Packaging makes perfect: vintage bobby pins

In an era of gift wrapping rooms, designer shopping bags, and Ikea-meets-Mac box streamlined packaging, it might seem that we’re spoiled for riches when it comes to the decor that surrounds the goods we purchase, give, receive and pine for. On one hand there is an element of truth to this, yet there is little denying the by-and-large, the artistic style (fonts, images, slogans, etc) that comprise the wrappings on modern items is far cry different from that of the past.

As an avid fan of vintage and antique design, I’ve decided to start a series of posts (that will sprout up from time-to-time) about some of my favourite types of vintage packaging and the products they were created to showcase.

For this introductory “Packaging Makes perfect” post, I’ve opted to highlight the exceedingly pretty paper cards on which bobby pins were sold during the mid-twentieth century.

While bobby pins (or hair grips, as they are sometimes known outside of North America) are can readily be found at most any drug store or shop that sells hair accessories, their use nowadays is not as common as it once was. In order to achieve a majority of the hairstyles – from simple to highly intricate – of the 1920s through to the 1960s, bobby pins were called into play. Interestingly, these simple metal hair grips took their name from the fact that they were used to help ladies of the twenties keep their “bobbed” hairstyles in place.

Fundamental to achieving many vintage hairstyles, bobby pins were used prolifically through the middle of the last century (in the days before the myriad of styling products we have today were available) and are subsequently often utilized today to achieve many vintage up-dos, rolls, curls and other lovely looks. Though WW2 metal rations sometimes made bobby pins harder to come by during the war years, even then most women were able to find some of these humble little hair grips.

While they were sometimes sold in metal tins, just as with modern day versions, vintage bobby pins frequently came on a paper card. Though it’s not uncommon to find bobby pins in packs of fifty or more today, in the past they were often sold in lots of ten to thirty.

The paper card backs upon which the pins were tucked featured an array of lovely designs. Some used illustrations, others photos of women wearing stylish hairdos. Some were elaborately shaped so as to be cut like the shape of a part, or all, of the picture they depicted, whereas others came in more common shapes like circles, half-moons, or rectangles.

The following are a selection of vintage bobby pin packages from Flickr, all of which I think are absolutely beautiful. They’re like miniature works of art that depict so many elements of style from the 30s, 40s and 50s.


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{Sta-Rite brand bobby pins featuring pretty Ginny and Lou. Were these gals made up or were they real women?}



{Wearing one heck of a wiggle dress (and bullet bra!), the cute girl on this Bobbie Smith brand package is certainly ready for a night out on the town!}



{The doe-eyed, blonde beauty on this card for Flamingo brand hair grips looks like she just stepped out of Hollywood.}



{Sporting the slogan “Fits any purse”, this font and image style on this card of Victory brand bobby clips would indicate (to me at least) that it was from the 1930s or early 40s.}



{While I’m not sure I’d be swayed by the brand’s name, “Scoldy Lox”, the dainty pink rose and Good House Keeping seal of approval on this bobby pin card might win me over.}



{Simple and sweet in shades of royal blue and peachy-pink, this card from DeLong appears to have held up even better than the pins it still houses.}



{With eyebrows to match the height of the rolls in her golden blonde hair, the lovely lady on this card for Campus brand bobby pins embodies the red lipped woman of the 40s and 50s to an absolute tee.}



{Defined on this card from Curly Lox as being “hair snaps” these cleverly designed pins appear to have encircled a roll of hair to hold in neatly in place. I for one this is a splendid idea and wish that I could find hair snaps like this stores today!}



{As this photo illustrated card from 1952 for Flamingo brand bobby pins shows, it wasn’t just the front of the package that looked pretty!}

{All images above are from Flickr. Please click on an image to be taken to its respective Flickr page.}


Given the very delicate nature of paper, it’s such a joy that numerous examples of vintage bobby pin cards have survived to this day.

If you’re interested in picking up a sample or two of this delightful type of package (or to use the pins they come with – though to be honest, I would want to preserve them exactly as they are, pins and all), both etsy and eBay seem to stock a steady supply of vintage bobby pins at surprisingly reasonable prices (generally between $3 and $15 dollars). The following selection of vintage bobby pin packs are currently available on etsy.



{Gayla brand pins from 1947. $9.99 (US) from etsy seller Stella Ranae Vintage.}



{Rubber tipped hair grips produced by Solo. $3.95 (US) from etsy seller Regina’s Studio.}



{These pins appear to be very straight and simplistic in design, but no less lovely thanks to the colourful red and yellow card back they come on. $4.00 (US) from esty seller Boomerville.}



{An adorable pair of kittens grace this pack of First Prize brand bobby pins. $5.00 (US) from etsy seller Innocent Painting.}



{These hand painted bobby pins hail from the late 50s or early 60s and would be used for more ornamental purposes than their plain metal counterparts. $2.75 from etsy seller The Automat.}


The packaging on vintage bobby is a delight to behold. Full of style and whimsy, it speaks to an age of womanly beauty that many of us now strive to recreate with our own hair and wardrobe styles. Whether you want to use the actual grips themselves or not, old school bobby pin packages are an affordable way to bring a cheerful dose of vintage design art into your home.


*PS*

A terrific and inexpensive way to keep track of bobby pins and other small metal hair accessories is to store them in magnetic paper clip dispenser.