Rebecca and Kate Bob Their Hair

I can think of many fashion statements throughout American Culture which have impacted me greatly but only one in hair fashion that has remained a lasting influence from the time I first donned one in 1973 until my most recent visit to the hair salon, this week. I’m speaking of none other than “the bob”.

“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.”(From 1920’s piece)

The first credited “bob-cut” took place in 1909 in Paris and was cut by hair stylist Antoine. His inspiration was said to have been Joan of Arc. Before the end of the First World War, the style became somewhat popular in Britain amongst the Bloomsbury Circles. However, the revolution known as “the bob’ really began in 1915, when a Ball Room dancer named Irene Castle ( from Irene and Vernon Castle fame) decided to defy convention and cut her hair for the sake of convenience. With this new look being coined “the Castle-bob,” a timeless masterpiece in hair arts was created and still remains immensely popular in salons all across America.

“On May 1, 1920, the Saturday Evening Post published F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story "Bernice Bobs Her Hair." This infamous tale depicts a sweet-but-dull young lady who submits to the barber’s shears and is transformed into a smooth-talking vamp by her fickle society-girl cousin. The heroine would become a role model for many young women.”(1920’s piece)


Embracing this new look was famed fashion designer Coco-Chanel followed by actresses Clara Bow and Louise Brooks. Their images have long been among those most associated with the revolutionary style. Young women began embracing this new trend. They followed the leads of Chanel, Bow, and Brooks and began “bobbing their hair.” When a woman decided to have her hair cut in this new short style she showed a statement of her equality with men by her boldness in discarding her heavy locks- a token of femininity. Soon after this, women would begin wearing, “long beads, shorter skirts, rolled stockings, and rough on her knees” an expression which would become synonymous with-the flapper.” This new rebellious trend in hair design would serve as a harbinger to drastic social changes and “cause a revolution in the way women would wear their hair  forevermore.”

Did you know that the Bobbie Pin was created specifically for "the bob" hair style?

Our contributions to the hair cut-Kate's first "bob" at 16 months....

My latest "bob"....