Monday, December 14, 2009

Vintage Monday - Hair Dryer

Today's Vintage Monday is all about hair dryers....the above photo is one that my Dad took of me in 1966...under the hair dryer.

Sitting under the hair dryer was a Sunday morning ritual for me. I do NOT have naturally curly hair so my mom would roll my hair in curlers early Sunday morning (and other special occasions) in preparation for church.
I really don't know how she did it...I had 3 older sisters and also 2 younger brothers at the time of this photo and we were all put together (most of the time in dresses sewn by mom...I mean the girls LOL) and sparkly clean for Sunday services.

There are a couple of reasons that I'm showing this photo on Vintage Monday....
from the very beginning of my blog just this last February, I have put this picture at the bottom of every page because I think that the hair dryer bonnet (yes, that's what they're called!) looked like a pink beehive and of course both the beehive and bonnet go right along with my company name...Bee in my Bonnet.

I thought I would give you a visual of all those " creative ideas buzzing around in my head, just trying to get out"......the reason for the name of my company.

I have had several comments and questions regarding the picture....most popular one being "who is that and what is she doing?"....so I thought I would answer, just in case anyone of you are wondering....
yes it's really me (wearing quite attractive underwear LOL) and as for what I am doing....I am reading while waiting for my hair to dry so my Mom can take those scratchy pink curlers out of my hair....I'm sure alot of you remember those!
The hairdryer worked by hooking the hose onto our vacuum and switching the vacuum to blow OUT air....instead of in.

Any whooo...long story NOT so short...are you still with me ladies?....Looky what I found last week at Aunt Elsie's right before our Dear Jane luncheon.....

Oh yes....mint condition....still in the box! A vintage hair dryer bonnet (or Airjet Hood) as this one says.
Of course I didn't even hesitate about bringing it home:) When I showed it to my Dear Janiac friends...they thought that I should do a reinactment of the origanal photo with me wearing my new/old purchase and put it on my blog....LOL!....I said, "Do I have to wear my underwear?"

Okay...you really have to click on these instructions that were included in the box and read the last paragragh that begins with..."Be sure to..." really? Dishes, babies, pets and/or frozen food? Each one is quite entertaining to visualize....don't you think?
I really get a kick out of reading old ads or instructions....they make me giggle.


Speaking of visuals.....I think it's only fitting that I display this in my studio to remind me of the buzz of ideas that come out of my head and into the quilts that I create....and to remind me of Sunday mornings under the hair dryer long ago. You know... I'm getting close to being vintage myself!



Leave a comment and tell me what you think about today's Vintage Monday....Did you sit under the hair dryer waiting to take out the curlers? If so, what did you do while waiting? I'd LOVE to hear from you.....happy Vintage Monday everyone!


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35 comments:

•stephanie• said...

dating myself - i totally remember the "bonnet."

i also remember saturday night hair marathons - braids, sponge rollers, etc. - with my own daughters.

but they always looked spiffy on sunday morning (in their matching dresses - either sewn by me or fresh from mini world!)

i was even brave enough to post some of those old photos here: http://stuphfromsteph.blogspot.com/2009/04/easter-parade.html

my girls look cute, but my perms were SCARY!!!

thanks for the reminder of what we did in back in the dark ages - you know - the days before blow dryers!

bingo~bonnie said...

that is neat that the stove had a place to plug this in... and WOW your mom was SUPERWOMAN!!! Mom of 6 kids and curling hair before church??

I've got a 5 year old and 2 year old twins and I feel lucky if I can remember everyone's shoes!

and although it's a neat idea.... knowing what I know about my see thru container Dyson there is NOOOOOO WAY I'd hook up a bonnet to my vacuum to blow air out and onto my head... Eeeeuwww!

Hope you had a happy weekend! Love from Texas! ~bonnie

Abby and Stephanie said...

That looks like a portable vacuum cleaner thingie from space! No curlers for me and no hood hair dryers (although I remember them). I had hair so long I could sit on it. Prell shampoo, Tame conditioner, V05 to get the tangles our and TIGHT braids!

Nancy said...

I remember having my hair rolled up on Sunday night and sleeping in the curlers. My older sister would get up at 6am, wash her hair, add the hair dryer bonnet and go back to bed...LOL She had naturally curly hair and set it on juice cans...

Brenda said...

