Friday 21 September 2012

To Crimp or not to Crimp?

That is the question.

I read today that at least one celeb has been spotted with crimped hair. (This is apparently Jenny Garth, btw....No, I know. Neither do I.)


I have to confess to a fair bit of hair crimping in my time. It started when I was probably about 16 and involved hours of braiding ten strands of damp hair at a time, sleeping a la Medusa and waking up to examine the results. Some times it looked good (I use that word very loosely) and sometimes...., well, let's just say I washed it out immediately. My hair was long and there were lots of them so, depending on the thickness of the braids, it could get a bit out of hand.

Around the age of 19 I do believe I purchased my very own set of crimping tongs/irons. What used to take 24+ hours, could now be done in about one, AND you could crimp all the way to the ends instead of having to tie the hair off and having a spikey-straight bit at the bottom.

Given that I used to have bright yellow (natural) blonde hair, and wore a lot of straight black stuff, the look was striking, to say the least. Not one that you could wear every day. It was for special occasions, although obviously not weddings and christenings. I thought I looked good. Well, I'm assuming I thought I looked good given how much time I spent over it. (Sorry - I can't find a photo!)

It came as a surprise when a male friend at university pulled me aside and said if I was trying to alienate blokes, I was doing a bloody good job. Apparently it was a very aggressive look! Oh. well then. (He was a good friend and I believe he was trying to be helpful.) I don't think I stopped crimping for quite some time, and I also don't recall much activity on the boyfriend front. Funny, that!

So, obviously I'm far too old to be even thinking of crimping my hair and besides, the voltage on the crimpers would be too strong for the USA.

But my question is - would you? If it came back?

13 comments:

  1. Eeeeeew - you crimped?!?!?! Never ever! Crimping comes a close second after the 'pubic hair perm fringe' in fashionable things I never have and will never attempt. Please tell me you skipped the latter!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I remember girls at school in the 80s going in for crimping, but I never did - my hair was kind of wavy anyway, so it wouldn't have had the right effect. Can't say I've seen the look for years! I wonder if perms will make a comeback too :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. MM - Cheeky bugger! If you were anywhere near my age you'd know that nearly everyone did something in the way of weird hairstyles back in the day. I also had my hair permed, but can safely say the fringe was almost straight and def not frizzy. My hair was so straight that a perm just made it look vaguely curly most of the time.

    NVG - Every so often I get the urge to go in for a wavy perm. I know straight is the fashion but when you've had naturally straight hair that will not hold a curl, it gets a bit old.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What's next - shoulder pads?! No, I will definitely not be crimping, should it make a comeback. I spend far too much time trying to make my hair straight as it is.

    ReplyDelete
  5. G - Hate to tell you this but...there has been a hint of a shoulder pad for a short while now. I cannot imagine they will reach the angles and width of the 80's. At least I hope not, but you never know.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I like it! I was more the big shaggy Bonnie Tyler type, but a friend of mine rocked the crimped look. Didn't put the boys off. At least not the eyeliner wearing cure fans she was partial to!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I will def have to post a pic of me age about 20 as i was almost the spitting image of Bonnie Tyler (altho' she's older) and people used to sing "It's a Heartache" when I walked into the local pub after work. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  8. It looks pretty on very young girls but I don't think it does the hair any good at all and I certainly won't be crimping :-)
    Maggie X

    Nuts in May

    ReplyDelete
  9. Crimping seemed to past me by, I think I missed that trend. I don't think I would, although shoulder pads came back in the UK last year so I wouldn't put it past fashionistas to bring it back someday.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Way too fussy for me then and now :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Ha, I thought MM really meant that people used to perm their pubes, until I re-read the comment!

    Think I let my friends crimp my hair once, but didn't do it again for the same reason that I can hardly ever be bothered to straighten my hair now - it's too thick and it takes for ever and I lose patience and start straightening large handfuls so it doesn't work.

    Anyway, I like my wavy hair. If it gets too frizzy I stick it in a pony tail. That counts as spending time styling your hair in my scruffy book! And as for make up - far too much of an effort. (I was going to say "a drag" there, but that would have given quite the wrong impression!)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Great post but hilarious that crimping is classed as aggressive. Who would have thought? LOL
    Liska
    @NewMumOnline
    x

    ReplyDelete
  13. My hair's always been too short to crimp.

    However, I would be tempted IF my daughter wasn't doing the same. I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not as young as I feel (yet a whole lot younger than I look!) and if my child is into a fashion i MUST steer well clear. I must... :-D

    ReplyDelete

The more the merrier....

Blog Archive