From Rapunzel To Betty Boop
style a distinctive quality, form, or type of something
antithesis the direct opposite
The story of Rapunzel in Grimm's Fairy Tales is complicated; however, when her name is mentioned one characteristic comes to mind: her long hair. A handsome prince is involved. Rapunzel, imprisoned in a tall tower, would lower her beautiful long, blond braids to enable her lover to climb up to her lofty cell. It is not known when Rapunzel might have sported her long tresses since fairy tales are timeless and universal. What is known is that for centuries women have had long hair. In the early twentieth century the era of long hair for women was suddenly cut short, in more ways than one.
The antithesis to Rapunzel was a cute little flapperish cartoon character of the Twenties, named Betty Boop - she of Boop-Boop-a-Doop fame in cinema, along with News of the Day and the feature film. Her short black hair was (and probably still is, since cartoons have long, long, lives) arranged in
spit curls spiral curls that are plastered on the forehead, temples and cheeks
And what has this to do with the Arts? Hairstyles are designs and Design itself is Art.
What is your favorite hairstyle? Do you consult a style magazine or a cosmetologist before deciding how to wear your hair? Is there a particular hairstyle you dislike? If you had a choice between long hair and short hair, which would you choose?
Anonymous said
antithesis the direct opposite
The story of Rapunzel in Grimm's Fairy Tales is complicated; however, when her name is mentioned one characteristic comes to mind: her long hair. A handsome prince is involved. Rapunzel, imprisoned in a tall tower, would lower her beautiful long, blond braids to enable her lover to climb up to her lofty cell. It is not known when Rapunzel might have sported her long tresses since fairy tales are timeless and universal. What is known is that for centuries women have had long hair. In the early twentieth century the era of long hair for women was suddenly cut short, in more ways than one.
The antithesis to Rapunzel was a cute little flapperish cartoon character of the Twenties, named Betty Boop - she of Boop-Boop-a-Doop fame in cinema, along with News of the Day and the feature film. Her short black hair was (and probably still is, since cartoons have long, long, lives) arranged in
spit curls spiral curls that are plastered on the forehead, temples and cheeks
And what has this to do with the Arts? Hairstyles are designs and Design itself is Art.
What is your favorite hairstyle? Do you consult a style magazine or a cosmetologist before deciding how to wear your hair? Is there a particular hairstyle you dislike? If you had a choice between long hair and short hair, which would you choose?
Anonymous said
That is the long and the short of it.
posted by marguerite louise at
9:54 PM
5 Comments:
I wear my hair in a flat top. I let it grow out for about a month and a half (maybe two months) between haircuts. I've been getting a flat top since the late '80s.
A flat top might not sound like much of an "artistic" hairstyle, but let me tell you that there aren't many stylists out there that can do a good flat top. It's hard to get a decent one.
By
Tah, at 8/23/2005 1:47 AM
I want long, thick, curly, shiny, red hair---the complete antithesis of what I have. (Ain't it always the way??)
Your essay has convinced me to go red, red, red. TODAY!! Drugstore, here I come! :)
By
Anonymous, at 8/23/2005 12:07 PM
But don't we have a choice between long hair and short hair?
I choose short hair because a) I like to keep it very clean b) I don't like to spend a lot of time on it when I could be doing something much more interesting than fiddling with my hair - like knitting or napping.
By
Marguerite, at 8/23/2005 2:36 PM
I'm not sure why, at my age, I think I still need long, blonde hair. But so far I'm not compelled to change it.
By
Anonymous, at 8/27/2005 5:00 PM
I have shoulder length hair, only the color changes. ;-) Shoulder length works because it can be tied back, left down or curled as situations dictate.
By
Anonymous, at 9/06/2005 9:28 PM
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