I did sit under one with a bonnet attached. Not quite the same as yours. There was some kind of heated blower thingy it ran from. And it would get hot! I have pin straight hair also and my mom would put those sticky rollers in my hair and sometimes those long pink pins would accidentally poke my head. lol But not every Sunday. Only on special days and holidays. I have to say I was happier with my straight hair back then.

Unknown said...

OMG, I so remember this hair dryer and sitting underneath. I don't know that I would call it vintage more like archaic... LOL! So glad those days are gone and it much easier to dry your hair now. But I guess I do have fond memories. I love the instructions though, really thawing frozen food?? Thanks for sharing and bringing back those memories!

Judy @ daily yarns said...

I remember my mom's hair dryer similar to that one. I used to love using it.

Nedra said...

Lori,
I remember that photograph of you from your first post. What a hoot!
Yes, both my sister and I had hair dryers, but they were not as big or pink like yours. Ours were smaller, a little like a plastic hair net, and attached to a hose. We set our hair with the hard scratchy pink curlers, put our heads under the hair dryer bag, plugged everything in and then WENT TO BED!I remember it being very difficult to sleep!

Jocelyn said...

Lori, I just LOVE that picture of you with the pink bonnet! I do remember those bonnets. I used one when I was growing up, but it was NOT pink :-(

Auntie Em said...

I'm a long standing member of the "straight hair" club. I remember using one of those bonnet dryers, but mine had a hot air blowing unit so the vacuum cleaner did not have to be involved.
I'm from a family of 5 kids, and I don't know how my mom got us all spiffy for church on Sundays, either.

Carrie P. said...

Well, this post just cracked me up. My mom had one of those dryers except her bonnet was a different shape. My mom used to sit under hers a lot. My mom had long hair and curled it all the time. I think she was pretty glad when electric curlers were invented.
I did sit under the dryer several times when I had my hair curled for special occasions. I recall reading a book too while waiting for my hair to dry. Thanks for sharing.

Judy said...

We had a hood like that, but it didn't attach to the vacuum. It had it's own "machine". My sister and I would take turns -- after we got everything arranged on our head, we would lay face down on our bed and chill out until the hair was done! What an ordeal! Thanks for the memories

sewprimitive karen said...

That is the cutest picture ever. Talk about retro! And it's our childhood! Love the floor.

Sherri said...

I sooo remember those dryers...hadn't thought a bout them in so long. It was a real treat for my mom to put curlers in and let me use her dryer. So wish I had a picture...lucky you!

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

We had a hairdryer too - but it blew heat. Wasn't it chilly to have the vacuum blowing cold air on your head?

PamKittyMorning said...

Being older I remember those metal rollers with the pinked edges that held the hair and pretty much poked into your scalp. And the wave clamps, because I had to have a wave in front. Torture devices. Definately spent some time under the bonnet, ours was in a white round suitcase, I guess so you could travel with it??? Yikes.

Anonymous said...

Believe it or not...I actually went to bed in that bonnet and left it on the whole night. Amazingly it didn't start a fire...thank goodness I was in a dorm. The fun thing is that I still have the dryer in storage.
Kristy in Ohio

Anonymous said...

v. here... Oh, YES.. Do I ever remember getting one for Christmas my Jr or Sr year in HS and graduating in '67 and carting it off to college. Before that I started using my mom's hair dryer in about '64, but she was getting me ready to be on my "own", by getting me a hairdryer before graduation. We used BIG rollers and teased our hair in the mid 60's and NEEDED one of these dryers. (Both my mom & I are very vintage). Now I go to Okla to see my mom ( she is 83 yrs old) and once(it was in the last 2 yrs) she PULLED OUT one of these hair dryer appliances and was using it!! I don't know anyone who still uses one, but her. v.

Melinda said...

I remember those days. Ours didn't hook up to our vac. though.
I also remember going to the "Beauty Shop" with my mom and sitting under that dryer too.
Those were the days!!!


Melinda

Brenda Pruitt said...

I remember the kind that plugged in and looked like a shower cap. Horrid things to sit under! Especially coupled with those awful curlers that felt like someone was pulling the hair right out of your head. Oh, what we did to make ourselves beautiful!
Brenda

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

Yes, I remember sitting under the hair dryer, but my memory does not go back to what I was doing during that time!! I also wonder how my Mom got all six of us girls (and two older boys) ready for church on Sunday morning. She is still amazing at 89.

