June 8, 2025
Father’s Day is coming, but my dad did not live to see my teen years in the 1960’s. This era burgeoned with fads, perhaps because it was a time of distinct and loud social upheaval. (However, compared to now it seems kind of tame!)
I was born with red hair and blue eyes. My mother felt this was a signal to dress me often in shades of blue. When I went away to university, I “rebelled” by finding lots of items to wear in the orange/brown color range. Of note was a jumpsuit with giant orange and brown flowers, which perhaps made me seem to fit in with the hippy “flower power” craze. (I could hardly be described as a hippie; certainly no pot smoking!)
My hairstyles ranged from an attempt to have longish straight beatnik- type hair - using the family clothes iron to tame my natural curls - to a one- inch short bob, mimicking a British model named “Twiggy.” (I was still obsessed about straight hair and tried to curtail my one-inch bangs. There were no small flat curling irons in those days, so the regular round one gave me burns under my bangs!)
By the time I attended university, large curly “Afro” hairdos were “in” and for the first time, I felt “in.” Wash, dry, and fluff! My grad photo was mostly hair, and not exactly an academic dignified look!
PS: During these years, the Beatles started a tidal wave of all things British enjoying popularity. I had a British professor who sported short black hair, long false eyelashes, a suede miniskirt, and knee high leather boots. She perched on the edge of the classroom desk in that outfit, crossing her legs and chatting about children’s literature with her lovely accent.
