On the one hand: Black hair is complicated. Loaded with meaning. Writes Desmond-Harris, "When the New Yorker set out last summer to satirize Michelle as a militant, country-hating black radical, it was no coincidence that the illustrator portrayed her with an Afro." Going natural — or not — can end up classifying a black woman. Straight hair makes some people think you're more "professional"; others might think you are selling out or tying to "be white." Natural, ultra-culry hair — worn in twists — means you might be berated by Free Republic, as Malia Obama was. Desmond-Harris notes that Don Imus infamously called the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos," making a connection between hair and promiscuity (see also: Her hair is wild, unruly, she needs to "tame" that frizz, etc.) With Chris Rock's documentary set to hit theaters at the same time we have many black women in the White House (Michelle, Sasha, Malia, Desirée Rogers, etc.) it is important to examine the stereotypes, hangups and issues surrounding women and black hair, and not treat the messages and codes surrounding black hair as trivial. Desmond-Harris writes:

One might think having a black First Lady who is widely praised as sophisticated and stylish would represent a happy ending to the story of black female beauty and acceptance. Alas, our hair still simultaneously bonds and divides us."There is no hair choice you can make that is simple," says Melissa Harris Lacewell, an associate professor of politics and African-American studies at Princeton. "Any choice carries tremendous personal and political valence." Even though I'm biracial and should theoretically have half a share of hair angst, I've sacrificed endless Saturdays to the salon. It is unfathomable that I might ever leave my apartment with my hair in its truly natural state, unmoderated by heat or products. I once broke down at the airport when my gel was confiscated for exceeding the 3-oz. limit. I'm neither high maintenance nor superficial: I'm a black woman.

On the other hand: Much like attention to Michelle Obama's clothes, arms and bottom, attention to her hair feels, well, disrespectful. And plain old sad. It's not like black women are newly arrived creatures from outer space — so why is the way we deal with our hair "news"? It's been over 100 years since Madame C.J. Walker and Garrett A. Morgan. Michelle's hair matters, but surely not as much as a whole lotta other stuff she's working on.

Why Michelle's Hair Matters [Time]
Earlier: Combing Through The Deeply Rooted Politics Of Black Hair Issues
Weaves, Extensions & "Creamy Crack": Chris Rock's Good Hair Trailer
Chris Rock's New Documentary Explores "Good" Hair
Solange Chops Hair, Is Called "Insane"
The Flesh-Eating Phonies Also Known As Lace-Front Wigs
Why Is Straight Hair The Epitome Of 'Style'?
Michelle Obama Spurs A "New Arms Race"

Since when does Clairol advertise using illustrations of enemy aircrafts in the midst of being destroyed? Can you imagine the brand trying to do this in 2009? The copy reads: "There is no room in America for anything but the best."

The war effort hinged on hairpins.

Also, to help win the war, they had to stop making perm rollers. Sacrifices!

"Scoldy Lox" brand: "Help win the war by preventing wastage of hair pins!" Please note her sailor collar.

"A war can teach a girl a lot of things… " Like making do without manicure stuff. "You and I will be giving up our 'home front' tools for the man on the battle front… and we'll be doing it cheerfully, gladly, without grumbling."

A world war cannot stop a girl from getting married. Wartime brides! "The service bride moves fast and packs light, and her beauty program must be geared accordingly… You must show her that an easy-to care for hairstyle requires a short feather cut and a lovely permanent wave."

Honestly, I absolutely adore this hairstyle. Curls! Off the face! And flowers! And check out that no-fuss bouquet.

Two words: Victory cuts! Short, neat curls are obviously a winning formula. (Click "full size" to enlarge.)

The "tucked under" shortie looks almost like an origami project.

All of the "selections for summer nights" are extremely elegant… and extremely precise! The war will not be won with bedhead!

Should you dare to attempt and recreate some of these 'dos at home, instructions are provided. The text is really quite a treat: "Here is a banged feather bob that is sure to win the hearts of level-headed youngsters who know the secret of combining good looks and hard work, with no dire effect on either… The criss-crossed back is as gay as any young head could wish and it is formed so simply that it can easily be recombed. Sleek side wings are an effective foil for the fluffy bangs. For more frivolous moments, this style will lend itself particularly well to the addition of perky little bows or flower ornaments."

