By the end of 1944 Congressional heads all turned when it was brought to their attention that the fees charged by hairstylists and barbers had soared 25% above the 1941 levels. New Dealers thought this was a golden opportunity for some government intervention:
“Since hair up-keep rates as a necessary cost of living, Chester Bowles (1901 – 1986), OPA [Office of Price Administration] asked Congress for authority to fix beauty and barber prices.”
As the image on the right illustrates, higher stylist fees ushered-in a fashion for longer hair during the closing years of the war.
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