Fashun. Wo r d s by Zakk ie thunn isa
Image Credit: Lily Collins, Fashionista
T
imeless beauty: At some point, we would have heard this phrase being thrown around by many, from people on the streets, to industry professionals in the beauty line. We have seen several artists getting labelled as such, from Marilyn Monroe, to Anne Hathaway and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. But is beauty really timeless, or does every beauty trend come with its own expiry date, set to disappear forever after? In the early 2000s, curly hair was considered messy and undesirable by many, young and old. As a curly-haired primary school child, I myself have been met with names like “Broccoli Hair Girl” and teased about using an entire bottle of hair oil a day (which I didn’t! But oh well). Besides the occasional hairdresser who viewed my curls as unique, I spent the greater part of my childhood getting (mostly unsolicited) tips on how to tame my mane, which stood out starkly amidst my classmates, since most of them had uniformly straight hair. Today, we see many perming their hair, in order to achieve big, bouncy curls - the very curls which were once seen as unruly.
All ‘Bout That Hair In the past, straight hair was a biological staple, prevalent among the majority of the population in Singapore by default. Owing to its uniformed, prim nature being a norm, it was viewed as the most acceptable kind of hair. Women with unruly curls conformed to this normal by dint of extensive hair treatments. The combined effect was damaging in the long run, but as someone once said, beauty is pain! It came at the cost of damaged, thinning hair. Be it at work, for formal occasions, and even among female actors and models, straight hairstyles were inevitably prominent. Wide-eyed little girls, yet to take their PSLE, were seen appearing in school with freshly rebonded hair. Those who could not afford that luxury, simply wove their hair into tight braids, and prayed nobody noticed them. However, in recent years, curls have made their comeback. For some women, it was the additional volume that they afforded their thinning crowns of glory. For others, it was the sheer thrill and pizazz awarded by hair which sprang and bounced with their every step. Women with straight hair turned to curling irons to achieve this hair. Meanwhile, our ladies who had formally straightened their hair to appease society’s critical eye, grew out their natural curls in relief, finally embracing their eminently rare beauty.
Hairstyles are just the tip of the iceberg on beauty trends which have been evolving over the years. A woman’s beauty regimen has traditionally required her to care for practically every part of her body which could be seen an`d admired, from top to toe. Hair, eyes, lips, and body shape are just a few things which a woman has had to look after and keep beautiful. For years, how women looked after themselves and their appearance depended on societal expectations. It may seem astonishing to us now, but that was the reality for women in those days. Sketch Credit: designer
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D e s ig ne d b y J ay de n Chu a
