Revisiting Fashion in Hairstyling via Bollywood

Abstract

The film industry is playing a pivotal role in disseminating fashion through makeup, attire, ornaments and hairstyles. Some fashion trends become a stable part of the cultural reserve; others are short lived and display impulsive dynamics, called fads. New trends are set and this follows a fashion cycle. Through this century different hair styles ranging from fringes, bob cuts, classic waves, buns, perms, wigs have been in vogue at different times. Audiences always have an inherent craze to copy their role models ‘on screen’ and ‘off screen’. This traditional process of copying and adapting to the ‘Page 3 look’ diffuses through the society and translates to road side glamour. Contrary but true, a large number of movies are inspired from day–to-day life, where directors watch people on the street to find ideas how their characters on screen should look. Thus, hair styles are a testimony to the trickle-up and trickle-down theory of fashion. Through this paper, evolution of trends in hair styling ranging from inception of Indian cinema in1913 has been traced till date, further connecting it with advances in styling techniques, haircoloring and chemical hair procedures. Also an attempt has been made to trace the fashion cycle and fads in hair styling; using makeover of Bollywood actresses as an evidence of popular contemporary hairstyles in females.