Hairstyles

Highlights were a teenage rite of passage, although striped and stark peroxide or copper, they rarely had the desired effect. Especially those coaxed by Sun-In, the hydrogen peroxide and lemon juice spray that was - often ill-fatedly - sprayed onto hair before it was...

Since its conception in the early 1920s, the pixie-cut continues to be redefined across time and space. Starting out as a symbol of female rebellion and evolving into a signifier of red-carpet chic, it has proven versatile and timeless. The ‘new woman’ - or, the...

“How did a five-letter word meaning dirt, filth, trash become synonymous with a musical genre, a fashion statement, a pop phenomenon?” asked the New York Times in 1994 about grunge. Born in Seattle in the mid 80s as a fusion of punk and metal music, grunge was a...

From a cultural statement, to associations with ‘female innocence’ - and later, its repurposing as a feminist weapon - the ponytail has over time developed a whole host of different meanings. Its complex and often, contradictory symbolism is perhaps why it continues...

The perm’s 80s,90s, noughties and current day revival is an impressive feat for one hairstyle. Whilst the trend may appear dated to some, its recent conception is a far cry away from its ‘authentic’ model. From improved styling techniques to changes in the form of the...

Anthropologist Harry Shapiro: “So universal is this urge to improve on nature.. That one is almost tempted to regard it as an instinct.” The process of dying hair has been adopted across time and space for reasons that go beyond just fashion.  Hair dye itself can...

This hairstyle is best understood as a symbol of hip hop’s golden age. Dating back to the late 80s, the high top fade - often referred to as the ‘cameo cut’ - was popularised by rappers like Doug e. Fresh and Schooly D. This marked the beginning of its...

Vertiginous, plasticised and rainbow bright, mohawks are a picture of 70s British punk. Their roots however, were planted way before, in the 17th century on the plains of what is now Nebraska by the American Indian Pawnee tribe. Known for their brazen fighting spirit,...

As a setting lotion or to soften curls, experimentation with hair-gel stems back for as long as we can remember. Ancient Egyptians reportedly gelled their hair with a mixture of resin and animal fat. They believed this would ensure their hairstyle travelled with them...

We have the pageboy, the flip… but nothing is happening around the top of the head" said the editor of Modern Beauty Salon magazine, when she tasked stylist Margaret Vinci Heldt with creating something entirely new for one of its covers. And so in 1960, fashioned...