Before the days of five-minute hair tutorials and wash-and-go styling products, achieving the perfect coiffure was nothing short of an art form requiring dedication, patience, and an arsenal of specialized tools. The 1960s and 1970s represented the golden age of elaborate hairstyling, when both women and men would dedicate significant portions of their day to crafting gravity-defying, perfectly sculpted looks that made bold statements about who they were. These weren’t just hairstyles; they were architectural achievements that required engineering knowledge, upper arm strength, and enough hairspray to deplete the ozone layer single-handedly.
1. The Beehive
The iconic beehive hairdo stood tall (literally) as a monument to the ingenuity and patience of 1960s women determined to reach new heights in fashion. Those impressive towers of teased hair, carefully molded into a conical shape resembling a beehive, could add six inches or more to a woman’s height and required meticulous backcombing of every single strand. Maintaining this gravity-defying structure demanded an extraordinary amount of hairspray—so much that some women reported going through multiple cans per week just to keep their beehive intact. Cosmopolitan breaks down some secrets many might not know about this trendy style.
The most dedicated beehive enthusiasts would avoid washing their hair for days or even weeks, instead carefully “patching” and reshaping their masterpiece each morning with strategic combing and additional hairspray. Some women even developed neck problems from the weight of their massive hairdos and the awkward sleeping positions required to preserve their style overnight. The most extreme beehives became home to uninvited guests—there are documented cases of small insects and even mice making nests in particularly neglected beehives, though these tales may have been exaggerated by concerned mothers trying to discourage their daughters from adopting the high-maintenance style.
2. The Afro
The Afro emerged not just as a hairstyle but as a powerful political statement celebrating natural Black beauty during the civil rights and Black Power movements. Those perfect spheres of hair required regular and careful picking with a special wide-toothed Afro pick to achieve the ideal shape and impressive circumference that could extend several inches beyond the head in all directions. Contrary to the misconception that natural hairstyles required less maintenance, a properly styled Afro demanded daily attention, deep conditioning treatments, and careful protection at night to maintain its perfect roundness. The American Academy of Dermatology has helpful care tips, though it’s important to note different hair types have different inherent needs.
Achieving the most impressive Afros often required growing out hair for years, with some of the most iconic examples reaching diameters of 12-15 inches or more around the head. Maintaining moisture was a constant battle, with many Afro-wearers developing elaborate routines involving hot oil treatments, specialized protein conditioners, and protective nighttime wrapping techniques using satin scarves. The social impact of the style was so significant that when stars like Angela Davis, Jimi Hendrix, and the Jackson 5 wore their impressive Afros, they weren’t just making fashion statements—they were challenging Eurocentric beauty standards and redefining what constituted beautiful hair for an entire generation.
3. The Farrah Fawcett Feathered Flip
Farrah Fawcett’s iconic feathered flip became the most coveted hairstyle of the 1970s after her legendary red swimsuit poster and role in “Charlie’s Angels” catapulted her to superstardom. Those perfectly feathered layers that curved away from the face and cascaded down in a waterfall of blonde waves required precise cutting by skilled stylists who understood the complex interplay between hair texture, face shape, and the laws of physics. Achieving the look at home demanded a specific set of tools: large round brushes, a high-powered blow dryer (still a relatively new invention for home use), and the coordination to simultaneously manage both while carefully directing each section of hair. To this day, outlets like Byrdie https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-farrah-fawcett-hair-5180230are providing breakdowns on just how to get that feathery Fawcett flare.
Women would spend up to an hour each morning recreating this seemingly effortless look, with the most challenging aspect being the symmetrical feathering that framed the face. The style actually launched an entire industry of specialized curling irons, styling products, and instructional guides, with many salons offering “Farrah workshops” where women could learn the technique under professional supervision. Perhaps the greatest testament to the style’s complexity was that even Farrah herself couldn’t maintain it without help—her hairstylist reportedly spent two hours creating the perfect feathered look before her famous poster photoshoot, using multiple round brushes and twenty-three bobby pins that were later airbrushed out of the final image.
4. The Shag
The shag haircut revolutionized unisex styling in the 1970s with its rebellious, rock-and-roll attitude and seemingly disheveled appearance that actually required precise cutting and daily styling. Those heavily layered cuts with feathered edges needed expert hands to create the initial style, with hairdresser Paul McGregor reportedly spending hours perfecting the first famous shag on Jane Fonda for her role in “Klute.” Achieving the perfect messy-but-intentional look required blow-drying each layer separately while using round brushes of different diameters to create varied texture throughout the cut. Iles Formula further explores just what made this ragged look so popular, and maybe worth revisiting today.
Despite its carefree appearance, maintaining a proper shag demanded regular trims every 4-6 weeks to preserve the crucial layering that gave the style its characteristic volume and movement. The style became so popular that barbers and hairstylists across America displayed pictures of David Bowie, Mick Jagger, and Jane Fonda as reference points, with some stylists charging premium prices for their ability to master the technically demanding cut. At home, shag-wearers would often sleep in foam rollers or with their hair wrapped in precise sections to maintain the required texture, sacrificing comfort for style in true ’70s fashion.
5. Vidal Sassoon’s Five-Point Cut
Vidal Sassoon revolutionized hairstyling with his architectural, geometric five-point cut that transformed hair from something merely decorative into a form of modern art. Those precisely angled lines and perfect symmetry required not just cutting skill but mathematical precision, with Sassoon himself comparing his approach to the Bauhaus architectural movement that emphasized clean lines and functional design. The revolutionary style required hair to be cut while completely dry—a radical departure from traditional wet-cutting techniques—allowing the stylist to see exactly how each section would fall naturally.
