Back In the 70’s, there was a Clairol commercial for electric curlers. : Curlers in Your Hair? Shame on You.    My daughter was in Junior High then.  She and her friends  loved that song. They made fun of “old” ladies who ran around with curlers in their hair.  They also laughed at  women with stiff , hair sprayed  “beauty parlor hair.”  Then, those young girls  grew up and they too, depended on weekly trips to the local hair salon.  Now, what will they do with all the beauty parlors closed because of coronavirus?   Warning! Bad hair days ahead.

Many women my age have been having their hair “done” once a week for over 50 years. They must be avoiding mirrors now.   Younger women know how to blow dry and style their own hair more frequently. Many wash their hair every single day.  But even if you know how to style your own hair, it still needs cutting or trimming every few weeks.  My  short hairdo is beginning to look more like a shaggy dog. Frizzy, with split ends.   Fortunately, I’m a swimmer, so I’m not dependent on a beautician to style my hair.  But I’m afraid to cut it myself.

Then there’s hair color.  If you pass the hair color racks at drug stores or grocers, you can see that most women have learned to color their own hair.  But many don’t—especially the more affluent women who can afford to have their hair colored every few weeks to the tune of about $50 a visit. Famous women have it the worst. Morning talk show host, Kelly Ripa,  is showing off her gray roots.  I’m seeing lots of blond television reporters with dark roots.

I’m willing to bet that beauticians are going to be overwhelmed when the COViD-19 stay-at-home order ends, and the beauty salons are back in business.  Meanwhile, what are women going to do with their bad hair?  (Not to mention their manicures and pedicures). I guess they could go online and order a wig.  Or maybe start wearing a turban.  Hats may make a comeback.  Remember the cloche?  We may be seeing a lot of them in those first few weeks after the pandemic ends and women  are out and about again.

Whatever you do, it’s a good idea to have a back-up plan.   Warning! Bad Hair Days are Ahead.