The history of hairstyles and hair - 2
Finally, an entrepreneur capitalized on hair's phenomenal importance,
paving the way for the Vidal Sassoons and Bumble and Bumbles of our
times. In 1635, the very first ladies' hair salon, appropriately named Cham-
pagne, opened in Paris, France. Extra-firm-hold hair gel would have been an
essential commodity in the 18th century, when stiff pompadours-masses of
hair combed high, frizzed above the forehead, and held in place with paste
and glue-were the rage. The entire period marked the origins ofhairdress-
ing as a true art form. Hairdressers constructed monuments out of hair as
fashion statements, and even further, as statements about current events
and deep emotions. Tlie masterpieces were so elaborate that ladies report-
edly had to crouch on their knees to fit the huge 'dos into their carriages as
they traveled. Hundreds of years before the punk rock era as we know it, hair
was powdered in blue, violet, white, pink, and yellow pastels.
Eventually, the rigidity gave way to a historic form of "bedhead."
These elegantly neglected styles featured disarrayed locks whimsically
arranged and loosely tied, with overflows of curls in chocolate brown hues.
Hair was also crimped, tousled, and caught up in chignons, with locks
framing the face, much like today's special-occasion updo. Women also
wore their hair knotted low in heavy chignons and accented with flowers.
Late in the century, the French Revolution called for shorter, less elaborate
styles. During the early i9th century, hats, hoods, and headdresses became
popular in France. Plain and plaited hair made waves in England in the
1850s. The "'60s" were a different kind of groovy, with clip-on hair and big
hair marking another change from the norm. In the 1870s, beauty parlors
opened in the United States, featuring centennial chignons and dainty
bunches of curls. In the 1880's, women charted the course for Crystal Gayle,
wearing their hair all the way down their backs, even to the ankles.
Other Pages
History of Hair 1
History of Hair 2
History of Hair 3
History of Hair 4
History of Hair 5
