Bouffant

Swinging London icon Dusty Springfield with a bouffant.

Lady Bird Johnson wearing a bouffant.

A bouffant /buːˈfɒnt/ is a type of hairstyle characterized by hair raised high on the head and hanging down on the sides.

History

The bouffant was a mainstream hairstyle in the mid-to-late 18th century in western Europe. It was thought to be created for Marie Antoinette, as she had relatively thin hair and wanted to create the illusion of having very full hair. The modern bouffant is considered to have been invented by Raymond Bessone.

The hairstyle again became popular during the 1950s. In the 1960s, Jacqueline Kennedy was the first First Lady to wear the bouffant.

Etymology

bouffante from present participle of bouffer: "to puff, puff out."

Hair on the top of the head was raised, using a comb being dragged back and forward to create the raised effect which used knots in the hair caused by the comb. The hairstyle was lightly combed over the top to give a neat look.

See also

• Pompadour (hairstyle)
• Beehive (hairstyle)
• Big hair

External links

• Hairstyle archives
• "Beauty and the Bouffant" gallery