Hairstyles - Come and Go.

  Hair styles have come and gone over time with some even making an appearance more than once while others faded into the mists of time.

Today, I'll be exploring several different hairstyles that evolved due to a variety of reasons.

The first one, the Bedford crop, made its appearance in 1795 due to a tax placed on hair powder combined with a shortage of flour caused the Duke of Bedford and his followers to ignore powdered wigs and revert to short hair.  They used a bit of wax to hold the side part in place but otherwise, their hair was natural.  This type of hair do made its appearance again and again over time as it alternated with longer hair styles.

The second, the Titus Cut, also appeared in 1795 but it was the first short hair cut for females.  In this style the hair was cut quite short and swept upwards to expose the neck.  The hair cut was a result of the French Revolution where they cut women's hair quite short so they could be placed in the guillotine.  The style disappeared when the French Revolution ended and long hair became fashionable again but it reappeared in various styles in the 1920's and the 1960's.

Then there are sausage curls which originally appeared in the 1830's in which women gathered their hair on each side of their head and force it into ringlets that framed their faces.  Although the style disappeared for awhile, it reappeared in the early days of the film industry when Mary Pickford chose to wear that style.  She popularized it again.

Of course, there is the standard bowl cut that has made its appearance throughout history.  It appears as early as the 12th century in Europe.  This simple style had the hair cut about the same length all around the head.  It got its name since a bowl was placed on the head and used as a cutting guide. It made an appearance in the 1960's again when the Beetles their version and soon it spread around the UK and America.

Another style that's been around for a very long time is the mullet.  Yes it was popular in the 1990's but it's been around since Homer's day but the term Mullet didn't appear till the Beastie Boys used it in one of their songs.  It is said the style kept men's necks warm and dry while making it harder to grab a warriors hair during battle.  It never really went out of style but kept coming back again and again.

There is also the Pompadour, the style associated with Johnny Cash and Elvis but it has been around since the mid 1700's when Madame Pompadour who was the mistress of King Louis XV.  This style has the hair coming off the forehead in a roll but before the country singers began wearing it, women wore it as part of the Gibson Girl style.

These are just a few hairstyles that have come into popularity, gone, and come back.  On Monday, I'll be looking at the history of wigs and their use through history.  I hope you enjoyed reading about these stories.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.