Hair roller

Description:

Pink plastic hair roller from the 1960s/70s used to create wavy or curly hairstyles. This type of roller was called a brush roller and was used by women – and also boys – to style their hair. The rollers were held secure by plastic pins or picks and, once in place, were often left there for quite some time. This was partly to give styles chance to set, perhaps by wearing a curler cap overnight, but also just until the person was ready to go to a social engagement of some sort and wanted their hair to look its best. It was quite usual otherwise for women particularly to cover their rollers with a headscarf or even leave them uncovered while going about their business, such as shopping at the supermarket. Over time, curler caps became a fashionable accessory to wear and came in various different styles. Well-known brands of rollers at this time were Solo-Sleepeasy and Wil-Hold.

Before the introduction of plastic rollers, metal ones were used. Both types could be uncomfortable due to the material or the tightness of their application, especially when sleeping in them, but this was particularly true of metal ones.