The most scandalous hairstyles (and more imitated) of Hollywood divas.
Those of us of an age remember perfectly Rita Hayworth's manes; Lana Turner, Jean Harlow or Verónica Lake. Millions of women around the world, at a time when there were no social networks but "influencers" although the term did not exist, recognized these actresses in seconds just by looking at their hair and "copied" their styles. Today four hairdressers tell us some anecdotes of the most iconic hairstyles of the golden age of Hollywood.
Undoubtedly the most “scandalous” hairstyle of the 1940s was Rita Hayworth's at Gilda. At a time when society was not used to women who were confident and confident of sensuality, "Rita Hayworth was the icon of beauty and seduction." As explained by M.ª José Llata from Llata Carrera Hair Salon (Santa Cruz de Bezana, Cantabria) “her hairstyle, a mane with waves in copper color that only falls slightly below the shoulders and reveals her entire cleavage, achieved what it was intended to ignite the passions of a world at war ”.
The scandal would not have been the same if the most famous redhead in the cinema had not combined that hairstyle with a strapless satin dress with a slit in her leg. "That is the reason, continues Llata, why, even if the film was in black and white, everyone imagined the fire in her hair, and the gossips said that technicolor was invented for her."
At the same time, the hairstyle of Veronica Lake, the highest paid actress of the moment, was almost as famous as she, so much so that all the women of the United States loved it. In fact, it was so popular, says Carlos Valiente from Salones Carlos Valiente (Alzira, Valencia), that “at the entrance of the hairdressing salons, signs were posted saying“ We don't do Lake ”.
This hairstyle created a lot of controversy at the time because many women suffered car and work accidents because they did not see well ”. The matter reached the White House and the United States government warned producers to take urgent action. The Paramount contractually forced the actress to change her hairstyle, something to which she reluctantly agreed because she was afraid she would not be hired and “in fact, adds Valiente, the accidents decreased and her career too, with the hairstyle they took away. your identity".
Without a doubt, the quintessential representative of glamor and extravagant life without ever losing her impeccable image was Lana Turner. She was married eight times, lived numerous romances and her power of influence was such that her image was copied even by Eva Perón, that she did not hide her admiration for the actress. According to Felicitas Ordás from Felicitas Hair (Mataró, Barcelona), “in a news clip from 1942 her hairstyle was promoted and American women were encouraged to imitate it.
She always accompanied her hairstyles with jewels and hair ornaments: hats, floral pieces, fabrics and even feathers. In the same way, she quickly went from long to short. " She was one of the most profitable and influential actresses in the public and she starred in different campaigns for both cosmetics and sweets. But not only did she create trends with her hairstyles, "in 1946, Ordás recalls, she launched a new fad after appearing in white shorts in Tay Garnett's" The Postman Always Calls Twice. "
A decade before the previous ones, Jean Harlow became the sex symbol of cinema. Her platinum blonde was her hallmark and her fame did not stop growing until she died during the filming of "Saratoga" at the age of 26. In 1931 she shot “La caula de oro”, although the director decided to change it to “Platinum blonde” and it was a success, many women imitated her and dyed their hair like her, says Gonzalo Zarauza, hairdresser and image consultant from San Sebastián.
There was even a contest with a $ 10,000 prize for the hairdresser who best achieved the actress's blonde hue. None of them succeeded. In this way they wanted to show that her color was natural. And she was not. In fact, as her hairdresser confessed many years later, “There was hell in her head. They mixed peroxide, pure ammonia, chlorine and soap flakes ”. As Zarauza says, “it was a time when cinema began to be a factory of dreams, stars should not be seen as mere mortals, it was essential to create an exultant image based on luxury, excesses and platinum blonde was one of them".
