Dippity Do and Other Hair Ponders

The first hair style I remember was when I was around six or seven years old. Remember the shag? Carol Brady from the Brady Bunch was as famous for her hair as Jennifer Anniston was famous for ‘The Rachel.’ I don’t remember getting that haircut, but I remember when I got the shag part of it cut off. People call it a mullet these days. Yes, I had a mullet. As you can tell from the photo below, it was very, very scraggly. Everyone was happy when we cut that mess off.

Mom didn’t know what to do with my hair since it was so straight and fine. She usually just tried to keep it short since I threw a fit every time she tried to brush or comb it. I had a very sensitive scalp then and still do today. Somehow, I allowed her to tease it for an Olan Mills picture when I was about seven. I don’t know what was bigger, my hair or my teeth. That was my first instance of being closer to God.

Over the past 60 years, I’ve had lots of hair styles. I’ve had long hair, short hair, bobs, bangs, perms, straight hair, big hair and flat hair. I’ve teased it, flattened it, and yes, I have used Dippity Do to make it stay put. I wasn’t much of a fan of crunchy hair though so when mousse was invented, I tried that too. Do you know you can still buy Dippity Do today? What?!

I don’t know who started it, but in high school I cut my hair at an angle over my ears leaving the rest longer. I guess that was a sort of mullet, too. That short hair was a pain to grow out. It was the style and of course, I wanted to look like everyone else. It was also permed and layered.

I’ve cut my bangs so many times over the years. Bangs are not easy when you have a gigantic cow lick and widow’s peak. I look back now and wonder why I tortured myself so much. Remember those 90s bangs that had an attitude? You could use a whole can of hairspray getting them to stand stiff as a board.

My favorite invention is dry shampoo. It’s a life saver for someone with oily hair, which I have thanks to my daddy. It was a miracle when I discovered this can of wonder and realized I didn’t have to wash my hair every dadgum day. Shew! It’s probably not safe but ‘we’re all going to die of something someday,’ and that’s a direct quote from my dad, may he rest in peace. My lifespan has probably been shortened by at least 10 years from hair products.

Other favorites of mine include the Turbie Twist towel and steam rollers. Thanks to Becky Ford, I use the Turbie twist towel when I have time so that I don’t have to spend an hour drying my hair with the blow dryer. Spending an hour drying your hair while having hot flashes is not pretty, let me tell you! Steam rollers were great when big hair was in style. The curl would stay much longer but you had to be careful and roll it correctly or you’d have a frizzy mess.

I’m old enough to remember the cholesterol treatment. We’d put that stuff in our hair by gobs and then wrap our whole head in plastic, sleeping in it. It was noisy and uncomfortable and didn’t bode well for a good night’s sleep. You’d pray to God that the plastic wouldn’t come off because then you’d have a greasy mess on your pillow. We had to go to extremes back in the day because perms were extra hard on your hair.

I got my first perm in the eighth grade over Christmas break. I was unrecognizable to my classmates but persevered and kept a perm going for at least 20 years. I then decided to be a blonde and you can’t do both, or at least I couldn’t. Straight hair was coming back in style anyway. One time I decided I wanted a little pink in my hair. Good grief, what was I thinking? I probably looked like I smeared strawberry Jello in my hair.

Remember crème rinse? You do if you’re of a certain age. It’s really just the same thing as conditioner. That’s one thing I cannot live without. If I didn’t put it on my hair after shampooing, I wouldn’t be able to detangle that hot mess.

These days, I keep my hair longer and straight. It’s easier and Beth Stout, my hairdresser and special friend, likes it that way. I figure she knows best. I have to stand up for her to cut it because I’m too short for the chair.

I have to say that I do envy a girl with good hair. When she can wear it up or down and it looks so effortless, it’s a gift from God. I bet you since Eve was in her garden, women have been primping their hair to look better. I can see Eve now looking at her reflection in the babbling brook, putting a beautiful flower behind her ear and pulling her locks over one shoulder for special effect. Adam didn’t have a chance. No wonder he ate the fruit that brought sin down on everyone.

A woman with good hair can rule the world so make sure you use it for good and not evil.

This was in 4th grade right before my mother relented and let my bangs grow out (thanks to my Grandma).

This was my 8th grade school picture. A few months later my aunt Eula cut and permed it. This is the first time my mother let me wear lip gloss. I had lots of hair spray to keep it swept back.