THE STRUCTURING BEAUTY CONTRACTS AT THE HAIRDRESSERS –SAMPLE OF ANKARA-

This study based on qualitative research method is about the hairdressers in different districts of Ankara and their female customers. It focuses how the femininity images of female customers differ according to their lower, middle and upper socio-economic levels in the hairdresser saloon. A detailed interview with 50 women and 15 hairdresser workers residing in different districts and having different social positions was made for understanding the meaning and importance of hairdressers in the female world. It was understood that visiting hairdressers has increasingly turned into a necessary service for the women having different socio-economic levels in terms of their image and identity; but that the way of getting this service changes according their status of class. In consideration of the findings, the hairdressers were categorized according to their functions and women’s purpose of use. It was also observed that while the women of lower socio-economic levels are liable to use the hairdressers as the extension of their houses, the tendency of using them instrumentally increases for the ones of the upper levels. As a result of the study, the hairdressers were released as having dual functions in the lives of women. The hairdressers having positive functions for women in their image combination, socialization, psychological support and strong feeling has negative functions in terms of reproducing gender inequalities and creating a marketable appearance. The competition on the image of beauty between women creates a “beauty socialization”. We reach a continually updated and widened “beauty contract” with the formal practices of the whole actors and their meeting on a common ground in the mentioned competition area of image