The is a
hairstyle
A hairstyle, hairdo, haircut, or coiffure refers to the styling of hair, usually on the human head but sometimes on the face or body. The fashioning of hair can be considered an aspect of personal grooming, fashion, and cosmetics, although ...
consisting of straight, usually cheek-length sidelocks and frontal
fringe
Fringe may refer to:
Arts and music
* "The Fringe", or Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world's largest arts festival
* Adelaide Fringe, the world's second-largest annual arts festival
* Fringe theatre, a name for alternative theatre
* Purple fri ...
. The rest of the hair is usually worn long and
straightened. The style is thought to have originated, or at least become common, in the Imperial court during 794-1185 CE, when
noble women would sometimes grow out their hair for their entire lives.
History
According to Professor Tomita of
Yamano College of Aesthetics, the cut originated from the hairstyles of noblewomen in the
Heian period
The is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185. It followed the Nara period, beginning when the 50th emperor, Emperor Kammu, moved the capital of Japan to Heian-kyō (modern Kyoto). means in Japanese. It is a ...
in Japan.
Noblewomen in the Heian period had their hair styled in the and styles. When a woman reached the age of 16, the hair around her ears would be cut shorter than the rest of her hair in a ceremony called , resulting in short forelocks at the front and long hair at the back. In the
Edo period
The , also known as the , is the period between 1600 or 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when the country was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and some 300 regional ''daimyo'', or feudal lords. Emerging from the chaos of the Sengok ...
, this ceremony was held on June 16 at the age of 16, and a woman's fiancé or her father or brother cut her hair.
Though not known as the cut at the time, the name " cut" seems to have been retroactively applied in association with princesses of the Heian aristocracy, due to their depiction in media with the hairstyle.
A 1970s
idol,
Megumi Asaoka, is known in Japan for popularizing the cut, which became her
trademark
A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a Good (economics and accounting), product or Service (economics), service f ...
.
Styling
The cut is high maintenance for those without naturally straight hair, and requires frequent touch-ups on the sidelocks and front bangs in order to maintain its shape.
Hair straightening
Hair straightening is a hair styling technique used since the 1890s involving the flattening and straightening of hair in order to give it a smooth, streamlined, and sleek appearance. It became very popular during the 1950s among black males and ...
is sometimes used to achieve the hairstyle's straight appearance, as well as
straightening irons and specially formulated
shampoo
Shampoo () is a hair care product, typically in the form of a viscous liquid, that is formulated to be used for cleaning (scalp) hair. Less commonly, it is available in solid bar format. (" Dry shampoo" is a separate product.) Shampoo is use ...
s for straight hair. Humidity is also cited as a problem with certain hair types, as the curling caused by excess humidity can change the shape of the hair. Occasionally,
hair extensions
Artificial hair integrations, more commonly known as hair extensions, hair weaves, or fake hair, are cosmetic treatments which add length to human hair. Hair extensions are usually clipped, glued, or sewn on natural hair by incorporating addition ...
are used for the side locks in order to prevent this.
The hairstyle is frequently seen in
Lolita fashion, especially the classification of Gothic Lolita. Within the Lolita community, the cut is considered a more elegant alternative to other styles that may require frequent curling and
crimping that can permanently damage the hair.
See also
*
Pageboy
The pageboy or page boy is a hairstyle named after what was believed to be the haircut of a late medieval page boy. It has straight hair hanging to below the ear, where it usually turns under. There is often a fringe (bangs) in the front. This s ...
*
Pixie cut
*
List of hairstyles
This is a non-exhaustive list of hairstyles, excluding List of facial hairstyles, facial hairstyles.
Short hairstyles
Long hairstyles
Long hairstyles may be considered those which reach beyond the shoulders on women, or require long hair to c ...
References
External links
*
{{DISPLAYTITLE: ''Hime'' cut
Hairstyles
2010s fashion
Japanese fashion