Earlier this year, following fatal shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, high school senior Emma González emerged as an icon of the anti-gun movement. Not only did González speak extraordinarily powerfully at the March for Our Lives Rally, but her striking buzz cut earned her a comparison to Joan of Arc — in particular Renée Jeanne Falconetti’s portrayal of the martyr in Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1928 film. The correlation was clear: their mutual sporting of closely-cropped cuts was as much a symbol of their impassioned politics and leadership as their stirring pleas.
From the twists and coils of Medusa’s mane of snakes to the bold statement of natural afro hair and flapper bobs as a symbol of female liberation, hair has always been political. The significance placed on González’s shaven head is a keen reminder of the associations that hair — and lack thereof — holds, and particularly for women. Rachael Gibson of the Instagram account, @thehairhistorian certainly thinks so. “Hair is intrinsically linked to wider political and sociological trends,” she tells SLEEK. “We went through great chunks of time in history when women weren’t even allowed to wear their hair down in public, and even today there’s enormous pressure on women to not go grey, or to cut their hair short as they get older.”
@thehairhistorian is an Insta devoted solely to hair, but with a twist. Rather than styling shots, or snaps of Kim Kardashian’s ever-changing tresses, this account is an informative and visually-compelling archive of historical hairstyles mined from the annals of art history. Traversing Lavinia Fontana’s seventeenth century portrait of an aristocratic lady with pearls and flowers studding her gingery hair, to close-ups of Motozue of the Daimonjiya’s woodblock print of a geisha’s ornamental chignon, and Nina Leen’s black and white photographs of tightly-bound 1940s updos, @thehair historian is an invaluable record of the ways in which women’s hairstyles have transformed throughout history. Arranged in a trios of similar styles — often by the same artist — the account emphasises the trends, patterns and societal implications rooted in hair.
Gibson, who started the account 18 months ago “as a means to bring together (her) three great loves: hair, art and history,” is adamant that hair is a crucial cultural document. “Hair can teach us just as much about history as fashion – if not more; it’s a much more accessible way of expressing yourself, regardless of your budget and place in society,” she explains. “As with trends in clothing, hair trends have changed to reflect what is happening in the wider world – be that through cut, colour or styling. For example, 1940s updos, were a solution to women working in factories and having to wear their hair up, but still wanting to look glamorous and display individuality.”
"Hair can teach us just as much about history as fashion – if not more; it's a much more accessible way of expressing yourself."
Not only does the @thehairhistorian chronicle how trends have changed, but it also stresses how much weight and import is placed in the length and arrangement of women’s hair — something that continues to the present day. Since what seems to be the beginning of time, long, sumptuous tresses have been associated with femininity and fertility — the surest physical signifier of woman’s status as the fairer sex. @thehairhistorian does an admirable job in presenting a plethora of hairstyles beyond luxurious Pre-Raphaelite manes, but the association between loose Rapunzel locks and conventional notions of beauty is impossible to shake. Gibson agrees: “Long, flowing hair is still the beauty standard; celebrities still make headlines and open themselves up to immense critique when they cut their hair short, which is remarkably depressing. Historically, long hair was associated with purity, womanliness and youth, which I don’t think has really changed much to this day.”
But, regardless of hair’s inability to shed its connection to feminine fecundity and hetero-male desire, women’s hairstyles are nevertheless revealed as powerful symbols of women’s individuality and agency, particularly at moments in history when women did not possess complete autonomy and the freedom to do as they please. Spanning sixteenth century braided crowns through to bouffant 60s’ styles, @thehairhistorian reveals the power and personality prevalent in women’s dos, providing infinite #followfriday inspiration.