For all the technical success and scientific progress, hair designers more and more often adopt the last epoch's achievements. Here's what's hot and not trough the decades...
Artistry happens when ideas collect, combine and evolve. And the same is true in hairstyling. If we take a look at the leading stylists´ current collections, the influence of the 1960s becomes obvious, after all, almost every hairdresser´s school includes the ‘bob´ as a relevant silhouette. And every year it´s reintroduced with a slightly different take, a new hand that recreates the look time and time again. Stylists regularly quote the romance and femininity of the 1950s and free style of the 1970s and it shows in their collections. What ever happened to the ribbon of the 1960s? What result did the advent of the blow dryer uncover in future designs? And the influence of the punk1980s and 1990s shows itself in edgy and graphic designs that underlie many shapes that are current today in the new millennium. We wonder what influence will the turn of the century have on the future?
The 1950s
Feminity in fashion achieved such a scale! The Second World War ended, the world took a breath and women, feeling tired of strict and inexpressive attire of military years, were beginning to break free. The typical image of that epoch was embodied by Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, in spite of the fact that there was nothing in common between the elegant aristocracy of Hepburn´s look and sultry blonde seductiveness of Monroe. Each of these style icons presented the image of femininity which the world missed badly during the war years and boldly embraced going forward.
At the end of the 1940´s, Christian Dior created his famous timeless look that determined the main features of the style of the 1950s: romantic lines, slim waist, tight-fitting bodice, wide bell-bottomed skirt, halter tops. The silhouettes of this epoch are exaggeratedly feminine — slanting shoulders, rounded hips, surprisingly slim waist, deep decollete. Small handbags, scarves, bonnets and gloves wearable in any season were very popular. As for make-up the beauty of that decade has light skin, uses bright red lipstick and lines her eyes with coquettish arrows.
The 1950s introduced a great deal of different hairstyles. After all, each bonnet demanded a certain set and many fashionable women did not hesitate to change hair color for a particular occasion. And girls were exhibiting their independence bravely. It is not surprising that many hairstyles of those years exerted noticeable influence on modern fashion.
THEN
Elvis Presley/Grease: The king´s distinctive forelock and the movie´s popular ‘ducktail´ impressed the fans no less than the rock ‘n´ roll music. Both styles demanded a great amount of ‘Brylcreem´ which resembled greasy Vaseline.
Audrey Hepburn: Movie star hair expressed the ultimate femininity and perfection in hairstyles from small curls set in a low bun to little waves framing the face and flowing to shoulders. These sets demanded a great amount of lacquer and the hair more resembled candy floss than glossy, healthy waves.
Brave girls: Self-independence reared its head and the brave short fringe appeared — splendid and thick, and never lower than the middle of forehead. And in spite of all rock 'n' roll temptations, those girls who did not want to risk such bravery, added a bun in back!
NOW
These distinctive shapes found themselves adapted to a woman´s evening set for curvy style but instead of heavy creams — we backcomb and use pins!
Today, feminine sets with waves experience the real renaissance. The difference today is the high degree of hair health. Styling product must be weightless and invisible on hair and, of course, the stylists advise special care to keep locks healthy.
The short fringe is an obligatory element of any graphic hair cut now. Particularly expressive with long hair set in the 1950s style low bun. But today such fringes look more accurate when achieved by precision cutting techniques.
The 1960s
The sixties was the time for a cultural revolution the influence of which we feel to the present day. For the first time, youth declared their world view and opinions and that gave rise to youth fashion. No surprise that the invention of the miniskirt became almost the main symbol of the 1960s. The revolt of the younger generation that declared their right to live in a new way was expressed by Twiggy, the ideal of beauty at that time. A slim girl with enormous eyes and boy´s haircut occupied the main step on the fashion pedestal and expressed a childish world perception. Beauty does not require sacrifice any more such as tightened waist and complicated hair waving, democratic practical youth fashion comes to take their place: instead of dresses with the slim wasp waist, we find the A-line silhouette and instead of stiletto heels, boots and sandals on a flat sole were popular. Makeup becomes more natural-looking and though brightly underlined eyes are in fashion, the colors are childish.
The 1960s also became a real cultural revolution in hairdressing, too -Vidal Sassoon invented haircuts with scissors because before that, hairdressers used only razors. The wash and wear cut became popular and the most remarkable feature of hairdresser´s art during this time was laying emphasis on ‘cut´, whether long hair or short, and not on set as it was before.
THEN
The Beatles: The generation´s cult figure, expressed influence not only on music but on fashion, too. Young men with elongated cuts and side whiskers abound.
Hippies: With their long hair and absence of any haircut, they expressed noticeable influence on fashion and attitude. They advocated for the whole confluence with nature and independence from any industry!
