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

ag00

ag00

Well-Known Member
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!
 
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mzteaze

mzteaze

Pilates and Yoga Kinda Gal
My stylist crimped my hair using regular curling irons, the one that sits in the little oven in the 80s.
 
ag00

ag00

Well-Known Member
DarkJoy said:
My mom bought me both of those! I especially loved making crimped bangs. I had a pink streak in my bangs too :lol:
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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

Crackers Phinn

Either A Blessing Or A Lesson.
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.
 
DarkJoy

DarkJoy

Bent. Not Broken.
ag00 said:
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?
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Terrible! I was fried and dyed! :lol: 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! :lachen:
 
mzpurp

mzpurp

Well-Known Member
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 :lol:
 
30something

30something

Well-Known Member
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

ag00

Well-Known Member
Nevermind said:
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?
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I'm so sorry, it was a while ago. It was something with Naomi Campbell and the models back in the 90s.
 
KinksAndInk

KinksAndInk

Professional Napper
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.
 
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