Bobby Pins, Hair Pins, Rollers, Oh My

Bobby Pins

 I remember my mother using bobby pins to put those little spit curls in my hair as a child.  Of course, the spit curls never stayed the way they began the day due to the natural wave in my hair but my mother tried.  Over the years, I've used them to hold my hair in buns, etc but I've never really given them any thought until just recently when I came across a note on them.

Bobby pins are only about a hundred years old.  They are simple and seem to be nothing more than a piece of metal folded with one side flat and the other ribbed.  Bobby pins were invented by Luis Marcus during the early 20th century but in the 1920's, Flappers used themto keep their hair in place. This small object could be placed in the hair while remaining invisible and that is what the women loved about it. He first sold them for 35 cents per pair but never got rich off of them.  Originally, he planned to name them after himself but ended up naming them Bobby after bobbed hair.  At one point in history, the term Bobby pin had been trademarked and its use by Proctor and Gamble lead to a court case which they lost.  Currently, the term is commonly used and is no longer covered by trademark protection.

Hair Pins

Bobby pins should no be confused with the similar looking hair pins because bobby pins tend to have a tighter fit.  Hair pins look like a rounded piece of wire with a small ribbed area on both sides.  The distance between the sides is larger than in the bobby pin.

These U shaped pins are designed to hold hairstyles in place.  They are lighter and hide in hairdos better than bobby pins.  They require a different application.  I've been told to bend the edges and hook them into the hair, flip and shove.  Honestly, they hold more hair than bobby pins but I've never actually managed to use them well.  They usually fall out after 5 minutes so I need to have someone work with me to learn to use them.

Last topic for today are curlers, not curling irons, but curlers also known as hair rollers.  The ones my mother used were either the pink ones with a snap on them or the wire bristle ones.

Hair rollers really came into use during the 18th century when people wore wigs.  These rollers were quite different from today's but they provided the look people wanted then.

Before the rollers came on the scene, women used rags to curl their hair. They wrapped hair around a rag strip, tied it, and removed the cloth when the hair was dry.  The interesting thing about rollers is that curlers that used heat were invented first.  In 1906, the first long lasting curl system appeared in which the hair was smeared with a caustic soda solution before being heated with electricity.  After 6 hours or so, the women had curls but it wasn't until 1930  an African American, Solomon Harper, produced the first hair rollers that needed no heat to create curls.

Foam rollers became quite popular in the 1930's and continued to be popular until the 1950's when velcro rollers hit the scene.  These made looser waves than the foam rollers but they grabbed hair better due to the brushy surface.  The next stage in roller development happened in the 1960's when everyone used can's with bobby pins to make large loose curls.  By the 1980's bendy rollers hit the market so you could bend then around the hair almost like rags.

I've got a set of the bendy rollers because they produce a nice curl and are comfortable to sleep on.  Much more comfortable than the older ones.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.

Long Straight Hair!!!

Although women have had long hair for centuries, most women wore the hair styled in some manner, with curls, in buns, but not usually straight.  I remember I had older cousins who worked hard to get straight hair. In those days, they would lay their hair on an ironing board and literally iron it straight.

There are indications that women as long ago as the Egyptians straightened hair using heated flat iron plates.  One side effect of using this method is that hair often ended up singed or burned.  This tended to be the standard method used to straighten curly or frizzy hair over the centuries until the Nineteenth century when Marceau Grateau invented a heated rod with teeth used to straighten hair.

Two other inventors, improved upon Grateau's invention but these still required heated irons to relax the curl.  In the 1950's and 60's the most common implement used to straighten hair was the iron, a clothing iron, not a curling or straightening iron.  If it was not properly, the clothing iron could damage the hair.

Eventually, people began marketing flat irons that could be heated with electricity and had temperature controls much like the ones used today.  These provided a gentler way of straightening the hair with less chance of burns and scalding.

