Before The Beehive

Heldt, who died this week at the age of 98, opened her own salon and had the Cosmetologists Chicago organization name a scholarship for her, created the towering conical woman’s hair style for a hair styling magazine in 1960, called her invention “the beehive” and quickly saw starlets and politician’s wives sport the do well into the decade…and beyond. Supposedly inspired by a black velvet hat the lady stylist found one night when working late as her family slept, Heldt built the hair in a wrap-around conical style creating what the magazine at the time called, “a circular silhouette with high-rise accents.”