What a lovely description of the hair tortures of the era - the toothache from hair pulled back so tight - still giggling. Thanks for awakening a flood of memories!
Love this story. I shared your headache as your other mother pulled on your scalp! With the long dark hair of my youth, I was not fawned over — in fact I was always in trouble even when I did nothing naughtier than my blonde friends. Your sense of humour is delightful!
You Canadians share the most wonderful stories. I was a blonde haired surfer boy (Australia) now I’m a bald headed golfer dude. No more need for curlers. 😂
Ah, as a very dark-haired boy I happily escaped all this, other than the adolescent pimples of course. So I read this piece as an intrigued outsider. Thanks for your entertaining look into this world!
I had thick, naturally curly, blond hair but for some reason, my mother decided to give me a perm when I was 8. Lord it was horrible. I could commiserate with Black girls from that point. Mother couldn't even get a comb through it, the curls were so tight. I never did learn the thinking behind it, but she never tried it again.
I was my mother's only daughter (I have two brothers). She loved beauty pageants, movie stars, and anything glamorous, including soft, wavy hair (regardless of the colour). So those flexible black curlers that looked innocuous until you felt the sting of the bristles inside them on your scalp? She made me wear them to bed so I had wavy hair like those movie stars for school in the morning. Ugh.
What a lovely description of the hair tortures of the era - the toothache from hair pulled back so tight - still giggling. Thanks for awakening a flood of memories!
Have to admit I chose to wear the spiked curlers, not force to - sleepless by choice.
Love this story. I shared your headache as your other mother pulled on your scalp! With the long dark hair of my youth, I was not fawned over — in fact I was always in trouble even when I did nothing naughtier than my blonde friends. Your sense of humour is delightful!
You Canadians share the most wonderful stories. I was a blonde haired surfer boy (Australia) now I’m a bald headed golfer dude. No more need for curlers. 😂
Came from a family of 6 girls containing hair challenges of all kinds and colors. Thanks for "taking me back". Very good piece.
Fun read, MK. For those of us who've never heard of it, what is "shit brindle"?
Ah, as a very dark-haired boy I happily escaped all this, other than the adolescent pimples of course. So I read this piece as an intrigued outsider. Thanks for your entertaining look into this world!
“Mother enjoyed uneven success as a hair stylist” best line ever.
I had thick, naturally curly, blond hair but for some reason, my mother decided to give me a perm when I was 8. Lord it was horrible. I could commiserate with Black girls from that point. Mother couldn't even get a comb through it, the curls were so tight. I never did learn the thinking behind it, but she never tried it again.
Love it. I had brown hair. It is busy turning grey.
I was my mother's only daughter (I have two brothers). She loved beauty pageants, movie stars, and anything glamorous, including soft, wavy hair (regardless of the colour). So those flexible black curlers that looked innocuous until you felt the sting of the bristles inside them on your scalp? She made me wear them to bed so I had wavy hair like those movie stars for school in the morning. Ugh.