Hair Styles in the 20th Century

The Victorian Era was a subdued time followingFrench pleat became popular. Permanent waving
the decadence of the 19th Century. It was notwas introduced. Hair often resembled a tight curly
seemly for a lady to have her hair loose andhelmet!
flowing about her face. Styles were sleek andDuring the 60’s a revolution was taking place.
smooth. Hair was often smoothed down with oilsMany women worked and needed styles that
and curled into ringlets. Hairnets were worn duringwere quick and easy to keep in place. A lot of
the day, to keep curls in place. Towards the endladies favoured the short, back-combed styles
of the period, hair was worn plaited and woundthat could be quickly done and held in place with
into coils around the head and firmly fixed with ahairspray. Later in the 60’s the hippy
pin in to the nape of the neck.movement started more carefree styles, long
The ‘Roaring Twenties’ abandoned thehair left loose adorned with flowers or ribbons and
constraints of Victorian life and women caused abeads.
stir by going to the barber shops and wantingDuring the 70’s, big hair was the must have.
their hair cut into a bob. The free spirited youngLong layered hair that was curled on big rollers
women of the twenties shortened their hair andwas the fashion of the day. It carried on the
their skirts and enjoyed themselves. With thefreedom of the 60’s but certainly made a
advent of the ‘bob’ another, now familiar,statement about the ladies ‘crowning
hair pin evolved – the bobbie pin was born!glory’.
During the thirties hair grew once more, but notTowards the end of the 70’s ‘Punk’
to the long locks of the beginning of the century.emerged. Hair was strikingly different with spiky
Hair was curled and pinned into rolls. As the thirtiesstyles and vivid colours. The ‘Mohican’
drew to a close, fashionable hair was nearlyarrived with its stand up hair, dyed and spiked,
shoulder length and curled. Most women woulddown the middle of the scalp and the sides
also wear hats so the style was often smooth onshaved. This style was usually sported by young
top with rolls of hair pinned up to sit neatly aroundmen and was only worn by the few.
the hat.The 80’s saw more freedom and individuality.
Cinema had become an important pastime duringThe big hair of the 70’s still remained but
the late thirties and forties. Many women wouldmore ladies were having their hair cut shorter.
want their hair to be styled like their screen idols.When Prince Charles and Lady Diana married
Hair was longer, falling around the shoulders ineveryone wanted a ‘Lady Di’ haircut
waves. But of course, there was a war on sobased on a bob. As women got more powerful
practicality took over. Hair would be pinned into ajobs they wanted hairstyles to match their
neat roll at the nape of the neck and often‘power dressing’. The long bob was very
covered with a headscarf knotted in the front.popular with its precision cutting.
Shampoo was hard to come by, plastic rollers andDuring the 90’s hair was very relaxed. Nearly
setting lotion was used to keep the style in placeanything goes and there were many styles. Long
for longer.hair was favoured by many with the
With war out of the way and life becoming more‘Rachel’ (from the TV series Friends) cut
‘normal’ the ladies of the day wanted tobeing a big hit. Messed up hair became very
look well groomed. Many ladies started to visit apopular and possible with all the new hair products
Salons every week for a ‘shampoo andlike hair wax and putty.
set’. Hair was becoming more sculpted. The