Bob. Mullet. Shag. Pixie. Pompadour. Octopus. Butterfly. Wolf cut. All names for various hairstyles. However, whilst some of these names are widely accepted, others, in recent months, appear to be garnering controversy. As such, HJ decided to delve into the topic of hairstyle names, to try and determine what causes this divide…
Where Do Hairstyle Names Come From?
Names originate from various places. For example, many associate the ‘bob’ with Vidal Sassoon and the 60s, however the style has roots much earlier than this. Some cite French actress Polaire as introducing the style in 1890s, however it wasn’t until the 1920s that the style began to pick up traction, when ballroom dancer Irene Castle cut her hair for convenience. But where did the name come from? Simply, historical dialect - in the late 17th Century, ‘bob’ meant ‘short hair’.
Other styles have been named after the people who popularised the looks - the pompadour was made famous by Madame de Pompadour, a mistress of King Louis XV in the early 1700s, whilst the eponymous ‘Rachel’ was inspired by the character of the same name from the 90s sitcom Friends. Additionally, some styles, such as ‘the shag’, are descriptive of the style itself, with the adjective shaggy meaning ‘unkempt’ and ‘tousled’.
The Evolution of Hairstyle Names
Recently, some hairstyle names have been tweaked (e.g the boyfriend bob), whilst others have been renamed entirely. But why is this the case? Terms such as ‘the French bob’ and ‘the Castle bob’ may lack cultural relevance in today’s society, and as such, the younger generation of stylists have found alternative names that better resonate with their clients. The success of this tactic can be seen online, with styles such as ‘the octopus’, reminiscent of ‘the Rachel’, increasing by 187% on TikTok search. Meanwhile, many believe styles such as ‘the wolf cut’ are simply an existing style with a new name, however, contrary to popular belief, a wolf cut is not a reincarnation of the shag. Indeed, whilst many question the former on social media, the style is actually a hybrid of both the shag and the mullet, and as such, has its own name. As we've seen for many years, hairstyles, haircuts, and trends that originate from years ago tend to come back around bigger and better than ever, with a slight and subtle modern twist. It just so happens that now, with that, comes a new name.
Article image credit: Jordanna Cobella
Feature image credit: Joseph Ferarro
