Hairspray | School Photo Horror, Big Hair Throughout the Decades, and the Real Story that Inspired the Musical (TSB125)

School picture time is here and every time I get my daughter ready for her picture, I try not to follow current trends too much. I have this fear she’ll have the same experience I had in 1990 when my mom decided to go all out with my school picture and not only give me a big enough pinafore on my dress that it could double as a wind sail on a small boat, but she also teased my bangs and hair so much that I remember the photographer moving his camera back to get the full look.
And, yes, if you follow The Story Behind on Twitter, Instagram and in the Facebook group, I’ll post the picture for you all to see. I also encourage you to post some of your school photos so I don’t feel as bad.
But I bring up this picture for a reason. There wouldn’t have been that awful picture in the world without the topic of today’s episode.
I’m your host, Emily Prokop, and this is The Story Behind Hairspray.
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This episode was brought to you by The Story Behind Executive Producers who support the show through the Patreon Page at patreon.com/thestorybehind: Jonathan Bloom, Ryan P. Jackson, Barry G, Bandrew Scott, Jarrod Dunham, Linguist Sam, Ryle Davis Jr., Dave Jackson, Sunshine & PowerCuts, Everyone Has a Podcast, Adam Higgins, The Beardcaster, Elikqitie, Jim Collison, North Omaha History Podcast, Dan Brenic, Two Peas on a Podcast, Jason Bryant, History Goes Bump, The One Word Go Show, and Stargate Pioneer.
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Media:
The Story Behind: The Musical!
Music for Makers
Sources:
The History of Hairspray Products - Leaf.tv
Beauty throwback: The story behind hairspray - aol.com
The History of Hairspray - LiveAbout
Victorian Hairspray: A Brief History of Gum Solutions and Bandoline - MimiMatthews.com
'80s Trend Revisited: AquaNet Hairspray Is BACK. Need I Say More? - Glamour
History of Hair Styling - ThoughtCo.com
8 Vintage Hairstyling Products Your Grandmother Probably Swore By - Mental Floss
The Complete Story of the Woman Who Created the Beehive Hairdo - Fortune
Margaret Vinci Heldt, creator of the beehive hairstyle, dies at age 98 - The Guardian
1960s Hair Icons Who Taught Us Everything About Big Hair - Huffington Post
The Beehive: Hair That Defined The 1960s - Flashbak.com
The History of Aerosol Spray Cans - ThoughtCo
History - ChaseProducts.com
Hairsproy [SIC] - MadeHow.com
Hair Through History: 9 Memorable Hairstyles of the 1950s - Beauty Launchpad
20 Unbelievable Ways You Never Knew You Could Use Hair Spray - Reader’s Digest
Hairspray’s Revealing Portrayal of Racism in America - The Atlantic
Historic Photos of Baltimore Show the Real-Life “Hairspray” - Smithsonian.com
The Messy Truth of The Real 'Hairspray' - The Washington Post