Big hair is ahairstyle that emphasizes largevolume or largely styled hair, especially when those styles make the hair occupy a large amount of space above and around the head. The label "big hair" for such styles originated in the late 1970s, when these styles were beginning a period of popularity. Similar styles have become fashionable at various periods in history.[1]
Actresses likeRaquel Welch,Brigitte Bardot,Priscilla Presley andJane Fonda became big-haired icons throughout the 1960s and 1970s.[2][3][4] Women's hairstyles labelled as "big hair" became fashionable during this period, with theFarrah Fawcett red swimsuit poster an iconic example.[5] The fashion persisted with certain regional subcultures in thesouthern United States, and the styles are sometimes also associated with femalecountry music performers.[6] It is also associated with the exaggerated stereotypicalfemininity associated withdrag queens and similar gender performers.[7]
Big hair became popular in the 1980s for men as well as for women. The term is also used in theglam rock,hair metal,goth andalternative cultures and is particularly associated with fashion of the 1980s, or inspired by the period.[5] From these origins, big hair became a feature of a number ofJapanese street and alternative fashions, includingHarajuku andganguro.[8] In the early 1980s,Brooke Shields became a dominant force in the fashion trend after becoming a teen model in 1980. She has appeared in numerous magazine covers with different styles of long and big hair, making her one of the most influential fashion icons of the early 1980s.[9] In the mid-1980s, rising pop starMadonna sported big hair when photographed byFrancesco Scavullo forTime. Soon, many women emulated her look, making her one of the most iconic celebrities in 1980s fashion.[10][11]
Depending on the specific style, hairstyles in the big hair categories may require a number of styling, cutting, or treatment techniques. Styling of punk and alternative big hair styles often requiresbackcombing (teasing) and the liberal application of styling aids such ashair spray,hair mousse, orhair gel, often in combination with the use of hair dryers. Crimping irons,perms, hair rollers, or other techniques may also be required.[5]
Many people of various ethnicities throughout the world have naturally voluminous hair. For these people, "big hair" is not a deliberate fashion statement requiring any particular technique to achieve, but rather the default state of their hair. Some 60 percent of the world's population has naturally curly hair, which tends to be more voluminous than straight hair.[12]
Big hair is seen as artificial or trendy by some people. This has often led to misunderstandings and evendiscrimination based on hair texture. In 2013, for example, 12-year-oldVanessa VanDyke was threatened with expulsion for wearing her hair in its natural state. School officials claimed her voluminous hair was a "distraction".[13] In some East or Southeast Asian communities where the majority of people have straight hair, voluminous curly orafro-textured hair may also be seen as an oddity.[14][15]
Big Hair, Don't Care, a children's book by Crystal Swain-Bates and Megan Bair, was published by Goldest Karat Publishing in 2013. The book is designed to improve self-esteem and confidence among children with naturally voluminous hair.[16]
