Did Ya'll Know There Were Flat Irons In The 70s And 80s?

[ag00]

From a hair documentary I watched, they said flat irons (as we know them now) didn't come out until 1996. I came upon this by doing a google search on what was originally intended to be a search for vintage straightening tools.

This is GE's Curl Tamer circa. 1978

Conair's Fashion Plates came out in the mid-to-late 80s and had interchangeable iron plates for crimping, curling, or straightening. They still have an Amazon page for the most recent version of them and they have horrible reviews.

I always assumed people just used the hot comb, blow dryer, or clothing iron back then but I guess there were more choices than I thought!

 

[LivingInPeace]

Yes. I remember when they came out. I wanted one but my mother said it would never work on my hair.

 

[CodeRed]

I remember them from the 90's... I remember the ones in this post, not the ones we now have... I just said it was the opposite of the crimper because it was more popular at the time

 

[MyCoilsGoBoing]

I remember the crimpers. I was a little girl in the 80s, so my hair was being pressed with an old school hot comb, lol. We only had electric curling irons.

 

[mzteaze]

My stylist crimped my hair using regular curling irons, the one that sits in the little oven in the 80s.

 

[Supervixen]

I had crimping irons. They looked different than those though.

Also, werent marcel flat irons around then?

 

[DarkJoy]

My mom bought me both of those! I especially loved making crimped bangs. I had a pink streak in my bangs too

 

[QT]

"Relax those kinks" yea, the start of taming the fro.

 

[ag00]

My mom bought me both of those! I especially loved making crimped bangs. I had a pink streak in my bangs too

Wow you actually had both? How was the Curl Tamer? Did it burn? What was the temperature it went to? How did you like it compared to modern flat irons?

 

[Crackers Phinn]

I had a crimping iron. I don't recall it having a flat plate option but even if it did I wouldn't have guessed it could straighten my hair.

 

[OhTall1]

I remember the ones with the interchangeable plates...

 

[DarkJoy]

Wow you actually had both? How was the Curl Tamer? Did it burn? What was the temperature it went to? How did you like it compared to modern flat irons?

Terrible! I was fried and dyed! i vert much remember that flat iron in the first pic. my mom bought it for herself and of course straightened us with it. She soon put it back in the box and went back to the comb. Hated the results.

I dont remember there being temp control on either of those products. Plugged it in and it got hot. The end...of your strands!

 

[mzpurp]

I think my sis had the crimping iron with the interchangeable plates and this was prob in the early 90s. She worked at Sally's so we had alllll hair products and curling irons

 

[30something]

Wow I didn't know that, only born in late 80s, by 90s relaxer were the answer to everything. I didn't know about flat irons until this board. Remember the name of the documentary?

 

[ag00]

Wow I didn't know that, only born in late 80s, by 90s relaxer were the answer to everything. I didn't know about flat irons until this board. Remember the name of the documentary?

I'm so sorry, it was a while ago. It was something with Naomi Campbell and the models back in the 90s.

 

[ag00]

I dont remember there being temp control on either of those products. Plugged it in and it got hot. The end...of your strands!

Lol terrible

 

[KinksAndInk]

I remember the one with the interchangeable plates from the mid 90s. I did some damage with those things. I swear we still have them somewhere around here.

 

[Kindheart]

Op how old are you ? I feel old now ...lol