spikey Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 Just had a phone call from an ex-school chum of mine, during which the subject of the conversation drifted to a couple of the girls we knew in the early 1960s. To my surprise, he mentioned something about those halcyon days which still puzzles him. I was surprised because it still puzzles me too, despite my having asked various folk about it over the years. I long ago asked my Lady Wife about it, and discovered that she's been puzzled about it too ever since her elder brothers moaned about it at home. I refer to the supposed reason why the girlfriend wouldn't be available the following evening commonly being that "I'm washing my hair". Now, my pal and I both assumed at one time that it was connected with the girls' periods, but we both eventually disproved that. And my wife's never understood how that was supposed to work. So it's remained a mystery for 60 years now. Anybody know for sure what the "I'm washing my hair" business was actually about? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1uejay Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 Probably just the polite way of the time of saying no thanks - nowadays girls might give a more robust response... 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 I'm busy that night.... Best one was Peter Cook's when invited to things, even when he didn't know the date, along the lines of "Hang on, I'll just check my diary. Oh dear, I find I'm watching television that night." Apparently he wanted to avoid a party so much that he actually got himself booked on to a TV show so he didn't have to attend. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 Apart from being a relatively polite refusal, I thought it was because the process of washing and styling hair at home back then was rather more laborious due to primitive hair-care products and appliances. And some people did have nights that they set aside for the task. The thing was to identify the night and then avoid it! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 4014 Knight Of The Bath! 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philou Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 As mentioned above - a polite brush-off ................. (see what I did there?) 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
simontaylor484 Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 I always assumed it was a polite put down heard it in the 90s several times 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ikcdab Posted April 3, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 3, 2021 Or..."sorry, I'm cleaning the drains that night" 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 Long hair can be a pig to get washed, if you are not using a shower... Doing hair washing over a sink is awkward, if you haven’t got someone else to poor the water over your head. You have to try and keep your hair from going down the plug hole too... Washing long hair while in a bath can also be awkward, if you are alone.... 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hodgson Posted April 3, 2021 Share Posted April 3, 2021 1 hour ago, Ruffnut Thorston said: Long hair can be a pig to get washed, if you are not using a shower... Yeah, I've got that problem now thanks to Covid closing the barbers. I've still got two or three hairs left each side of my bonce, and they're getting out of hand! 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted April 4, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 4, 2021 6 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said: Yeah, I've got that problem now thanks to Covid closing the barbers. I've still got two or three hairs left each side of my bonce, and they're getting out of hand! You need one of these; Mike. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted April 4, 2021 Author Share Posted April 4, 2021 I guess that's all there is to it then. Funny how things like that can puzzle chaps for 60 years ... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 8 hours ago, Ruffnut Thorston said: Washing long hair while in a bath can also be awkward, if you are alone.... I suppose you have to avoid sitting on the ends... 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted April 4, 2021 Author Share Posted April 4, 2021 My pal's just phoned back to say that he mentioned this "I'm washing my hair" business to his 16 year old grand-daughter last night, which led to her grand-mother enlightening the girl on various matters re teenagers in the 1960s. Apparently she was very surprised to learn that most of us left school and started work at 15, but was shocked when grandma mentioned stockings in the context of school uniforms! 1 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenhead Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 13 minutes ago, spikey said: My pal's just phoned back to say that he mentioned this "I'm washing my hair" business to his 16 year old grand-daughter last night, which led to her grand-mother enlightening the girl on various matters re teenagers in the 1960s. Apparently she was very surprised to learn that most of us left school and started work at 15, but was shocked when grandma mentioned stockings in the context of school uniforms! Did your Grandma attend St Trinians? Going back to the hair thing, in the 1960s having a bath was harder, a shower probably even harder and washing long hair harder still, so whilst it was a brush off as others mention, there was probably also an element of truth in it. It's only as central heating, constant hot water and general cleanliness has improved that people shower/bathe more often. Perfumes were invented to mask body odour when bathing was very irregular. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 Talking to my wife, she suggests that in those days many girls would have had hairstyles which needed setting after washing, and therefore would be quite a lengthy operation either involving mother/aunty/best friend. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philou Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 (edited) I also suspect that apart from taking a long time to prepare the hair, it was probably done on a Friday night ready for the weekend. Nowadays (Covid excepted), every evening is the weekend! Cheers, Philip PS: Here in France, where most of the perfume is manufactured (that tells you something), I think it was their king Henry II that made it law that everyone should have a bath at least once a year!!!! PPS: Forgot to add that IIRC when I used to make the occasional wedding cake, the columns were about 100mm high and seeing as you need only 80mm they could well be ideal. Edited April 4, 2021 by Philou PPS added 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted April 4, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 4, 2021 If I said to my Mrs, not tonight i’m washing my hair, she’d immediately be suspicious of whats going on. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 1 hour ago, jonny777 said: Talking to my wife, she suggests that in those days many girls would have had hairstyles which needed setting after washing, and therefore would be quite a lengthy operation either involving mother/aunty/best friend. Ah. That's what they want you to believe..... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1uejay Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 15 hours ago, Hroth said: Apart from being a relatively polite refusal, I thought it was because the process of washing and styling hair at home back then was rather more laborious due to primitive hair-care products and appliances. And some people did have nights that they set aside for the task. The thing was to identify the night and then avoid it! If judging by the machinations my wife and daughter go through when straightening/curling/colouring their hair, I'd say the process is more labour-intensive now than back then. Funny how painting my models is not important but I can be ordered to use those skills to paint wife's hair dye at the back when she can't reach... Also odd that my paints and glues "stink the place out" yet hair dyes don't... Bless 'em all Rich. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
spikey Posted April 4, 2021 Author Share Posted April 4, 2021 (edited) 2 hours ago, woodenhead said: Did your Grandma attend St Trinians? Doubt it. I'm fairly sure she left school around 1885 [/quote] ... his 16 year old grand-daughter last night, which led to her grand-mother enlightening the girl ... [/quote] Edited April 4, 2021 by spikey Date correction 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 It's like the old joke. First woman says "I've got one pair of knickers that I wash every night and they are fresh for the morning" Second woman says "I've got seven pairs, one for every day. Wash them weekly" Third woman says "I've got ten pairs and throw them away after wearing!" The others are surprised. "How do ten pairs fit in to your clothing regime?" asks one. "Easy. 2020, 2021, 2022....." 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hmrspaul Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 2 hours ago, B1uejay said: If judging by the machinations my wife and daughter go through when straightening/curling/colouring their hair, I'd say the process is more labour-intensive now than back then. Funny how painting my models is not important but I can be ordered to use those skills to paint wife's hair dye at the back when she can't reach... Also odd that my paints and glues "stink the place out" yet hair dyes don't... Bless 'em all Rich. In those days perming hair would have been common, I believe a lengthy process! And long hair simply takes a long time to dry, as I know. Domestic hair dryers were probably much less common than now. As to stinky substances, that stuff used to remove unwanted hair is awful - Nair. Paul 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philou Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 38 minutes ago, hmrspaul said: As to stinky substances, that stuff used to remove unwanted hair is awful - Nair. Veet over here - stinky and very caustic! Do not exceed the time or dose .... just sayin' and don't ask - TMI already! Cheers, Philip 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted April 4, 2021 Share Posted April 4, 2021 2 minutes ago, Philou said: Veet over here - stinky and very caustic! Do not exceed the time or dose .... just sayin' and don't ask - TMI already! Cheers, Philip I'll just leave this here.... https://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R3GDDEL1SC1QQ5 1 1 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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