A woman would sleep in her curlers if she wanted to wear a hairstyle the next day. More commonly, women at home with children or out shopping would wear their hair in "curlers" during the day. The same applied to women and girls working in the factories.
The head would be covered usually with a head scarf, knotted under the chin or worn as a turban. This woman wears a mob cap.
In the evening the curlers would be taken out and the lifted hairstyles of the era created.
Sugar& water was used to hold the style, in place of hair laquer.