Wetaskiwin District Heritage Museum Centre & City of Wetaskiwin Archives

There’s nothing quite like a day at the salon to leave you feeling refreshed and confident! This Helene Curtis dryer chair was one of many in the Over the Waves Beauty Parlour owned and operated by Jessie Bryholt until the mid-1960s. The seat and back cushions are pink and white vinyl, adorned with black vinyl piping. There are four silver air vents on each cushion and the dryer hood swivels on a grey metal column with a greenish-grey rubber electrical cord. The hood is pink metal and clear plastic. The first hairdryer of this kind was invented in 1890 by French stylist Alexander Godefroy for use in his hair salon. The invention was primarily a bonnet attached to the chimney pipe of a gas stove and was not portable or handheld. The customer would have to sit beneath the dryer, as handheld hair dryers would not hit the market until the 1920s. Though dryer chairs can still be found in some salons, most modern hair dryers tend to be handheld, weighing less than a couple pounds, and have a sleek, stylish design. Over the Waves Beauty Parlour was on the south side of Main Street where TD Financial Trust now stands.