The Pattie Chronicles: The Hair

Pattie told 16 Magazine in October 1965 that a girl’s shining glory “truly is her hair” and that “it is very important to pay extra attention” to one’s hair-do, telling the mag she washed her hair daily, drying it in a clean linen towel. Pattie also recommended shampoo with olive oil added because it moisturizes most normal hair. Despite this, she admittedly told a magazine the next year that she hardly ever goes to the hairdresser. “I haven’t been to one in ages. I can’t bear sitting under the drier. I wash my hair myself every five days – the fringe more often, and sometimes I give my hair a dry shampoo between washes. If I think the ends need cutting, then I just get whoever is at home to chop them off – George, my sister, anybody.”

Back in 1965 and before, Pattie worked the ‘flipped-out’ look at the ends of her hair. To achieve this style, “Just before my hair is completely dry, I give it a good brushing with a natural bristle brush… When my hair is gleaming (still dampish), I take about eight big round rollers and carefully roll up the ends. I curl them over about three times. You have to use more or less turns, depending on how much natural curl there is in your hair. When my hair is dry, I remove the rollers. Then I lift the hair at the top of my head and back-comb or brush it until there is enough teased up to give me a little "crown". Next, I comb over the teasing gently until the crown looks smooth and neat. Now I comb my bangs down over my eyebrows and, holding them lightly, flicking the ends up so that I get a curved line (which is very flattering to the eyes). Finally, I carefully comb the sides and ends, also flicking the bottoms up all the way around. The final move is to spray my hair thoroughly with a good, light hair spray. This holds it in place without getting it all gooey.”

To backcomb her hair, Pattie travelled with a long comb with fine teeth (AKA – a ducktail comb) and a bristle brush (try to buy a natural bristle brush if possible – it makes for healthier hair).