1920’s Hairstyles
The early 1920’s witnessed major progress in the transition of women’s hairstyles from the traditional long-hair styles of the nineteenth century – to new short-hair styles like “the bob”, a process that started during the great war (WW1). 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. The bobbed hairstyles of the late 1920’s continued to grow in popularity well into the 1930’s. 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. Some hairstyles only had a short time in the limelight before they disappeared forever. Barbers and hairdressers competed with each other to get business from women seeking to shed their long hair and obtain the latest hair fashions.
1920’s movie stars and other celebrities were early adopters of the new shorter styles. Their celebrity status ensured that that the new styles received maximum publicity and in turn were eagerly copied by their fans. Despite the high cost involved initially there was a very high uptake of permanent waving when it became available to women everywhere.
The 1920’s was the decade of short hair hairstyles as the previously fashionable long-hair hairstyles became unpopular. Although considered extremely radical in the early 1920’s, bobbed hair quickly became the “must have” hairstyle for young girls and young ladies aged in their twenties, the popularity extending to middle-aged women in their thirties and forties. 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 stylish bobs continued to be popular well into the 1930’s defying hairdressing critics who had predicted the bob would be a short-term fad that would only last a year or two at most. As it turned out, the huge popularity of bobbed hairstyles for women became a major revolution in womens hairstyling.