Callista Gingrich's Dramatic Beauty Evolution (PHOTOS)

When it comes to rapid, drastic beauty evolutions, Callista Gingrich takes the cake.

Newt Gingrich's wife came onto the political scene when she married Newt in 2000, transitioning overnight from mistress to political wife. But the beauty transformation was not so quick -- for a while, Callista maintained her softly styled hair and her basic makeup, remaining as approachable and average as a political wife in the limelight can be.

Then somewhere along the line, things changed. Just today Meghan McCain sounded off on Callista's reputation, saying, "I think the fact that she was a third wife and a mistress and is coming off somewhat icy and [her] reputation of being somewhat controversial within their campaign is doing damage."

"Icy" is definitely the most appropriate adjective to describe Callista, when it comes to both her persona and style. Sometime between early 2009 and the end of 2010, Callista's appearance hardened. The hair went from soft and wavy to helmet smooth, the lipstick got darker and more defined, and her face seemed to get... well, pointier is the only word we can think of.

Now Callista's look is hyper-groomed, from her line-free skin to her platinum blonde 'do -- too groomed, according to some. Robin Givhan sounded off on Gingrich's airbrushed appearance, critiquing the unrelatable look:

Mrs. Gingrich's grooming is distractingly impeccable. In an era of relaxed dress codes and wash-and-go hair, her style is painstakingly starched from head to toe. If she were to slouch, she just might crack.

Givhan has a point -- Callista's tresses are anything but "wash-and-go." An enterprising reporter for Slate tried the helmet hair on for size and found that it takes four hours in a salon chair to achieve.

The problem is that you can tell. As Givhan aptly points out, "In contemporary fashion, as well as in politics, style is supposed to look effortless. When effort is apparent, it is damning."

Check out Callista's dramatic beauty evolution from the early 2000s to today -- do you think her high-maintenance look hurts her (and her husband's) political appeal?

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Comments

[ByeByeBushie]

02:39 PM on 12/07/2012

There are so many comments on here about Calista being a wanton woman, but that's the thing I like best about her! LOL.

Really, she's married to one of the more despicable political characters in recent history and truly, whatever she has done in the past is more than being compensated for by just that alone!
I could not imagine a more horrifying purgatory than to have to cuddle up to Newt every night.

[mr whiteffolks]

08:51 AM on 10/01/2012

She looks plastic !

[rumpoint4us]

08:12 PM on 08/30/2012

Put together just like a puzzle.

Clearly she's the best piece Newt ever had.

She's 46 years olde and she already looks "64".

The future poster gal for how to look Republican.

I mean I'd give her a few minutes..........

But ultimately she must have a lust for celebrity pol's. I mean graded/scored with a curve she's a "7" (really a 4 1/2). But considering she settled for the Pillsbury Dough boy shaped like a pear ............. well just let's just say for Newt she's a 12 on a Ten Scale. I bet Newt has a hard time jumping the gun.

Anyway ....... funny couple.

[booboo111]

01:55 PM on 02/01/2012

The neck lift actually worked. A little work on the nose couldn't hurt.

[Namaste MF]

09:34 PM on 01/31/2012

If her goal is to look like Jane Jetson, she has achieved it. It may be her greatest achievement.

[booboo111]

01:56 PM on 02/01/2012

What's Elroy up to these day? He must be at least 60.

[Namaste MF]

06:24 PM on 02/01/2012

Elroy is permanently 6.5 years old. I had seen him on cable recently, and he hasn't aged a bit. He still lives with his parents and attends Little Dipper School, studying star geometry. Callista could only aspire to have children so smart.

[french queen13]

09:05 PM on 02/13/2012

Hey, Jane was cute - AND had better hair!

[IrishWitch2112]

07:21 PM on 01/31/2012

The truth is ..she swallows... wonder how many other marriage beds she stained on her way to newtks crotch.

[booboo111]

01:57 PM on 02/01/2012

Ouch. How'd you get that through?

[SansCulottes08]

01:12 PM on 01/31/2012

Callista has been sharpening her edges for when she steps into the role she has prepared for all her life: First W----.

[booboo111]

01:58 PM on 02/01/2012

Ahem. I believe the word she prefers is courtesan.

[me again]

10:05 AM on 01/31/2012

Callista better hope she doesn't get a debilitating disease. That's when Newt dumps 'em.

[booboo111]

01:58 PM on 02/01/2012

Would herpes be considered debilitating?

[mr whiteffolks]

08:53 AM on 10/01/2012

Imagine dumping your spouse over an illness ! How cold hearted is that !

[Sheila E Powell]

01:36 PM on 01/30/2012

Please leave these women alone! Both women had make overs to complement the positions their husbands were aspiring to. Both women are wealthy they can dress in the best.

[SansCulottes08]

01:16 PM on 01/31/2012

Leave Callista alone? What on earth for?

The b---- went to work in Gingrich's office in pursuit of power and when the opportunity presented itself of catching a big fish, she reeled him in without hesitation, and then she did the dirty deed to get rid of his current wife, who was standing in the way of her ambition.

Callista isn't some innocent ray of sunshine. She would have felt right at home in any imperial harem of the past.

[Nicole Honeycutt]

11:43 PM on 01/28/2012

Aside from the obvious. Being facetious - livemind. Living outside the world of a huffington post commentary, would be highly beneficial.

[Flying Sparkz1]

05:40 PM on 01/28/2012

Beauty evolution is a bit of a stretch. It's more like hair evolution. She has the strangest hairstyle ever. Some women might do something like that to make a statement at a special event, but to wear it all the time just seems weird. I wonder if she's covering up years of post bleach thinning.

[kaysings]

09:02 PM on 03/06/2012

I think the word 'beauty' itself is a HUGE stretch here. That hairstyle isn't that strange (it's a bob); it's her execution that's strange. My question is why would anyone actually WANT a cardboard look like this?

[LiveMind]

05:26 PM on 01/28/2012

No one can accuse her of ever having had taste. She clearly got a pre-cmpaign makeover at the hands of some very conservative handlers, but she went from frumpy looking to plastic and psycho looking. The look screams 'gilded cage."

[Catherine Lavallee]

10:07 AM on 01/28/2012

She's no Carol Paul, that's for sure. Carol Paul is so nice, so down to earth, and so normal! She reminds me of my grandmother. :-)

[VTya]

08:58 PM on 01/26/2012

We've seen FLOTUS Michelle dressed up for State diners, advocating for veterans, we've seen her doing jump rope, gardening, dancing the "Dougie" ... with hair up, down, windswept ... She's naturally beautiful inside and out. She didn't steal Pres. O from a wife! LOL!

If she had Callista's history the press and the NeoCons would drag her through mud! Pres. Obama would never have made it to the White House with Newt's record.
What a couple of hustling hypocrites! OBAMA 2012

[Dark Penguin]

08:41 PM on 01/26/2012

Pretty, but a little too severe and patrician looking.She hit the jackpot in Newt, he'll never be poor.