Changes: Styles, Seasons & A Nation

Business was going strong. Vidal was not only a master of hairdressing, but he had the ability to promote himself. His vision was incredible, designing styles for men & women that not only was simple for them to maintain, but flattering to their face & lifestyle. The months just speed by. I was working harder than I had ever imagined, but I loved it.


It was now November. Conversations of Thanksgiving dinners, Christmas shopping were on every ones lips. The biggest topic though that year was John F. Kennedy. The first anniversary of his assassination was approaching. Once again, the nation felt the deep pain of his passing. The news papers were full of stories of the Kennedy's, John Jr., Caroline & of course Jackie. Johnson was in office & not a lot of people liked him, not even most Democrats.


Charles & I became very close friends. His girlfriend worked as a teller in one of the near by banks, & she was determined to match me up with one of her wealthy customers or a banker. The three of us often went out together, & it seemed that we always 'bumped' into a friend of hers. Charles & I would laugh about it at work. Vidal would ask if I'm in love yet. Josef would tell me about this 'fabulous' woman he's 'just dying Darling', for me to meet. Michele would roll her eyes, & assure me that I was the luckiest one, since I was the only one in the salon that wasn't involved with anyone. "I am so sick of men!", was her standard quote. With Josef coming back with, " Well, dear girl," flipping his right hand as he placed his left hand on his hip," Maybe you should stay on your feet long enough to learn their names first!"


We would burst into laughter. Michele included. She knew it was all in good fun amongst friends. It was the 'New Freedom Movement'. We were all discovering the new ideals. The nation & the world was changing at a frantic rate. The Beatles had 'arrived'. The 'Sexual Revolution' & the new found 'Women's Orgasm'.


Kennedy was dead, but the country was on it's way to living a new way.


And there I was, working with the most sought after stylist in the country, meeting the rich & famous daily, learning about a new life & ways of living. I was on the road to unknown changes. It both excited me & frightened me!


"Here I come world, & Please Lord help me!"

No More Blue Hair!

The following weeks have been exhausting! I'm working all day at the shop, eat dinner with Vidal & Anne Marie, discussing cuts & styling ideas, & back to the shop to to design haircuts on both men & women. Vidal recruited students from the local hairdressing schools, ran ads in the local paper for models, & Anne Marie placed a sign in the shop window for more models.

Vidal hired a photographer for the 'before' & 'after shots, plus we recorded all of the procedures that went into the transformation. It was very exciting & people on the street suddenly knew my name. I felt like a star! Plus I was making more money than I could imagine. My clientele has almost doubled, plus Vidal was paying me $300.00 a week.

Vidal left for London. We stopped the classes for two weeks, which I was glad for. The break gave me the opportunity to see my son, & give my mom money for taking care of him. I took a few days off to go to the beach, relax in the sun, rest my tired bones. I hadn't gone out with the girls in weeks, so we got together & partied. Vidal & I worked as late as 11pm, six nights a week. I needed this time off.

Summer was going by quickly. My days & nights were one constant stream of haircuts, blow drys, & coloring. Almost all of the cuts had our technique of dimensional color tones. Silver & Blue hair was on it's way out. Natural hair, clean wind blown hair was making a debut. There were still wash & sets, but women under forty, especially the wives that were returning to work, returning to college, wanted, needed, & asked for a simpler, softer way of managing their hair. That's what Vidal was doing for them. That's what I was doing with him. It was an exciting time in the world. Women making a stand. Making changes in the family structure. Women's Liberation was growing strong. I was part of this 'New Era of Women's Rights'!