Popular 1920’s Hairstyles
The long-hair styles of the nineteenth century began to give way to shorter hairstyles like “the bob” during the early 1920’s, a trend which continued to grow in popularity. While bobbed hairstyles of the early 1920’s were very plain, they were transformed with beautiful curls and waves by the late 1920’s into stylish and feminine bobs that endured into the 1930’s. Bobbed hairstyles of the late 1920’s endured in popularity through the early 1930’s as well. Many of the popular and attractive shorter womens hairstyles from the 20’s and 30’s are currently experiencing a modern day revival as hair stylists go back in time seeking fresh ideas and inspiration from the beautiful short hairstyles of this trend setting era.
Hairstyles like the Bob, finger wave, Marcel wave, and shingle were the most popular hairstyles of the 1920’s with numerous variations of each. Other hairstyles like the Eton Crop were only temporary phenomenons. Barbers and hairdressers were in competition with each other for the cream of this booming hairdressing business, as women of all ages sacrificed their long tresses on the altar of fashion.
As early adopters of the new shorter hair styles, 1920’s movie stars and other celebrities played a big part in popularizing the new hair fashions through appearances in movies and stage shows, the new hairstyles they sported being eagerly copied by their adoring fans. Even though it was very expensive when first introduced, permanent hair waving was an instant hit with women looking for permanence in their hairstyles.
The 1920’s was the decade of short hair hairstyles as the previously fashionable long-hair hairstyles became unpopular. Bobbed hairstyles were considered extremely radical and unattractive by many to begin with but young women and middle aged women embraced the style in increasing numbers. The original plain bobs eventually gave way to much more attractive shingled bobs or incorporated waves and curls using sophisticated cuts to add style and interest. These later fashionable bobs continued in popularity well into the early 1930’s defying critics who had predicted the bob would be a short-lived fad that would only survive a year or two at most. In actual fact, the mass migration to bobbed hairstyles turned out to be part of a major revolution in womens hairstyling.
