“Block's meticulously researched study offers a new perspective on the significance of women's hair and its styling and dressing in the wider context of the United States at a time of huge social and technological change. Examining the impact of hair styling on women's lived experiences, this accessibly written book is an excellent addition to the expanding corpus of historical scholarship.”
Geraldine Biddle-Perry, General Editor of A Cultural History of Hair
“Block enriches our understanding of how women, through their hair styles and practices, navigated their worlds; conversely, she shows how women's intimate hair practices influenced everything from ideology to architecture to economies. Beyond Vanity's forceful demonstration of all the ways that hair matters is both methodologically significant and aesthetically riveting: its images left me gasping page after page.”
Sarah Mesle, editor of Avidly; senior editor-at-large of the Los Angeles Review of Books
“This beautifully illustrated volume explores the critical importance of hairdressing, skillfully encapsulating our profession's profound historical and cultural significance while highlighting our commitment to women's lived experiences. It is a welcome resource and tribute to our professional legacies.”
Frédéric Fekkai, Founder, FEKKAI and Bastide Aix-en-Provence
“A lot of fascinating stories... there is much to learn from Elizabeth Block's new book, which is written as eloquently as her first book, Dressing Up: The Women Who Influenced French Fashion, a volume I would recommend to anyone interested in the story of fashion.”
Forbes
“Beyond Vanity takes on hair and hairdressing in early America as the important cultural signifiers that they are... Yes, it's a fascinating look at some fashionable and fabulous material culture, and is beautifully illustrated, but it's also a clear reminder of how much the culture around hair reflects the racial and economic inequalities of society writ large.”
Hyperallergic
“The book is meticulously organized, with each element contributing to the validation of her central thesis. Given Block's stature as a prominent art historian, this level of excellence is expected, yet it's always gratifying when she so precisely addresses our interests.”
Daily Art Magazine
“While hair itself might have no intrinsic value, for centuries meaning has been assigned to it and it has played a vital role in our history. Beyond Vanity: The History and Power of Hairdressing seeks to untangle this role and the impact of women's hair on culture throughout history.”
Dazed
“A fascinating look at how hair was a powerful medium through which status and class were illustrated.”
ELLE Canada
“Block... combs (not literally) through the complex cultural meaning of late 19th-century hair in America.”
George Washington University Magazine
