Every "Girl Group" in the 50s had one, as did famous movie stars. And now we have Amy Winehouse and even Snookie sporting a form of one.
What do they have in common? Why a Bee Hive Hair do ~ celebrating its 50th year.
Who would think a simple little black velvet fez-style cap with two beaded decorations that look like bees inspired an entire generation of hair styles! Yes, that's how the "bee hive" hair do got its name.
This year, hairstylist Margaret Vinci Heldt, 92 is being honored for her hairstyle creation. How was it created? "I liked that hat because, when I took it off, my hairstyle stayed in place," Heldt said. Mrs. Heldt knew after her first visit to a hair salon at age 6 this is what she wanted to do for the rest of her life, style hair.
Bored with common hair styles of the era, such as pageboys, flips and French twists, she wanted to create something different. With so much ratting (back combing) and hair spray, women loved it as it stayed in place for a week. You simply had to use a rat-tail comb to "re-puff" it back out after sleeping. and it would bounce right back. This was the era of women wrapping their hair in toilet paper as well when they went to bed to help "hold" that style in shape.
The Chicago History Museum is adding Mrs. Heldt hair style to their collection, and a Scholarship was created in her name that will be awarded for the first time in March.
She created a style that not only lasted a decade, it still is "inspiring" some of today's hair styles. Here in Texas, you often still see high hair, especially on the older Dallas Socialites who believe "the Higher the Hair, the closer to God" so its a common site.
And yes.. I too was sporting a beehive in 1969. So thank you, and Happy Anniversary Mrs. Heldt for forever changing our hair.
(me) yvonne ~ Vintagepretties ~ Prom 1969
