International Hair Styles of the 20th Century Summer Johnson
Background
Back in my preschool days, my dad was the one who would drop me off at school in the morning since my mom was already at work. I had a choice: either have my father, the ultimate "man's man" do my hair, or figure it out by my five-year-old self. So I took it upon myself to learn how to make my hair look "good" for school. In elementary school, my version of good was either putting a thousand clips in my hair, or pulling my hair straight back in a ponytail. These humble attempts were the start of my interest in hair styling. By the time I was in high school, I was completely hooked, especially on styles involving braids. Instead of studying or doing homework, I would watch youtube hair styling tutorials and practice them on myself. My interest has now turned into a full-blown obsession and even though my major is Public Relations, I hope my dream job is something that lets me apply both of these. For my 20% Project, I will be recreating popular international hair trends from every decade of the 20th century.
Driving Question:
What have been the major trends and changes in hair styling around the world in the 20th century?
1900
FRANCE
In 1909 the "pompadour" was the most famous and elaborate hair style in France. This hairstyle was made by hair having long smooth waves and then pulling the middle section up on top of the head into a bun. Hair around the crown of the head was then curled and twisted making it looks very soft and pretty around the face. The pompadour hair style got its name from Marquise de Pompadour who was the mistress of Louis XV (1710-1774), king of France. She was known for her expensive wardrobe and was a model for French fashion. She was often see wearing her hair brushed back and high above her forehead, therefore the "pompadour" hairstyle was named after her.
1910
POLAND
Since I couldn't find a lot of research on popular hair trends on Poland, I decided to focus on how hair is worn with Polish folk costumes. Poland's folk costumes are sometimes still worn today for special occasions, like weddings, and by members of the older generation in very rural parts of Poland. Polish costumes vary by region but are typically brightly colored and elaborate. Headdresses are worn that use some sort of flowers or ribbons, depending on the costume. With the headdresses, hair is parted down the middle with two long braided pigtails.
1920
AMERICA
I chose the 1920's in the United States because that's my favorite decade. The '20s were a time of great change for the country, and that carried over to women's hairstyles. Women were finally chopping off their long locks and going with shorter hairstyles and bouncy curls, either very short or fashioned into an updo. This look was not accepted by many traditional "beauty parlors" because it wasn't regarded as feminine enough. So, during this time, many trendy women starting visiting barber shops to get the cut they wanted. With these styles, women would sometimes add fancy head pieces and jewelry. In re-creating the look, I decided to go with an updo using a headpiece for the final touch.
1930
RUSSIA
The fun and creative styles of the 20's carried over into the '30's, especially in Russia. Russian singer/actress Lyubov Orlova was considered to be in idol for Russian women, even winning two Stalin prizes. She was known for her short, but elegant, waves and how soft her hair looked, especially around her face. It was extremely common for women to try to recreate this look on themselves.
1940
MEXICO
In the 1940’s, women in Mexico were known for their big curls and thick, long hair. This was the first decade it was acceptable for Mexican women to actually wear their hair down. In this decade it was also common for women to fill in their eyebrows to achieve a very full look. It was also popular to wear a simple flower in your hair--especially a white flower, because this symbolizes purity in Mexico culture.
1950
NATIVE AMERICANS
I decided to change it up a little and go with an ethnic group instead of a country because Native Americans are such an important part of US history--and, I love the importance they place on hair. They consider hair to be a physical extension of a person's thoughts. In their culture, hairstyles are very symbolic and can represent a lot of different things, including a person's age, status, participation in a certain ceremony, or even if the tribe is in a time of war or piece. This means there are many different types of hair styles to choose from, but of course, I’m choosing braids. Braids symbolize unity and oneness to their people. They also wore feathers in their hair. I will be using Native Americans for my 1950’s look.
1960
ITALY
In the 1960’s women began to look at movie stars and magazines for how to style their hair. The decade was popular for “The Italian Cut.” This was a cut Italian movie stars like Gina Lollobrigida wore, and even Elizabeth Taylor rocked this look at one point, as it spread across to America. It featured short and fluffy waves and curls, tailored into a sculptured style. The style actually comes from a Latin look, so it looks looks best on brunettes.
1970
GERMANY
In 1961, the Berlin Wall was built, creating the West and East sides of Germany. The Wall created many differences between the two countries, including some differences in women's hairstyles. West Germany was known for long, loose hair, while East Germany adopted more "hippy-ish" styles. These styles were partially inspired by American hair styles. In these looks, you will probably notice a similarity to American superstar Farrah Fawcett, who was legendary for her long and soft beautiful curled locks.
1980
KOREA
The Jjokjin meori is probably the most well-known and classic Korean hairstyle. It is still used in Korea today. Jjokjin meori is formed by making a middle part, then tying the hair into a low bun in the middle of the neck. A large pin called a bi'nyeo is then used to hold the bun together. The bi'nyeo is an essential element of this style. It can be made with silver, gold, jade, bamboo, animal bones, etc. and the design on it could include a dragon, phoenix, wild ducks, lotus flowers, etc. The size also varied from anywhere to a couple of inches to as long as two feet!
Back view of final look. I couldn't find a bi'nyeo, so I created my own version of one.
1990
The Netherlands
Braids have found a renewed popularity today in America and many parts of the world. Hair designers are constantly coming up with new types of braids, but one of my favorites is still the classic "dutch braid." Everyone could probably guess a DUTCH braid originated in the Netherlands, but that's not actually where the first place you can trace it. It can actually be traced back 6,000 years ago, where there are images of it carved into rocks and as part of Greek art. So, we actually don't know exactly where this braid is from. However, we do know it is one of the oldest and most popular hair inventions and is still worn today. I decided to still use the dutch braid for the Netherlands because no hair style report would be complete without it being represented (at least, not in my opinion)!
Citations
http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/polish-girl-with-typical-costume-high-res-stock-photography/10157075
http://properhairstyles.com/1920s-hairstyles-for-long-hair-flappers/
http://beautifulrus.com/lyubov-orlova-soviet-iconic-actress/
https://www.pinterest.com/explore/mexican-hairstyles/
http://www.whitewolfpack.com/2013/08/elders-talk-about-significance-of-long.html
http://religion-nativeamerican.weebly.com/clothing.html
http://hair-and-makeup-artist.com/womens-1950s-hairstyles/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3178431/100-years-German-beauty-1920s-bobs-Nazi-era-plaits-1980s-feathered-hair-West-punk-East.html
http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-native-american/
http://glamourdaze.com/2015/03/the-italian-cut-hairstyle-craze-of-1953.html
http://askakorean.blogspot.com/2010/03/traditional-korean-hairdo-for-women.html
http://traditionalclothingoftheworld.blogspot.com/2012/07/polish-traditional-clothing.html
https://rbth.com/arts/2014/07/08/from_bouffants_to_bobs_the_changing_fads_of_russian_hairstyles_38031.html
http://glamourdaze.com/2013/09/women-show-the-latest-pompadour-hairstyles-1909.html
http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Pompadour.aspx
http://www.popsugar.com/beauty/History-French-Braid-22404991
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-G9GqVebSLc