Parallel to the development of a straightening implement people also worked on developing chemical straighteners.  One of the first relaxers came about when someone noticed that the chemicals used to fix sewing machines could also be used to relax hair.  He marketed his alkaline product to relax curly hair.  Some of the early products could burn scalps so people had to be careful.

Around the same time, there were other creams released.  All one had to do was cover the hair with the cream and it was done.  Although they straightened the hair they all were considered dangerous because they could cause hair loss, or damage the hair or scalp.

It wasn't until the 1970's that several different types of relaxers were released.   Basically, the chemicals in these products break certain bonds in the hair so the curls "relax" into straighter hair.  Some of the non lye products weaken rather than break the bonds but the hair still straightens.  Any new hair that grows in is going to have the original curl until something is applied to it. Even these modern ones can damage the hair.

I hope you liked this short history of straightening hair.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.

Short Hair Became Fashionable In The Last Century!

For centuries, women wore their long hair in buns, with curls, no curls, swept up over cages, braided, and any way they could to create fashion but the hair had to be long.  Long hair on women made them seem quite feminine according to societal views and if a women had to cut hair due to illness, it was a major problem.

This attitude continued until just after the turn of the 20th century when fashion designer Paul Poiret had all his models cut their hair quite short to go with his Paris collection.  This style was given the title of " mode ala garconne" or cut of a man.

This new hair style shocked many people because it was such as change from normal.  In America, they called it a "bob" after Bob short for a boys hair cut.  Over the next few years, this particular hair cut gained popularity so it became the ideal for the "New American woman."  

The new woman represented a busy, independent woman who was freed from the old social norms and could live her life on her terms.  Many in Europe, felt this was a short lived trend but with the out break of World War I, the shorter hair became even more popular.  The shorter hair made it easier for the women who took over jobs from the men so they could fight.

When the war ended, the shorter hairstyles continued in popularity.  In addition, styles started showing shoulders, and skirt lengths rose creating the opportunity for young ladies to show more, earning the name "Flappers". This lead to more women going to beauty parlors to have their hair cut and styled, curled, and colored so a whole new generation became hip.  The number of beauty parlors jumped from 5,000 to 23,000 because women discovered the freedom short hair offered.  It was such a change from previous times.  

Many salons kept a supply of smelling salts to wake women up who fainted during their hair cuts.   There is a story that Coco Chanel was getting ready to go out one night but the gas light exploded, singing her long hair badly so she chopped it off but that is just a myth but it is not a myth that women used newly invented bobby pins to create pin curls, or got the latest Marceau waves.

There were many groups that found this trend a threat to femininity so many groups produced pamphlets claimed that cutting hair might result in girls growing mustaches.  Conservative pastors spoke against the wickedness of cutting hair while doctors stated women could go bald while many store owners fired women who cut their hair.  This feminism continued till the Stockmarket crash which resulted in longer hair and softer styles.

Over the next few years, hair styles became more structured using longer hair to create a more feminine look especially during World War II when it was important for women to look and feel more like women.  Although the hair was longer, it didn't usually fall much past the shoulders because shortages still made it difficult.  

After the war ended, the styles became more formal, requiring lots of curling, teasing, and care to maintain the look.  This even applied to the "carefree looks" but when the 1950's hit, hair lengths shortened with the bob among the "new" hairstyles.  In 1953, Audrey Hepburn appeared in a movie with a short hair cut that became quite popular.  Others such a Mia Farrow and Twiggy helped popularize the pixie cut which was the modern version of the bob.

I think my mother has always had short hair, not because she wanted it short but her hair was so fine with absolutely no body that she had to keep it short, and permed.  Me?  I've kept my hair long my whole life because I have so much curl, its easier to handle.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Curling Irons, How Old Are They?

I remember my mother and aunts using these things.  The bristly stuff in the center helped hold the hair so it would dry into curls.  My cousins preferred something newer and chose electric curlers but the younger ones discovered curling irons and went with them because they thought they were so much easier.

I always thought they'd been invented in the 1950's or 60's but my guess was wrong.  The first patent granted to anyone for the curling iron appeared in 1866 but people had been curling their hair for eons using heated iron tongs.

