7. Little Edie Developed Alopecia In Her 20s
In the Grey Gardens documentary, Little Edie is also shown wearing fanciful headscarves and jewelry holding them in place. The range of head coverings, from scarves to towels and even shirts, inspired a renaissance of scarves among fashion-conscious women after the documentary aired. Even fashion houses like Calvin Klein found inspiration in her headwear and Harpers Bazaar and Vogue featured spreads taking cues from her style.
Sadly, the head coverings were not just a fashion choice for Little Edie. Beginning in her 20s, she suffered from alopecia which is the medical term for hair loss. The hair loss accelerated rapidly in her 30s, causing her to begin wearing head coverings at all time to hide the loss of her previously beautiful blonde hair.
Alopecia is a relatively common condition, affecting about 2% of all people at some point in their lives, and can be a result of numerous issues. While it is not clear why Little Edie suffered from alopecia initially, psychological stress can both cause and exacerbate alopecia. It wouldn’t be hard to see how the dramatic loss of both her life in New York and the security of her family’s wealth could have caused the acceleration of her hair loss.