A collection of three quality hair barrettes from the Philips “African Beauty” range “new old stock”

CONDITION: good vintage condition with acceptable wear

AVERAGE SIZE: 3½ x 1¼ ins (9 x 5.5 cm)

APPROXIMATE DATE: 1980s

MATERIALS: metal

DESCRIPTION:

Here is a collection of quality Philips barrettes from their “African Beauty” range which features classical images of ancient Egypt or tribal effects. Two of the ornaments are still on their original cards, have never been worn, and are old new stock.

They are ideal for dressing up a daytime hair do for a glamorous evening out or special event. All the barrettes fasten with a modern French spring clip which is in good working order.

FURTHER INFORMATION:

The costume jewellery industry flourished in the 1980s, and women experienced a new freedom and confidence to wear frankly fake fashion jewellery. In fact, the bigger and glitzier the better! In the USA glamour came in the far reaching influence of Television shows like Dallas and Dynasty, which were watched by millions of viewers around the world. The shows epitomized an era of glamour and decadence that later became the hallmark of the American primetime soap operas of the 1980s.

The fashion hallmarks of the decade were big shoulders, big hair and co-ordinating costume jewellery. Hair was teased and ratted out, and this ‘big’ hair cried out to be balanced by glitzy jewellery in gilt settings with huge fake looking stones. Hair accessories of the period were certainly neither small nor delicate!

The final picture is taken from a series of contemporary fashion photos which illustrate the fashionable hair dressing and the hair accessories of the 1980s period.