This is the Feather Halo, "just a little different from its feathery cousins."

Since our country is indeed at war, you must ask yourself: "Does Your Appearance Promote Morale?" (Click "full size" to enlarge.) Here's how this story begins: "You, a beautician in wartime, are telling your patrons that beauty is a duty today… and that good grooming gives confidence, increases efficiency and fosters a buoyant spirit. And right you are!" When it comes to your hair, check and see: "Is it smartly dressed… becoming… and short? Or does it straggle about your shoulders…?" Your bedraggled, snarled locks mean the terrorists have already won, people!

Earlier: Bangs, Curls, Swingers & Swirls: 1965 Modern Beauty Shop

Hair care commercials are super serious! Or filled with questions we would ask, if we weren't so "hair-stupid." By the way, you spend your time flipping and swirling your tresses under a spotlight, don't you? Of course you do. Check out the hare-brained ads in the clip, below:





Sarah Haskins in Target Women: Hair [Current]
Earlier: Sarah Haskins posts
Condoms, Cleaning Supplies & Crap: A Q&A With Sarah Haskins

We are determined to stay feminine and alluring, and that means, we think, keeping the luscious tresses of our youth. Though, in truth, those tresses may not be luscious any more, they may be thin and wispy, and they are certainly not youthful.

On the other hand, D'Argy Smith asserts that in the past, it was sophisticated and groomed for a woman over 25 to cut her hair short, "so you didn't have it falling around your neck and shoulders like a little girl." But these days, she writes, "there is no real cut-off point. Some women never cut their hair short." She swears:

Every time my hair has been cut shorter (never really stylishly short), I vow to never do that again. I feel so ordinary and I lose any vestige of glamour, so I tell myself long hair is easier to manage.

So Can An Older Woman Carry Off Long Hair? [Daily Mail]
Related: This Trend Must End: Grandma Hair [Glamour]

When Singer was finished, she says, another stylist informed her that "the result looked too perfect. So she deliberately messed it up to create a more lived-in look." The models arrived at 8 a.m. and all of the hair was done by 10:30, at which point the designer's stylist announced it needed to look more polished. Since the show was supposed to start at 11:00, a frenzy to smooth each model's hair — with flat irons, curling irons and hands — was suddenly underway. Of course, many of the models were wearing hats. And twenty minutes later, the show was over — and the models headed out, "ruining in two minutes the hair that had taken hours of artifice to make natural looking." What we find amusing is that somewhere in the subtext, Singer seems to know that this enormous waste of time and effort is kind of silly, but never just comes out and says so. Also: Using a curling iron to get a "natural" look boggles the mind.

A Spritz Here, a Jitter or Two There [NY Times]

At a time when more than half of American women ages 13 to 69 color their hair, Ms. Kreamer argues that hair dye is the great divide that separates those who are in denial about aging from those who embrace it. Dyed hair looks as artificial as a toupee, she concludes, whereas gray suggests candor. "We have been brainwashed to think hair dye looks good," Ms. Kreamer said.

In this country, we're obsessed with youth — and the "anti-aging" business is flourishing. But no one thinks silver foxes like Anderson Cooper and George Clooney look elderly. As any good women's studies major will tell you, the patriarchy is to blame (as usual). There was a time when our civilization revered gray haired women. They were thought to be older, wiser, and often knew how to use plants and natural elements to cure the sick. The advent of Christianity turned these medicine women into witches and hags, cackling over cauldrons, up to no good.

But maybe it's time for a shift? "If we had more role models like Helen Mirren and Emmylou Harris out there, more women would want gray hair," says Ms. Kreamer. Unfortunately, it would take more than Emmylou Harris to create a culture in which "embracing authenticity," as Ms. Kreamer calls it, is not only acceptable but rewarded with respect and admiration. Obviously it's a woman's prerogative to do as she wishes with her mane, but seeing as how Ms. Kreamer spent an estimated $65,000 on hair coloring over 24 years, doesn't going gray seem particularly sage?

Bottled Blondes, You Too Can Break Free [NYTimes]