The Bob |
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It all started in 1915 with the debut of the Castle Bob, named after the celebrated ballroom dancer Irene Castle. While cutting her hair for convenience, little would she know that she would forever be associated with triggering a revolution in 20th-century hair fashion. The Castle Bob would be the first indication of things to come ¾ the rage of short hair. |
The bob haircut was simply a blunt cut, level with the bottom of the ears all around the head. It was worn either with bangs or with the hair brushed off of the forehead. It was a simple look but a drastic departure from the long feminine looks created by Gibson and Marcel. |
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F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story “Bernice Bobs Her Hair.” This |
By 1921, following the lead of fashion designer “Coco” Chanel and actresses Clara Bow and Louise Brooks, young women everywhere took the plunge and began bobbing their hair. |
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Tears and smelling salts accompanied the sacrifice as shorn cascades of crowning glories tumbled to the floors of barbershops. Men raged over the female invasion of the barbershop but at that time, the-cutting-of-hair was still a male-dominated occupation. In some cities, long lines of women were reported standing outside barbershops while inside, many women patiently sat on floors waiting their turn to be bobbed. In New York City, reports of up to 2,000 heads per day were being clipped. |
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Overseas, it was reported that while King George took no official position to the controversy of bobbed hair, her majesty, Queen Mary, preferred if ladies with short hair would in some way conceal that fact at court functions or royal ceremonies. Hair additions, as depicted in this 1920s advertisement, were commonly used to conceal the shingled back. Many women actually saved their long locks just so they could use them to conceal their new haircut! |
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And to make matters worse, the bold and daring |
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The shingle or the “boyish bob” introduced in 1923 |
Bobbing-related Articles |
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Did you know? Bobbed hair prompted the invention of the bobbie pin! |
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Hair Memorabilia from |
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1920s Advertisement and Commonly |
![]() Advertisement for Golden Glint Shampoo from 1925 |
![]() Package of Golden Glint Rinse from 1920s |
1920s advertisement for Colgate’s Brillantine. |
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Advertisement from the Milwaukee Barbers’ Supply Company. Note the Valentino look in the bottom right-hand corner! |
To Be Continued with the * |
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