Disco Hair

As a music style, disco was big; as a fashion sense, disco was larger than life. The reign of disco may be over, but that doesn't mean that the fashions it inspired are still not seen in modern day use. Perhaps the most distinctive part of the disco fashion sense is the disco hairstyle. These include the afro and the "feathered" look. It is arguable that disco has as many devoted fans as they do disgruntled critics, but that doesn't change the fact that disco is truly a sign of the times.

History

Disco became a popular music genre in the 1970s. Known as much for its fashion and culture as its biggest hits, it swept the nation in a big way throughout the decade. Though it is said that disco "died" in 1979 after the "Disco Demolition," the distinctive music and fashion have remained a fixture in contemporary music and culture.

Types

There are several types of hairstyles that disco is famous for. This includes afro and feathered hair. The afro, also known as "the natural" or just "the 'fro," is perhaps the most distinctive of the hairstyles. It was popularized by African Americans, but it led to other ethnicities growing their hair in this same fashion.

Identification

Disco hair has given many celebrities their distinctive look. For example, Farrah Fawcett and her feathered look was imitated on a huge scale by millions of American women. Jon Travolta and his feathered hairstyle and sideburns became a sought after look of 1970s men after his appearance in films like 1977's "Saturday Night Fever." Disco artist Donna Summer would be difficult to recognize without her large and glittered afro or tight-fitting body suits.

Features

It is easy to distinguish a disco hairstyle from any other style, primarily because disco hair holds some of the biggest styles (size-wise) in hairstyle history. Feathered hairstyles are often achieved with the help of large round brushes and high-powered hair dryers. Afro looks are achieved with the use of gel and a pick. All of these styles are often teased and covered in hairspray, giving the hair a "crunchy" and often unhealthy feel.

Warning

No matter what way it is worn in disco fashion, big hair is really the name of the game. In order to get your hair big, it may require chemical hair products which can damage the quality of the hair. Perhaps most damaging, however, is the act of "teasing" the hair which is a practice of pushing hair to the base of the scalp to achieve volume. This can often lead to breakage. Once the hair is teased and big, it is often recommended that excessive amounts of hairspray be utilized to keep the hair the right shape. Aerosol hairsprays are damaging to the environment--they have been partially credited with putting a hole in the ozone layer. Also, if you are wearing an afro hairstyle, there is a small chance that you will be mistaken for a Harlem Globetrotter and be mobbed with adoring fans.