Post 103: Hair and Hats

I always found street pajamas fascinating, but it took me a while to appreciate Chinese hair and hat culture… But after seeing this particular lady, I really started to notice and appreciate interesting and funny things on peoples’ heads.

I initially thought this lady was quite an odd site to see on Fuxing Lu across from Lakeville in her metallic pajamas with a bag on her head, but then I realized she was getting a perm.

I kept asking myself why was everyone gettin’ their hair did… And then I saw this lady’s dome of hair peaking out over the microwaves in E-Mart on Chinese New Year, and figured out that everyone was just trying to look all fresh for the New Year.

They were buying a new microwave to go with her new hairdo for the New Year, and I have to admit it’s pretty phenomenal hair and a great way to go shopping.

In Chinese Fashion History, big hair was totally in during the 1930s and 1940s… and it’s still popular today, particularly during Chinese New Year. But there’s probably no one on the Mainland who can beat this lady’s hairdo:

I got an even better shot as she was leaving on the subway… You can really see the form and height that the hair has from this angle.

This lady also had some good height going on:

And I noticed that not only hair was exaggerated in China, but the Chinese are quite into wearing big, shade-providing hats. So the head is certainly a site for exaggerated shapes and silhouettes both historically and currently in China, as this lady helps to prove:

This hat looks especially big on such a tiny frame, but it looks cool and probably kept her cool as well.

However, I’ve noticed that people wear hats mostly when on BIKES, which is post 104… So check back tomorrow for some hat and bike shots!