Kim Walus said...

What a fun post. I've always loved this picture of you. I vaguely remember having my hair dried like this but I especially can't remember what I would've been doing. I'm so happy you found this bonnet because it means so much to you.

kir said...

Lori--
Fun to meet you today at Material Girls! Your blog is lovely with a grand soundtrack! I am excited to see your new fabric line--so fun!!
-Kirsten

Mary said...

I got the Shampoo, Vinegar treatment then my mom would wind my hair into Ringlets and Bobby pin them to my head every Saturday watching "Lawrence Welk". We had a hair dryer with the shower cap bonnet that I remember from after I quit wearing ringlets. I cut my own bangs in the 4th grade and went the Bouffant style... Oh the memories of curlers. The commercials that declared, "Curlers on your head, shame on you. Curlers in your bed, shame on you..."

Linda said...

Hi Lori! Hey, I am still waiting for the reinactment photos!!! Those would be priceless! I loved the instructions on the box... thawing frozen food! Ha! I think I will get rid of my microwave, it's so bulky! Also, I liked the idea of dusting with the dryer, just blow the dust around - perfect! Handy tips!
Yes, I have fond memories of my Mom trying to doll me up - what work! I especially liked having my hair curled with the curling iron (non-electric) that she would heat on the stove and curl my bangs - it was HOT! (I can also remember the occasional burns) Ouch! The things we do for beauty!

Nanette Merrill said...

Well I had curly hair as a kid so I escaped most of the torture but my sisters all wore the hairdryer. And they would have to argue about who was next, too. The thing I love most about the picture (other than the underwear!) is the vintageness of the entire scene. From the mixer to the stove to the table cloth. There is so much to look at.

imquilternity said...

Oh yes, I spent many hours drying my hair using one of these hair dryers. I remember the "bonnet" very well! LOL! I used to spend 2 hours at a time, probably every other day or every third day. My hair is naturally curly and the style was straight in the those days. After intricately wrapping my hair around my head, it took at least 2 hours to dry it...sometimes even more. I would read or paint my nails. When I look back it seems like a huge waste of time, but there was no other way to get my hair to look the way I wanted it to. Heaven forbid if, when I woke up in the morning, it was raining. I knew it would not be a "good" hair day! Thanks for bringing back such good memories!

Jan said...

What a hoot! God decided to give me "naturally curly hair," so there haven't been many rollers in my life time! Of course, I've always wanted "straight" hair, so I'm quite thankful for the "flat irons!" (LOL) That is a real treasure you found and the picture of you is priceless!!!! Love the "snow flings" below too :)

Unknown said...

I remember sitting under the hood of our hard plastic yellow hair dryer-it was huge. Only ours didn't hook up to the vacuum. It was an all in one deal. It took forever (or so it seemed) for my long hair to dry. I think I read books or colored if I remembered to grab something before I got under it. Once under it, I was stuck. Mom wouldn't let me get away once she got me there.
She also used a plastic tube that hooked up to the sink faucet with what looked like a hair brush on the end to wash my hair and scrub (aka-scratch and bruise) my scalp. Water came out of the end, and the hard bristles were supposed to massage and clean my scalp, while brushing the long hair out. It felt like torture.

No wonder I hated taking a bath and washing my hair!

Thanks for helping me remember the good old days!

Unknown said...

Like many others posting here, I too remember those hoods. what a blessing they were then.
Too funny seeing them again.
Merry Christmas.

Who ever invented the blow dryer deserves a medal...how far we have come!

dream quilt create said...

I did sit under the hair dryer occasionally, but it didn't attach to the vaccum, it had it's own hair dryer apparatus. It wasn't a pretty pink, it was sort of a light turquoise. I just love your stories! I had impossible straight hair too.

Melissa ;-) said...

So funny! My bonnet wasn't quite that big, but I sure remember the prickly rollers! And I HAD naturally curly hair!!!

Lois said...

I "totally remember" the hair dryer bonnet as I spent many hours sitting under it!!! Thanks for the vintage photos and the memories.

Luv 2 Kreate said...

My nanny still has one of those :)

Unknown said...

That's a great background story. I've always wondered who that child was and what was she doing, lol. thanks for sharing

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