Credit : SPH, The Straits Times.
Do you still remember the above posters put up in most government bodies? Of course not in the current era, it happened in the 60s/70s – in Singapore haha. Long hair males were frowned upon in the past.
You may laugh it off now, but in the past it’s no fun at all. Male artistes with long hair were not allowed to appear on TV too; male with long hair will also be stopped at Woodlands immigration checkpoint and turned away until they had their hair cut. Think that was around 1972.
Well probably our government is trying to stop the Hippies fashion and habits infiltrating into our country. Besides the long hair, there was another icon of the hippies – the peace sign! Most of those fashionable men with long hair, wore a peace sign necklace;
Here is a guide on how the hippies looked like;
Credit : Ruth Bronsteen. The Hippy¹s Handbook.
So lucky me, when I was in Singapore Poly, it’s already 1979. I still able to keep my long hair but just long enough to cover my ears and slightly below the shirt collar. Below shows the long hair me in Poly days during the late 70s and early 80s;
Ah those were the days. I think I was in secondary school,….. hmmm maybe 1970…. when the school princiapl went from class to class checking on hair covering ear or collar. Then the campiagn started to measure the width of bell-bottomed pants – mine was 26″ – and hipster pants.
Nowdays when I want to keep long-hair, my folks think I am crazy bcos trendy nowdays to spot “4 X 2″. In the 1970s “4 X 2″ = square. How come the world is now upside down?
I remember we had this poster at the gate of Mandai Camp. I always enjoyed seeing the transformation of new recruits with long hair. At first they looked so ‘garang’. After the camp barber was thru with them, they looked so timid.
Whoa, you got quite fair facial complexion during your poly days hor? And your hairstyle then could rival those of my screen idols at that time, i.e. Deng Guang Rong (邓光荣) and Chin Han (秦汉).
You are right Peter, old fashion are back again sometimes…haha
Victor, that’s my latest mask hehe.