The Fashion Statement: Bouffants are Back
The bouffant, the piled-high hairstyle popularized in the late '50s and early '60s, is back!
Amy Winehouse has been rockin' a beehive for years. But, this year, bouffants kicked into high gear and were seen on the runways of Chanel, Dior, Oscar de la Renta (above) and Vera Wang. On the celeb front Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson and Kate Beckinsale have all given it a whirl.
Bouffant. Pompadour. Whatever you call it, it was born in France, reportedly first introduced by Madame de Pompadour who was a mistress of Louis XV. But the real bouffant as we know it today was created for Marie Antoinette, who apparently wanted to mask her thin hair. Closer to the truth, it was the fashion. And, as we know, Antoinette was not exactly known for her restraint.
According to Daring 'Dos: A History of Extraordinary Hair, by Mary Trasko, both Pompadour and Antoinette wore their hair high on the forehead, either brushed over a pad or "frizzed." Some estimated the towering styles stretched three feet high. Hair was such a production back then, women slept propped up on pillows. Our quips today that animals could live in those things was more than partly right-the pomades back then were made of lard and attracted vermin.
By the '60s, the style had become so commonplace in the West, it spread to American suburbs. Throngs of women made their weekly trips to the hair salon, usually Fridays. Wash. Set. Tease. And use lots of industrial strength hair spray. Teachers complained about girls whose hair was so big that they blocked other students from seeing the blackboard.
The bouffant did have a practical side. "A bouffant is easier to run in because the wind doesn't blow your hair in your face," said a member of the "Bouffant Belles," an all-girl track team from Abilene, Texas, photographed in a 1964 Sports Illustrated spread.
Bouffants made a brief comeback in the '90s (En Vogue and Janet Jackson's videos, anyone?) and influenced the second incarnation of Vidal Sassoon's graduated bob that first became an international hit in 1963.
Today, even the political contingent seems enamored with the bouffant, however conservative their interpretation. Hillary Clinton is the latest convert, joining Sarah Palin, at least on this endeavor alone.
For our generation, the bouffant is most closely associated with our parents time. A time of security, financial stability, family values and progress...or so we thought.
Bouffants made a brief comeback in the '90s (En Vogue and Janet Jackson's videos, anyone?) and influenced the second incarnation of Vidal Sassoon's graduated bob that first became an international hit in 1963.
Today, even the political contingent seems enamored with the bouffant, however conservative their interpretation. Hillary Clinton is the latest convert, joining Sarah Palin, at least on this endeavor alone.
For our generation, the bouffant is most closely associated with our parents time. A time of security, financial stability, family values and progress...or so we thought.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
nestmission Jul 16th 2010 8:37AM
I for one am glad these hair styles...remember I said STYLES are coming back. I would hope to never see them as big as they were once were. I am so sick of seeing all these long stringy no style hairdos. Doesn't anyone curl their hair today to give it some body? Hardly anyone looks good with their hair slicked down to their heads. There was a time when women took pride in how they looked and used to style their hair. I for one hope it is coming back!!!!!
handsome !! Jul 16th 2010 10:17AM
Here's an astounding and shocking blog post depicting REALLY HUGE HAIR... you will not believe these hair contraptions !!
http://jimmyboi2.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/the-secrets/