However, by the mid to late 1960s, in the midst of the
The term has its roots in the 1960s and 1970s when many prominent figures were described as sporting the hairstyle. In 1970, the Los Angeles Times called college football star Scott Marcus a flower child with "golden brown hair ... in ringlets around his head in what he calls a Jewish afro style".
Throughout the 1980s and for much of the 1990s, the Afro was pretty much non-existent. That is until the late 1990s when the Natural Hair movement as we know it today was getting underway. Black women started trading in their relaxers and weaves for their God-given kinks, coils, curls and waves.
During the Black Power movement of the 1960s, the afro emerged as a powerful symbol of identity and pride, challenging societal norms. In the 1970s, the disco era saw a mainstream acceptance of the afro as a fashionable choice, transcending its political roots.
Chuck Berry: The Afro became the style standard in the '70's as a result of the Black Power /Civil Rights movement in the '60's. The vast majority of black men during that era wore Afros and ditched the relaxers and hot combs--they felt freer to make the choice between straightening and leaving their hair alone.
Long hair was commonly worn middle-parted and curled at the ends or with half-pulled back and a backcombed bouffant. As the hippie look gained popularity so did long hair with bangs that fell below the eyebrows. For medium hair, the main go-to looks were rounded bouffants and curled bobs.
The tapered Afro was a favored, natural hair style in the '80s. A variation of the '70s afro style, this look shapes your natural texture with pinned sides and a tapered cut for a more structured look.
An afro can be any length, short or long, but it is different for everyone, especially depending on the person's race and ethnicity. Europeans and Asians will tend to have wavier, looser curls, so they usually cannot grow natural afros.
"With all the variations of Black hair, these wigs were used to create hair uniformity. There was a theatrical element. Even if we look at some of the movies from the 1970s, we knew that they were wearing afro wigs."
However, by the mid to late 1960s, in the midst of the Black Power movement, the Afro became a popular symbol for racial pride and activism, as well as an important part of the “Black is Beautiful” rhetoric.
There wasn't just one look that defined the'90s. “The short cropped bob, voluminous, bouncy blowouts, long hair with blunt ends and face-framing layers, sleek updos with face-framing pieces, and voluminous bombshell updos with face-framing pieces were all popular during this time period,” says Marjan.
Celebrities and political activists wore the Afro with pride as part of a new movement in pop culture, and we're happy to see that this continues today — more and more women are embracing their natural texture and we're seeing the resurgence of this popular hairstyle trend.
Invented by the hairdresser Jheri Redding, the Jheri curl gives the wearer a glossy, loosely curled look. It was touted as a "wash and wear" style that was easier to care for than the other popular chemical treatment of the day, the relaxer.
Spiked hair, teased hair, brightly colored hair, and shaved hair sections were popularized in the 1980s by the punk movement, as were the Mohawk and its twisted variant, Liberty spikes. The Mullet haircut existed in several different styles, all characterized by hair short on the sides and long in the back.
The afro hair style, which emerged in the 1960s during the civil rights movement, was "a symbol of rebellion, pride and empowerment", says Mr Lynch.
“The '70s was all about volume, tousled hair, and the sex-kitten vibe.” You can get the look by blasting clipped-back hair with a blow dryer or using barrel-size rollers to fluff.
The first documented use of hair extensions and wigs is around 3400 BC, in Ancient Egypt. Whilst body hair was a big no, thick hair on the head was seen as a status symbol. Wigs and hair extensions were worn by both men and women who were higher up in society.
The Afro Hair Movement of the 1960s and 1970s was a cultural and political statement that challenged Eurocentric beauty standards and celebrated Black identity. The Afro hairstyle, characterized by its voluminous and natural curls, became a symbol of Black pride and resistance against racism and discrimination.
Black hair is the most common in Asia and Africa. Though this characteristic can also be seen throughout Europe as well, it is considerably less common. It can be found in Celtic populations such as in Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Black hair can come in a variety of textures, just as any hair color.
[But] please do not wear so-called “Afro” wigs. 'These wigs are culturally insensitive and not appropriate to be worn as fancy dress.
The 1980s saw the onset of huge, voluminous locks on men and women, often in the form of long, curly hair. Inspired by heavy metal and appropriately-named "Hair Bands," huge hair was everywhere.
In the '80s, big hair was not only a status symbol, but also allowed women to take up space, Rachael Gibson, who runs the account The Hair Historian, told the outlet. It was a statement and, especially for artists in the limelight, “filling the screen with your hair felt like quite a power move,” she added.
Hairstyles of the Elizabethan era were characterized by high, frizzed hair and often placed over wires or pads to create a heart-shaped frame around the head. These hairstyles were made easier when the first metal hairpins were invented in England in 1545.