reportedly took his styling skills out of the salon and to Edwards. Torrenueva's regular in-salon fee is $150.

That sounds about right, says Sara DeLuca, co-owner of Berenices, 3500 E. 12th Ave. A man's cut at the Congress Park salon averages around $40.

"It's industry standard that whatever the stylist or artist charges on site is typically double the salon charge, and sometimes there's a travel fee added, as well," she says. "Factoring in a 20 percent tip, that doesn't seem insane."

Charlie Price, co-owner of Click, 231 Milwaukee St., was recently named the 2007 International Stylist of the Year by The Canadian Mirror Awards. His styling résumé includes bold-faced names from Naomi Campbell to Joan Rivers.

His charge for a haircut (which includes a straight shampoo, cut and style): $105 in the Cherry Creek North salon and $210 to travel to you. That price is the same for men and women.

"It's every bit as big of a deal to cut a man's hair as it is to cut a woman's," Price says. "Men are extremely vain, but they don't want to talk about it. I don't believe in charging different prices for men and women. It's equal rights."

Matthew Morris, owner of Matthew Morris Salon, 277 Broadway, says a $400 haircut is totally feasible.

"If it's a life-changing thing, it's worth $400," he says. "If done the right way, a haircut can make a man look like he's worth more."

Morris charges $95 for haircuts for both men and women.

"Men sometimes take a lot longer because the hair's shorter and it shows every little cut," he says. "With longer hair, a blow dry can hide a lot of things."

Whatever the charge, it's time to move on, Price says.

"We need to stop getting offended by everything all the time," he says. "We have much bigger things to worry about than whether someone paid $400 for a haircut or why Britney Spears shaved her head."

A cut above

Think a $400 haircut is out of line? Check out the most expensive hairstylists, according to Forbes.com:

• $800: Orlando Pita, Orlo Salon, New York

- $600: Frederic Fekkai, Frederic Fekkai Salon, New York, Beverly Hills, Calif., Palm Beach, Fla.

• $600: Sally Hershberger, Sally Hershberger Salon, New York and Los Angeles

• $500: Serge Normant, John Frieda Salon, New York

• $500: Cristophe, Cristophe Salon, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.

• $500: Jose Eber, Jose Eber, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Clinton paid $200

John Edwards isn't the first politician to get flak for a pricey do. In 1993, celebrity stylist Cristophe gave former President Clinton, right, a $200 haircut aboard Air Force One as it sat on the tarmac at Los Angeles International Airport. Late-night comedians and columnists poked fun at the president for the expensive cut.

Associated Press

Feeling pretty

It takes work for John Edwards to get his hair to look so good. Watch him comb, get hairsprayed and mess with his locks on a YouTube video set to the song I Feel Pretty. Search John Edwards feeling pretty at YouTube.com.

Cut-rate prices

Salon prices seem steep? We surveyed five local barbershops to see what they charge for a men's haircut.

• Floyd's Barbershop, various locations: $19 to $25

• Gentlemans Quarters, 1605 17th St.: $35

• Downtown Barbers: 1620 Champa St., $15

• Archie's Stylist & Barber, 8510 Pearl St.: $12

• Bob's Barbers, 4406 W. 39th Ave.: $15 or $12 if you're 65 or olderThe hat of fashion

Isabella Blow, fashion icon, stylist, creative director and muse, known for wearing outrageous hats and bright red lipstick, died Monday. She had recently been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She was 48.

Blow was credited with discovering Alexander McQueen and milliner Philip Treacy, and with launching the careers of models such as Stella Tennant and Sophie Dahl. Here, we take a look at some of the incredible Treacey headgear she wore.

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