The
television characters that most influenced American hairstyles were the
fictitious Carringtons of Dynasty and the Ewing's of Dallas, who stood for many
Americans as symbols of financial achievement. Once they appeared on the screen,
the overblown long hairstyles worn by the women in these evening soap operas
became the rage. Krystal, a character on Dynasty played by Linda Gray, had a
signature style consisting of platinum blond hair cut in a long, straight, bob,
with bangs feathered back from her face. Usually, Krystal wore her hair down,
but sometimes it was swept up and puffed out from the sides of her face.
For Dynasty watchers, Krystal's hairstyle was the perfect example of how to look in the 1980’s. So-called big hair was the trend of the decade, even for women with short hair. Working women, who had to look tidy at the office, gave up hair rollers and opted for blow dryers and finger-shaping with wax as the favorite way to finish hair, or they wore long hair tied back. Long, sleek, and perfectly straight hair was another office look.Women’s hairstyles became increasingly long in the last half of the 1980’s, with the domination of blunt cuts that were worn straight across the back. Many new products, such as hair mousse and hair gels, along with the old standby hair spray, helped shape wayward tresses. However, the styled look of these products often lasted only one day, causing women to start washing their hair daily. In addition to shows about the wealthy, detective shows were also successful, particularly Miami Vice. Actor Don Johnson, one of the leads in the show, inspired men to adapt the fashion of beard stubble, or “five o’clock shadow,” at all hours. The mullet was another popular hairstyle of the time, and although the cut could be varied, it consisted mainly of short hair on the sides and long hair in back. Mullets were popular in suburban and rural areas among working-class men. This trend contrasted with the conservative look favored by male business professionals, whose groomed, short hair remained part of the business uniform. Another hairstyle fashionable in the 1980’s was the Afro, first introduced by African Americans and then taken up by both men and women of European descent.
The style worked
for both short and long hair. Naturally curly long or medium hair or curled
“permanent” styles were also popular. A corollary to the Afro’s popularity
emerged in hair styling techniques that started in the previous decade and
lasted throughout the 1980’s. This was a set of embellishments to the Afro that
included the art of hair weaving, dreadlocks, cornrows, and hair plaiting.
Hair styling among African diaspora stylists often exhibits the transmission and
re-adaptation of Old World to New World styles, which then permeate the New World
culture.
For Dynasty watchers, Krystal's hairstyle was the perfect example of how to look in the 1980’s. So-called big hair was the trend of the decade, even for women with short hair. Working women, who had to look tidy at the office, gave up hair rollers and opted for blow dryers and finger-shaping with wax as the favorite way to finish hair, or they wore long hair tied back. Long, sleek, and perfectly straight hair was another office look.Women’s hairstyles became increasingly long in the last half of the 1980’s, with the domination of blunt cuts that were worn straight across the back. Many new products, such as hair mousse and hair gels, along with the old standby hair spray, helped shape wayward tresses. However, the styled look of these products often lasted only one day, causing women to start washing their hair daily. In addition to shows about the wealthy, detective shows were also successful, particularly Miami Vice. Actor Don Johnson, one of the leads in the show, inspired men to adapt the fashion of beard stubble, or “five o’clock shadow,” at all hours. The mullet was another popular hairstyle of the time, and although the cut could be varied, it consisted mainly of short hair on the sides and long hair in back. Mullets were popular in suburban and rural areas among working-class men. This trend contrasted with the conservative look favored by male business professionals, whose groomed, short hair remained part of the business uniform. Another hairstyle fashionable in the 1980’s was the Afro, first introduced by African Americans and then taken up by both men and women of European descent.
