19 January 1933 “New Hair Cut and Possible Styles.”

I spent yesterday getting my hair cut finally. Getting it bobbed after letting it grow so long was rather a similar feeling I am certain to that first bob a woman received in the 1920’s.

I cut my hair for the 1950’s project with bangs/fringe and a longer bob or ‘page boy’. After that first year I let it continue to grow out and wore various “up do’s”. By the end of the past three years it was well down my back. (This picture was taken before I was off to the salon so do excuse the look of my hair. I was just about to simply brush it and French knot it until the hairdresser could address it.

My actual cut right now has a more 1920’s look, but that is only because it is a bob without curls or finger waves. Thus, making the transition from the 20’s onward. Here it is last night. I put a barrette in and thought it looked rather vintage. My next attempt will be with pin curls. Then I shall attempt finger waves.

Here are some of the images I brought with me to the salon as a guide for how I would like to style it.

As you can see, these are a bit longer, a more grown out bob, which was the basis of the 1930’s style. Which is quite logical as one moves towards a new trend the bangs/fringe grows out the bob increases in length and one plays about with different curls and waves. The early part of the 1930’s, where I am, would have still be very peopled with 20’s style bobs, which had a tighter wave or was left straight. There was more closefitting pomaded highly sleek looks like the second photo. But, as the decade progresses towards the 1940’s, the hair becomes looser and has more movement. Thus, my more severe bob will be a great way to move out of the late 20’s and into the mid 30’s. My hair grows rather fast so the shape will evolve rather quickly.

Getting back to that feeling of the ‘first bob’, I rather felt that. Having had my longer hair over the past few years and before that it had been long for quite a few years, to suddenly have that weight removed felt rather liberating. It was long enough and not color treated so that I could donate it to locks of love, a charity that makes human hair wigs for those going through chemotherapy. That made me feel even better about having it bobbed.

Because of that, the hairdresser put in a tight elastic and then just cut off that ponytail, so that it could be bagged and sent to the charity. Thus, the liberation of that long hair was simply a cut snip. My head actually felt five pounds lighter! And this morning I reached for my braid/plait to undo and brush out and was happy to find my neck and short hand in its stead. I think this will make some of the harder aspects of this year a bit easier as shorter hair equals less work in maintenance and even use of shampoo (though it will mostly be bar soap for me, I believe.) I am still trying to discern what shampoo was available

This ad is from 1937 but am still looking for earlier 30’s shampoo advertising. And many, simply out of habit or economy, may simply used bar soap such as ivory soap, which was available in the 1930’s. This ivory soap ad from the mid 30’s exclaims it has been making its soap for over 50 years, so that may have been readily available. I have spoken with many older ladies who said that they often used bar soap on their hair, which was usually washed once a week. And as an aside, how adorable is that gentleman’s bathroom? So masculine with the lovely black time and the shower curtain depicting golf and tennis rackets. Truly a wonderful look for a man’s private bath, if one were lucky enough to have such a thing.

I will close with this clip from the 1935 movie screwball comedy, “Hands across the Table” staring Carole Lombard and Fred McMurray. It is about a manicurist looking for a wealthy husband. This clip shows a woman at a salon getting her hair washed with shampoo.

This is a darling film, though two years away from 1933. Here is part one of it:

 

And iff you would like to watch the rest of this movie in its entirety i have it HERE on APRONTV.

I also apologize for not posting yesterday, but stayed off the computer all day in my own little black out protest for the current PIPA laws, which luckily seemed to have had a turn about. The internet is really the one aspect of small, grassroots and community we have left in this world. In many ways, despite it being cutting edge technology, it is probably the most really ‘old fashioned’ thing we have in this modern world. By that I mean, it allows a local singer, or an artist, or movie maker or yes, even a blogger (the new local journalist) a chance to share their ideas and views. Despite it being a mash of good and bad it is, for now, all of ours and has a sort of democracy missing in many countries actual political policy. So, hear hear to the reversal of Pipa/Sopa and I hope we can, all of us, hold onto our little bit of self expressive freedom. Even I, with many of the materials I share and scan, could have been taken down. And what good is it to let all that information molder away unshared with others? No good, as far as I can see.

Happy Homemaking.