“Bernice Bobs Her Hair” unfolds in the early 20th century during the beginning stages of the “flapper” period and the Jazz Age, a time when young people in particular were beginning to challenge traditional values and ideals of femininity. This historical backdrop is crucial, as the story centers around the bob haircut, one of the most recognizable markers of these social changes. Instead of keeping the same ideals of femininity as their mothers and grandmothers, young women began to defy expectations in fields from fashion to politics. Although it’s common and thus unremarkable in current times, short hair was extremely unusual for women in the Anglophone world before the 1910s.
The historical context of the bobbed hairstyle plays a vital role in the story because it reflects the changing attitudes towards women's autonomy after World War I. The bob was more than a fashion statement; it was a sign of modernity and women’s liberation. Women who adopted this style were seen as rejecting the more conservative values of the time. One of the most important scenes in the story takes place in a barber shop, which becomes a zone of horror for Bernice as she's coerced into getting the transformative haircut. By cutting off her hair in this space—typically one reserved for men—Bernice changes her life forever. By "choosing" to bob her hair, Bernice not only alters her appearance but also challenges the social order. This social order, however, is still almost impossible to escape.
The physical setting of the story is the affluent town of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This setting represents typical upper-middle-class America, where the social set and their interactions were the center of the world for everyone involved. The town, with its well-heeled inhabitants and their meticulously maintained social appearances, plays a critical role in shaping Bernice’s life. Reputation and popularity govern the actions and interactions of everyone she has ever known. They are particularly important to her as a young, unmarried woman in the market to find a spouse, her only guarantee of future security.
