Once America pulled itself out of The Great Depression and the boys were home from WWII, women started wearing elaborate time-intensive hairstyles; notably the beehive and the bouffant (popularized by Jackie Kennedy). Throughout the sixties, the sky was the limit to how high a woman could pile her 'do.
Among the younger generation, a more flat hippie style became trendy... but it didn't last long. The seventies certainly had its share of big hair, most notably among southerners and country music singers (i.e. Dolly Parton)
Amazingly, the big-ass hair kept on truckin' through the 1980's. Of course, the bouffant and beehive were long gone, but enormous hairspray drenched mounds of hair were as synonymous with the decade as skinny ties and Ray-Bans. It's interesting that the big hair thing finally died when guys started sporting them, most visibly among glam rock bands like Poison.
Since then, I don't think big hair has made any sort of comeback (although it still may be in effect in parts of New Jersey). I must admit that I kind of like the big hair look, but I understand it was a hassle, and like most things these days, quick and easy is the name of the game.
Well, in honor of those bygone days of mountainous hairstyles, I've got some nice photographic relics for your viewing pleasure. Enjoy.
And, lest we forget, white chicks weren't the only ones with the big hair...