These tongs were U shaped at the top with a handle going straight down.  People would place these tongs in the fire until they were hot, they wrapped their hair around it and produced curls but due to the lack of control, they might burn the scalp or singe the hair.  At one point, blacksmiths made curling irons for those in town who wanted to curl their hair because they had the skills and equipment.

Over time, people fidgeted with the curling iron until it resembles more of what we are used to.  Marcel Grateau is given credit for creating the first modern curling iron in 1890.  A few years later, two other frenchmen improved on Marcel's iron so it would now create perfect Marcel waves using curling irons.  In 1906, a German hairdresser in London used a borax paste on the hair before using curling irons to create permanent waves after 12 hours but this was really heading into permanent waves rather than the use of curling irons at home.

At this time, the wealthy often had their maids fix their hair at home.  The maids used the early curling irons to create hair styles after learning to use the irons on their own hair.  If you looked back at women's magazines of the day, you'll see advertisements for the latest curling irons.  If you've ever watched Downton Abbey, there are scenes showing a maid fixing the lady of the houses hair.  It is accurate.

It wasn't until the late 1950's that another two Frenchmen made improvements to the curling iron and released it to the public. The big difference with this version is that it was electric can portable.  Women could buy it at the drugstore and use it at home.  Then a woman, Theora Stephens, changed it so it resembled what we use today and released her version in 1980.  She added a temperature control so people had more control and she added a spring to allow it to pop open.

Originally, this version was only available to hair care professionals but eventually she released a model to the public due to demand.  Her curling iron allowed more control and made it easier to use than previous ones so women preferred her's to any commercially available.  This is the one we are most accustomed to.  Now one can get a curling iron to create various types of curls, diameters, and its all done at home.

Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.

Love You!

Looooooveeeeeee Yooooouuuuuuu.

Going For A Walk.

Can I take the cats for a walk?

Dia De Los Muertos

For most people, last night was the big night of the month with Halloween.  They dressed up in costumes, collected candy, or partied with others.  Not every culture celebrates Halloween.  In Mexico,  Dia de los muertos or day of the dead began last night.

It is a night when families honor those members who have passed by creating offerings.  The family has an alter decorated with bright yellow marigolds, pictures of those who passed, and their favorite foods and drinks.  It is believed the spirts of those who have passed on, will return and join in the celebrations for a short time because the veil has disappeared..

This celebration began last night and goes to November 2nd.  The first day beginning at midnight of November 1st  is when it is believed that the spirts of deceased children return to be with their family for 24 hours.  Families place the child's favorite drinks, snacks, toys, and photos to attract their spirts. Then beginning at midnight of November 2nd, they begin remembering the adults and celebrations take on a more adult look.  The last part of the celebration begins around noon when families go to the cemetery to clean the headstones while placing marigolds, gifts, and sugar skulls inscribed with the name of the deceased on the grave.

It is believed that these celebrations date back around 3,000 years to pre-columbian rituals that celebrated the dead. In those times, people saw death as an important part of the circle of life.  It was believed that when a person died, their spirt went up to the Land of the Dead but could only enter it after making it through 9 challenging levels.  The journey could take many years to complete before they entered the Land of the Dead so their families left food, water, and tools to help the spirts through the journey.

Contrary to popular opinion, El Dia De Los Muertos and Halloween are not the same holiday.  Although they share many of the same characteristics, they are different.  In addition, most graveyards in Mexico are owned by the Catholic Church and families are expected to keep the gravesite cleaned so this time of year provides a good time for families to pull weeds, clean the headstones, and decorate it with flowers.

Furthermore, the celebration overflows into the streets and public squares with people often dressed up as skeletons.  Most have their faces painted to resemble skulls and dress is fancy clothing while they wear shells and other noisemakers to rouse the dead.  In addition, the celebrations vary a bit from region to region based on the makeup of the population.

I hope you enjoyed this short history of a day that is very important to much of the American Population.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.