One more popular silhouette of the sixties is divided nape and elongated strands at face. Usually this haircut was performed with the help of razor and then the hair was formed on curlers. Ribbon: The ribbon for hair is one of the signature accessories of the 1960s. It had no practical use except its quality of decoration and use as a headband and ponytail holder.
NOW
The haircut of elongated form - one of the most popular, but a woman´s silhouette changed it a little so the contour of haircut has become less thick.
Ecostyle: Today natural-looking hair is a result of hard work. To achieve this result hair is cut every month and ‘natural´ color and hair health is achieved through current technology and a colorist´s skill.
This haircut became the background for the ‘bob.´ Certainly, today curlers are very seldom used while straightened hair looks more interesting in a precision cut. Now, we add volume with a brush and a blow dryer.
The hoop or headband, successor of famous ribbon, is worn now. Conceived in every textile, material, and color with or without embellishment, a woman can have one for every style.
The 1970s
Now, the reckless hippy attitude from the 1960s has grown up a bit now and become disillusioned with many things. The Vietnam war and oil crisis that enveloped the whole world contributed to these dampening spirits.
In the 1970s, the fashion industry finally embraced the hippy aesthetics but certainly made it more pressed and refined. Natural textiles become the privilege of haute couture. Blouses with flowered ornament and bell-bottomed trousers occupied the honorable place in wardrobe of each self-respecting fashionable woman.
THEN
The Hairdryer: The blow-dry is born! This opens new horizons in style creation. After all it is possible to experiment bravely with different sets!
Farrah Fawcett Feathers: The round brush does wonders for soft style by creating volume at the ends by flipping hair away from the face using a blow dryer.
One more popular silhouette of the sixties is divided nape and elongated strands at face. Usually this haircut was performed with the help of razor and then the hair was formed on curlers.
Some alternatives to middle-class style were presented by provoking the establishment and sparkly disco dance attire went forward at a steady gait and shocking punk style was born and fell over into the 1980s.
Long flowing hair inherited from hippy sisters is as popular as before, but now carefully combed and brushed, even a little curled with the soft feathers of Farrah Fawcett leading the teen rage. Disco style included big hair, wildly teased up in front and on the sides, garish makeup, and the wildly cut and colored ‘scalp locks´ of punks which only became more pronounced into the 1980s.
NOW
Experiments from the ‘70´s underlay our modern creative views of haircuts. The difference is that now, cutting should be performed by real master.
Now we use the round brush placed underneath roots and lift upwards using the blow dryer to create volume at the roots instead of the ends!
Non-restricted lengths, separated and marked-out strands or noncentral fringe - all these are echoes of punk culture.
The 1980s
The decade of economic rise. An increase of income level gave rise to the notions of prestige and luxury. The ‘haves´ and the ‘have-nots´ are separated more than ever before. Labels are replaced to the outer side of clothes with logos and the explicit demonstration of wealth stops being bad form. Young and successful ‘yuppies´ easily gain money and so easily spend it while their less lucky contemporaries watch the cult heroes of the TV series ‘Dynasty´ with a sinking heart.
The main heroine of the 1980s is the successful business-woman or vamp and that is why business suits with the silhouette of an upturned triangle are particularly popular. Shoulder-pads seam to underline the independence of emancipated successful women who are able to gain money and actively take care of themselves. Sport figures deserve demonstration and that is why skin-tight dresses, miniskirts and decollete enter into fashion in a new and different expression. Women of the 1980s bravely use bright makeup colors of shadows, blush and lipstick to punctuate their independence.
Short haircuts and permanent waving struggle for attention. The short haircut and ‘the perm´ afforded simple elegance and no-fuss attitude both in a business suit and during sports, while the big-hair looks continued to balance the fashion silhouette of ‘wide shoulders - narrow hips.
THEN
Madonna: Blonde popularity achieves inconceivable limit. Lightening is usually achieved by highlights ‘on cap´ - not the most comfortable method, moreover the result was not always foretold.
The perm: Chemical waving is one of the most noticeable tendencies of 1980´s ‘poodle hair.´ At that time the curls were made very small and that is why, in the end, there was very fluffy result on longer lengths.
Heavy-handed: Styles were very extreme. Either long and wildly teased or short and graphically cut and styled with a heavy-hand and heavy product.
NOW
Highlights are still the most popular service in salons, now performed on foil or even on a special plastic or cotton plate. Highlights are not performed on the whole head, instead marking out separate elements of a hairstyle.
Now preference is given to long a lasting set and not to damaging, chemical waving. Now locks are straightened avoiding appearance of unsightly border between straight hair and curls. Technology has changed the texture of hair.
Today no haircut can do without wisps, which makes the haircut individual and affords adapting it for each client.
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