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Eighties Feathering and Short Haircuts
Do you know one of the things, I remember about the hair in the 1980’s? Everyone you looked at, had hair obesity. Even those who had
thin hair would somehow manage to have big fat hair in some way, either with back-combing, getting a body wave or hairpieces. Pictures
of Farah Fawcett’s hair were on the front cover of practically all of the magazine‘s on the rack, and everyone stayed home to see her on
the television when you watched “Charlie’s Angels.” The coveted look was that of a lion’s mane. Women surrounded their faces and neck
with hair and more hair that tumbled way past their shoulders and well into the beyond.
Those who wanted a more professional look, didn’t quite go to the lion’s den to seek after fat hair. The short haircuts in the eighties,
were a sight to behold and something that still reigns in active technicolor, in the memory banks, with those who lived through those
days. The clippers were used in a plentiful way as the backs were clipped up and close to the nape of the necks. Some necklines were
carved in an arch with a slight subtle point on each side of the neck. This design was especially easy to do, if the client had a
neckline that grew even and straight down. Not so easy to do, if she had an irregular neckline and naturally curly hair and let me be
the first to tell you, there was always a client who wanted that type of a clip when her hair wasn’t suited the best for it. The crown
area had plenty of pouf and would ideally be about 6cm in length. Height was very important in the crown. Ladies still deem this as
an important feature, so when they look at their profile, in the mirror they can see this perfect round shaped head. The desire of the
types of bangs would vary. Sometimes there would be thin pouf ones that would lay just in the middle of the eyebrows. Other times you
would see the bangs as the longest area on the whole head that moved way past her nose and further. Everything was in perfect
formation, as the top and crown would still have height. Usually when the cut involved the long bangs, you would see their sides
clipped up and around the ears. There were also some haircuts that had hair that covered the middle part of their ears and could be
brushed either toward the face or back away in short layers matching the back. These were very chic and smart styles that gave way
for the earrings they wanted to wear.
The short haircuts of the eighties should really make a come back. This was when the term feathering came on the scene. Once again, we
can thank Farah for her feathered look. It went from long hair to short hair to short, short hair and we were still feathering.
Everything was feathering, and that is the term we heard continually throughout the eighties in every salon. Just to give you a typical
example of a daily conversation with a young client seeking a feathered haircut, would go something like this:
Hairstylist: (smiling sweetly)“Hello dearie, how are you doing today, and what can I do for you?”
Client: (looking a little fearful) “Do you know how to feather? I’d like to have my hair feathered all over.”
Hairstylist: “ Ok, how much length would you like to have off?”
Client: “I’m not sure, yet.”
Hairstylist: (holds up some hair)“maybe about this much?”
Client: (horrified) “No, not that much.”
Hairstylist: “Did you know, there are different types of feathering?”
Client: “What do you mean?”
Hairstylist: “Everything depends upon how much you decide to have taken off, if you have your hair cut shorter, your hair will glide
smoother when you use the blow dryer and brush it. If you keep it longer, you will have an entirely different look and you will have
to use a curling iron and it will be more of a roll, than a feather.”
Client: “Will my hair look feathered like Farah‘s?”
Hairstylist: (smiling sweetly)“Yes, your hair can resemble Farah’s, if that is what you would like.”
At night all I could hear in my mind, were the words f-e-a-t-h-e-r-e-d or f-e-a-t-h-e-r-i-n-g, because, that is all I heard in the
daytime. Who invented that term anyway? I’ll tell you who, it was Jose Eber who gave Farah that infamous haircut for $500.00 a whack!
Feathers, if my memory recollects, has something to do with a bird, not hair! No offense Mr. Eber, but I’d like to know the connection
with birds to hair or feathers to hair? Was there a link to the terms featherbrain or birdbrain when styling the hair?
And so it went. What is the secret to feathering? Layering of course, then using the blow dryer and the use of a round brush to direct
the hair into the round look, moving away from the face. Afterwards, you glide your hair through the hair and presto, you are one
feathered baby! Feathering was considered an ultra smooth look. Look, at the Donald! He’s still “feathering” his hair! Speaking to
all hairstylists right now, wouldn’t we love to get our hands on his hair! He’s not about to give up his trademark look at this time
in his life! Even if we were to promise him, we could make him look at least a whopping ten years younger at that!
I for one, would love to see the eighties short coifs come back into style. It is remarkable the way a woman, stands out in a crowd
when she has a clever stylish haircut, and if you think about it, everyone remembers the lady with the short smart coif. They do not
remember the one who had her hair sloppily twined up in a hair comb or falling down her back. Which way would you like to be
remembered? We only have one chance to make that good first impression.
Penny Williams - Stylist ©Hairfinder.com
Photographs: L'Oréal
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