Hairdressing

Hairdressing serves two primary functions. The first is practical, that is, arranging hair from its natural state keeps it out of the eyes and from blocking or distorting one’s view. Hairdressing at regular intervals further helps maintain cleanliness, removes lice and debris, and reduces the likelihood of foul odors.

Warriors wearing headgear maintain hairdressings to fit for protection. Chinese, Korean, and Japanese warriors, for example, wear hairstyles like a uniform, signifying their membership in a clan or regiment.

Another function of hairdressing for males and females is to promote sexual attraction through the release of pheromones. Odors are known to evaporate through hair. Shampooing hair with perfumed scents stimulates human sexual attraction when the odor is smelled, according to students of osmology, the science of smell research.

Other functions of hairdressing include communicating religious preferences, political proclamations, fashion statements, and social suggestions like marital status.

Background

It is possible humans learned hairdressing from primates with a natural cleaning instinct to groom one another’s hair. The change in human physique and biology left hair primarily atop the head. Specialization of skills opened the door to professions like barbers, hairdressers, and beauticians. The natural musky smell of males attracts women when they are most fertile; it may account for one reason females rub their fingers through a male’s hair when making love. Men tend to prefer women with long, lustrous hair, perhaps from evolutionary psychology, which signifies a healthy look for procreation. Hairdressing throughout the world—modern and primeval societies, cults, and communities—sends messages. African tribe members identify a woman’s affiliation, age, number of children, and husband by her hairstyle. Orthodox Jewish women cover their hair with hats and wrappings or wear wigs to signify they are (or were) married, thus unavailable to other men. It promotes their own sense of modesty, as do head coverings and stark, pulled-back hairdressing of Shaker and Amish women. Some women in cloistered societies shave their hair off to emphasize their extreme commitment to modesty.

In ancient Egypt, where hairdressing morphed into an art, styles signified wealth, age, and social group. Shoulder-length hair was popular for men and women, while young adults shaved their heads but kept the "Lock of Youth," a tuft on the side. Egyptian girls dressed their hair in plaits, braids, and ponytails, while older men wore wigs to hide the grey and baldness that came with age.

Ancient and medieval Jews associated this style and those who kept a tuft at the nape of the neck with pagan idol worshipers. Nevertheless, they interpreted the biblical commandment for males neither to shave facial hair nor cut the side locks.

Egyptian women liked a natural curl to their hair, adorning it with flowers, blossoms, and ribbons; the wealthy sometimes threaded gold or garnet, while low-income individuals used berries and petals. Ivory headbands and hairpins gained popularity, as did hair weaves threading gold, extensions, and henna hair dye. Hairdressing styles and decoration took on momentum in well-fed, wealthier countries. The Greeks also braided, decorated, and dyed their hair, preferring blond and red dyes. And much like women today adorning their coiffures with glitter, the Greeks sprinkled gold powder into their hair. "Blonds have more fun" is an age-old adage.

Hairdressing Today

Beauty is the watchword of the modern hairdressing industry. Roman women gave impetus to hairdressing as an expression of one’s identity and to enhance their beauty, reflecting their status. Laurels became popular among Roman men with the onset of balding. Nero introduced long, curly hair for men. Trendy sideburns on men emanate from Nero’s hairdressing style. By the seventeenth century, men adopted wigs after French King Louis XIV for covering their balding heads, and today, hair implants, atomized sprays to cover bald spots and thinning hair, and toupees are readily accepted techniques for maintaining that youthful, virile look. With the advent of talking movies and glamour girls, Western women picked up on the dyed-blond look, following the lead of film stars like Jean Harlow, "The It Girl."

Black American women emerging from slavery kept their hair short. In the 1960s, political activism inspired outsized, thick, curly, and natural hairstyles as a political statement of self-expression, identity, and freedom. As Black American women assimilated, increased their wealth, living standard, and education, many used chemicals to straighten their hair. However, hair relaxer sales to Black customers continued dropping, replaced by moisturizers, lotions, creams, pomades, shampoos, and conditioners for a natural and healthy look. Corn rolls (cornrows) became fashionable as a throwback to a more natural hairdressing state for Black women and women of other racial groups. They are a modern fashion statement. The Black female hairdressing industry in America is continuously booming because of its importance in Black female culture.

In the twenty-first century, almost anything goes vis-à-vis hairstyles for men and women. Mohawks, side cuts, pink dye, shaven heads, hair with symbols and words carved into hair. The nonconformist look is still popular in the twenty-first century and accepted in many workplaces and occupations, like information technology (IT), where nonconformity is prized. Fashion magazines abound with hairdressing tips and style makeovers.

Many of the leading hairdressing stylists are men. Men got their start in the industry making wigs. One of the earliest schools to teach modern hairdressing was founded in 1769, the L'Académie de Coiffure, begun by the hairdresser to the Court of France. In the twenty-first century, schools that offer hairdressing classes are common. To practice as a professional hairdresser in the United States, individuals must comply with their state’s qualification and licensing requirements.

The hairdressing industry expanded with the introduction of chemicals and hardware. For instance, in the early 1900s, heating machines created the short hair permanent wave look but left the hair frizzy at times. Cold wave replaced it using designer chemicals and a simplified process. Rollers were invented in the 1950s, making wavy hair possible with less fuss and bother.

The global hairdressing market's estimated worth exceeds $99 billion annually. Hairdressing services are commonly combined with spa services like nail and skin care. Hairdressers may work with clients in hospitals, nursing homes, retirement centers, and even funeral homes.

Bibliography

Cesarani, David. “Autobiographical Reflections on Writing History, the Holocaust and Hairdressing.” Holocaust Scholarship: Personal Trajectories and Professional Interpretations, 2015, doi.org/10.1057/9781137514196‗5. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.

Dabiri, Emma. Twisted: The Tangled History of Black Hair Culture. Harper Perennial, 2019.

"The Evolution of Hairstyles: A Journey through Time." NHBF, 14 Sept. 2023, www.nhbf.co.uk/news-and-blogs/blog/the-evolution-of-hairstyles-a-journey-through-time. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.

"The Evolution of Women's Hairstyles." Actsyl, 30 Oct. 2023, actsyl.com/blogs/care-and-tips/the-evolution-of-womens-hairstyles-a-comprehensive-journey. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.

Opiah, Antonia. "The Changing Business of Black Hair, a Potentially $500b Industry." Huffington Post, 25 Mar. 2014, www.huffpost.com/entry/the-changing-business-of-‗b‗4650819. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.

Trainor, Sean. "Dyeing to Impress: Hair Products and Beauty Culture in Nineteenth-Century America." Recipes Project, 1 Jan. 2015, recipes.hypotheses.org/4742. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.