Popular Hairstyles Throughout The Decades
Voltaire... Hair.
Called a woman’s “crowning glory”, our hair is a symbol of beauty. It’s not surprising, then, that hairstyle trends usually start with celebrities—the people who often set beauty standards. From Mary Pickford’s curls and Marilyn Monroe’s platinum blonde locks to Farrah Fawcett’s bouncy waves and Billie Eilish’s neon green hair, women have been emulating the best celebrity hairstyles for the last century.
Mary Pickford curls
Mary Pickford’s curly hairstyle was her trademark, earning her the nickname, “The Girl with the Curls”. Even as women embraced sleek, short styles in the 1920s, Pickford kept her long, golden curls. The actress—and the women who emulated her—styled her curls without heat, wrapping her hair in leather curling rags when it was almost dry.
Browbands
Browbands are a hallmark of 1920s flapper hairstyles. These thin pieces of fabric, worn around the forehead, were often embellished with sequins, crystals, or feathers.
Bangs
People have cut their bangs since ancient Egyptian times. However, bangs soared in popularity during the 1920s—and have continued to be part of popular hairstyles since. Appearing as part of the blunt bob styles of the 1920s, bangs have been trendy in virtually every decade since. Veronica Lake’s peekaboo bangs in the 1940s, Betty Paige’s pinup bangs in the 1950s, and the feathered bangs of the 1980s are all styles that have been widely adopted.
The Bob
The classic bob cut was introduced to the United States by Irene Castle, a ballroom dancer who appeared on Broadway and in the movies between the 1910s and ‘30s. Popularized in the 1920s by flappers, variations of the bob have trended in virtually every decade since. The classic blunt bob is cut at the same length around the head, usually at jaw level and may or may not include bangs.
