vulture festival 2023

Rachel Bloom’s ’60s Hair for Julia Was ‘Kinda Freeing’

Photo: Getty Images for Vox Media

Rachel Bloom is remembering how to do promo again. She stopped by Vulture Fest on Sunday for what was scheduled to be an in-depth analysis of fast food with chef Tim Hollingsworth while writer, director, and self-described boozy uncle Paul Feig served drinks. But now that the Hollywood strikes are over, Bloom realized, “If anyone at any point wants to raise their hand and ask us questions about our careers, we can technically also do that, I guess?†After the panelists shared some culinary opinions (Bloom loves pineapple on pizza, Feig isn’t a fan of London’s “weird-ass†salsa), Bloom opened up about her hair and underwear as a cast member in the second season of Max’s Julia, which stars Sarah Lancashire as chef and TV personality Julia Child. Bloom explained that women in the ’60s used to get their hair done once a week and would only be responsible for maintaining it, including covering it when they slept. “So I had my hair done like that. I would get it set in curlers, and it would just be poofy. I didn’t have to do anything, and it was actually kind of very freeing,†she reflected. “As opposed to it being on me and trying to look at TikTok tutorials and be like, ‘How to get mermaid waves …’ Like, no one can do that shit!â€

The commitment to historical accuracy also meant that Bloom couldn’t wear the open-neck styles she favors “as a big-busted woman.†As she noted, women stuck to high necklines, pointy bras, and girdles; Bloom’s undies for the show came from a manufacturer that makes garments for Hasidic Jewish women, since this purveyor still offered ’60-style underwear that starts at your chest and ends “at your knee, basically.†If it’s any consolation, though, being on Julia did come with its perks. Bloom mentioned that the set’s in-house kitchen had a habit of giving away any extra cooking at the end of the day. We can only imagine how much Bloom enjoyed that, given that she’s enough of a foodie to end her afternoon at Vulture Fest with a completely improvised musical ode to cheese on carbs.

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Rachel Bloom’s ‘60s Hair for Julia Was ‘Kinda Freeing’