... And she shall have beads in her hair

Press, 18 June 1980, Page 20

... And she shall have beads in her hair

By

LEONE STEWART

Bo Derek’s “laser braids,” which she swings in her much-publicised film debut, “10,” have generated a new hair-style craze.

That is, new for | blondes, brunettes, and red-heads. Auckland fashion followers are adopting - it. Christchurch cannot be far behind. We can see Bo Derek for ourselves in “10,” when the season of • "Kramer vs Kramer” finishes/ The traditional African corn-row-and-braids hairstyle was adopted in the 1970 s by American blacks who wanted a more decorative ethnic look than the 1960 s Afro. Beaded braids are now worn, day and evening, from coast to coast in the United States. They look stunning, worn by a black beauty with style and aplomb. Maybe I imagined it, but in the United States last year it seemed that

even in more conservative cities image-consicious blondes and brunettes were wondering whether they had been surpassed in the decorative stakes.

Those cascades of tiny turquoise, pearl, silver, and gold beads that replace the brightly-coloured wooden beads by night, cast a glitter on any event.

Now Miss Derek, 1980’s answer to Farrah Fawcett had made the ethnic hairstyle widely acceptable.

Never mind that some say it’s uncomfortable to sleep in, and bad for fine, European hair. It can take several hours, and considerable skill, to plait and bead the braids, which then stay in place for at least a few days, if not weeks..

It costs anything from $6O to $350 to have the beads threaded and the hair braided in London, reports Ken Coates. He says business is brisk.

African singer Patti Boulaye is way ahead. She has been wearing her hair in braids every day since she was eight. Shells are a pretty alternative to beads, and Patti says: “In Nigeria, where I

come from, they also put old coins and pennies in the hair — but that costs a bit more.” When attending the recent Expo 80 hair-dressing seminar in Auckland, Christchurch hair stylist, Christopher Jones, was “amazed” to see how the beaded braids had caught on in the Queen City, for day and evening wear.' Many Auckland salons are now doing several braided styles a day. “Does he think the dramatic look suits European women?” “I’m prejudiced,” he replies, with a smile. “I think the black girls look best. But the braids look exciting on a striking blonde, too.’’

Christopher Jones, who is one of David Bradford’s leading hair stylists, has a message about hairdressing for the 1980 s. It will be a comfort to you if you have visions of feeling pressured into a

glamorous do that looks as if it belongs on someone else’s head.

Hairdressing, he says, has had its fair share of turmoil. For the past 20 years, since the advent of

Vidal Sassoon’s revolutionary techniques, hairdressing has been striving to perfect cutting and conditioning. “In the early, and mid--19705, hair styles became boringly beautiful. Manj' hairdressers woulfl, and could, do nothing but cut hair.

“Then came the rebirth of permanent waving in the late 19705. Not since the 1940 s had there been so many heads of hair permed in so many ways. “Of course, the public loved the new styles for a time. But they became bored, with the wash-and-

wear look. So they took an increased interest in hair colouring, which next to cutting, is the most variable of hair treat-, ments.

“After the initial response to this, interest waned. So what comes next?”

Christopher Jones predicts a mosaic of hairstyles in the 1980 s. Almost anything will go — from the Sassoonstyled geometries and asymetrics of the early 1960 s (remember Mary Quant’s smooth crop and fringe?) to the soft-set of the 1980s,.Variety is what

the public demands now,' he declares. “After _all, it ‘ is the spice of life. “Almost every technique ‘ in hairdressing will be employed to give the client a 1 style she would like to wear,” I

He wants to emphasise 1 this freedom of choice: | t “For years now the hair- F dresser has been dictating to the client. The public is : sick of it. And they are sick of expensive salons. They ,want a say in what they are wearing.” . .' ■ ■