Origin of the Bob

• The bob first entered the fashion scene around 1900, when actresses like Polaire cut their hair short. The cut was a show of independence. Women did not largely adopt the haircut in polite society, until after the onset of World War I. Long hair could be a problem in the factories so, more women began adopting the bob. During the Roaring 20's, the bob became the dominate hairstyle for western women, who combined the just-past-ear length bob with the Cloche hat.
  
  

Origin of the Page

• The page, made popular in the 1950's, has two namesakes. Fetish model Bettie Page was the first to wear the style and she is given credit, both for its rise in popularity and its name. However, women's magazines were unwilling to print such a risqué association. Instead, they claimed that the haircut was a new take on the hairstyle of English page boys in the previous century.
  
  

The Bob in Pop Culture

• Coco Chanel began wearing a bob as early as 1917, before it had become a popular hairstyle among the masses. She was one of the major trendsetters responsible for its burst of popularity. Bobbed hair was common in dance halls, and thus in pop culture ,because it held its shape while physically active. In the mid 20's, the famous hairstylist, Antoine had perfected the short, blunt cut bob with bangs and used it on celebrity clientele that included Greta Garbo and Josephine Baker. Though the bob fell out of popularity for softer, more feminine styles in the 1930's, it regained popularity in the 1960's when Vidal Sassoon recommended it and again in early 2000, when Madonna adopted the look.
  
  

Page in Pop Culture

• The pageboy was popular in the 50's and 60's and had several variations, including the banged pageboy, the fringe, the long-bob, and the flip. It was designed specifically for straight hair and ranged in length from just below the ear to just above the shoulder. Hairdresser M. Lewis is largely responsible for popularizing the style from her New York City salon. It is unique, in that it was worn by both men and women in the public arena. Women including Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction sported the style. The Beetles, He-Man and Johnny Depp in Willy Wonka all wore pageboys as well.