During Maries Antoinette’s day; the 18th century, big hair was all the rage and the updo was the height of fashion. The larger and more elaborate the style indicated the extent of one’s social status and wealth. Women even used wires and other things to “stuff” into their hair to create volume. Contrary to today’s vivid hair colouring, grey and white powdered wigs were worn in the belief that the paleness of your tresses enhanced a woman’s beauty.

In the Victorian era, women’s hair fashion became more subdued and hair was pinned up and smoothed back. It was not acceptable to show loose hair, but to reveal and emphasize your neck was okay.

In the roaring ‘20s, the bobbed look came to symbolize the free-spirited suffragette and was a drastic departure from the long locks that had until then been constantly in fashion. The cutting of the hair can be seen as a severing of the ties of female dependency upon men.

After the heartache and devastation of World War II, the postwar world saw a return to soft femininity and glamour. Hair was worn soft, curly and often blond—natural and not. The home hair-colouring kit  became a popular item.

In the swinging ‘60s, women wanted to look  glamourous all the time, which meant lots of work was required to tease, backcomb, spray, and bouffant their hair. Sounds like the 18th century all over again…except with hairspray!

The ‘70s; the time of the hippy movement with its emphasis on peace, love and freedom  influenced  women –and men, to let it all hang out and down. Au naturel hairstyles became popular. Manes were worn; “long, straight, curly, fuzzy, snaggy, shaggy, ratty, matty, oily, greasy, fleecy shining, gleaming, streaming flaxen, waxen…”

It is unfortunate that the hair fashion of the 1980’s are not remembered with great fondness. Trends were started based on styles sported by film, pop music and television stars.  This often meant that hair was BIG and style exaggerated or over-the-top. Think glam-rock groups and the movie Flashdance.