A: Though I'm all for sticking with a classic style when it suits you, if I'm remembering right (an increasingly rare event), 1983 was not a great year for hairstyles. How to break the news to your sister? Least useful phrase in response to any troubling issue, beauty related as well as psychological: "You need help." So not that. Among friends and family, my suggestions are more likely to be accepted when I attribute them to an expert. You might, then, give your sister this advice from master hairstylist Ric Pipino. Thick hair looks better when the volume is at the back and in the length of the hair, rather than at the crown or around the face. A cut with soft layers in the front and longer layers toward the back works well. A nourishing shampoo and conditioner help smooth the hair shaft (as does Wella Flowing Form Smoothing Balm, $14; wella.com for salons).

Keep in mind: Since superclean, thick hair tends to be hard to control, shampooing every two or three days rather than daily will help keep any style manageable.