Maintaining the perfect angles and lines of a Sassoon cut required visits to specially trained stylists every 3-4 weeks, with some devoted followers only trusting Sassoon himself or his small circle of personally trained apprentices. The geometric precision made this style particularly unforgiving—even a quarter inch of growth could disrupt the carefully planned lines and angles that made the style so distinctive. The most famous version worn by fashion icon Mary Quant required such precise daily styling that many women resorted to waking up an hour early just to ensure they could achieve the perfect sharp angles and geometric lines that defined this revolutionary look.
6. The Pompadour
The pompadour hairstyle, popularized in the 1950s by Elvis Presley, experienced a massive revival in the late 1960s and early 1970s with rockabilly culture adding even more height and drama to the already impressive style. Those towering walls of hair swept upward and backward required serious commitment: daily washing followed by careful application of setting lotion, precise brushing in one direction while blow-drying, and then reinforcement with heavy-duty pomade or wax. The finishing touch involved careful combing to create the signature smooth surface, followed by an absolute deluge of industrial-strength hairspray to maintain the sculptural quality that defined the perfect pompadour.
True pompadour enthusiasts would protect their carefully constructed style overnight using specially designed pillowcases or sleeping techniques that kept pressure off the front section. The style was so high-maintenance that many men carried pocket combs and travel-sized hairspray for emergency touch-ups throughout the day, particularly when riding in convertibles or attending outdoor events where wind posed a constant threat. Some of the most devoted pompadour wearers would visit their barbers twice weekly for professional reshaping, with legends of certain rockabilly musicians adding household ingredients like egg whites or even Karo syrup to their styling routine for extra hold during particularly energetic performances.
7. The Dorothy Hamill Wedge
Olympic figure skater Dorothy Hamill inspired a national hair phenomenon when she pirouetted to gold medal victory in 1976 with her signature wedge haircut that perfectly framed her face while allowing for athletic movement. Those precisely angled layers that curved under at the nape and sides required expert cutting skills to achieve the perfect graduation that gave the style its distinctive silhouette. Maintaining the perfect wedge demanded daily washing followed by blow-drying with a very specific technique: using a round brush to create the curved under edges while maintaining volume at the crown.
The deceptively simple-looking cut actually required regular trimming every 3-4 weeks to maintain its precise geometry, with many women carrying photographs of Hamill to their hair appointments to ensure their stylists understood exactly what they wanted. The most challenging aspect was achieving the perfect face-framing layers that swung forward while skating but needed to stay put during normal activities, leading to the development of specialized styling products marketed specifically for “The Hamill Wedge.” The style became so popular that salons across America reported being overwhelmed with requests, with some stylists claiming that at the height of wedge mania in 1976-1977, up to 80% of their female clients were requesting some variation of Dorothy Hamill’s golden medal-winning look.
8. The Bouffant
The bouffant hairstyle exemplified the “bigger is better” philosophy of 1960s beauty, creating a soft cloud of height around the head that required engineering skills as much as styling ability. Those impressive poufs demanded a multi-step process: washing with volumizing shampoo, setting wet hair on large rollers, sitting under a hooded dryer for up to an hour, then carefully backcombing each section from roots to mid-shaft to create the foundation for the style. After achieving the desired height through strategic teasing, the outer layer would be gently smoothed over this scaffolding to create a deceptively soft-looking exterior that concealed the structural foundation beneath.
First Lady Jackie Kennedy popularized a refined version of the bouffant that became so influential that women would bring her photographs to hair appointments, requesting “The Jackie” by name. Maintaining a proper bouffant between salon visits required sleeping on satin pillowcases with the hair carefully arranged, often with a silk scarf wrapped around the style to prevent crushing. The most dedicated bouffant enthusiasts developed a technique known as “spot teasing,” which allowed them to repair flattened sections without dismantling the entire architectural structure, using rat-tail combs with precision to add height only where needed without disturbing the carefully smoothed outer shell.
9. The Mod Geometric Cut
The Mod geometric cut of the 1960s, popularized by fashion models like Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton, represented a radical departure from soft, feminine styles toward sharp angles and dramatic statements. Those perfectly straight, precisely cut bobs with micro-bangs required hair that was naturally stick-straight or that underwent rigorous ironing using actual clothing irons before specialized hair straightening tools became available. The style demanded absolute precision from hairstylists, who often used rulers and protractors to ensure perfectly straight lines and exact angles that followed the contours of the skull.
Maintaining these severe geometric styles required daily washing followed by using setting lotion and perfectly positioned pin curls or roller sets to control every strand. The signature look often featured a deep side part with one section dramatically swooping across the forehead, requiring specialized training techniques to make the hair obey these unnatural directional demands. The most extreme versions featured perfect circles or other geometric shapes cut out along the hairline or around the ears, requiring frequent touch-ups as even minimal growth would disrupt the pristine lines that defined this architectural approach to hairstyling.
10. The Elvis Quiff
The Elvis quiff represented the pinnacle of rebellious male grooming in the 1960s and early 1970s, requiring dedication, skill, and forearm strength to achieve its perfect form. Those dramatic front sections swept upward and backward demanded daily reshaping using a specific sequence: applying setting lotion to damp hair, combing the front section forward, then using a round brush and blow dryer to direct it upward while creating the signature curve. The final structure was locked into place with heavy-duty pomade worked through from roots to ends, then sculptured into the perfect wave using a fine-toothed comb and practiced hand movements that could take years to perfect.
Maintaining the quiff required touching up throughout the day, with dedicated followers carrying pocket combs and small containers of additional styling product for emergency repairs. The hairstyle became so associated with rebellious youth culture that some schools and conservative workplaces specifically banned the style, considering it a symbol of anti-establishment attitudes and inappropriate influence from rock and roll music. True aficionados would protect their carefully crafted quiffs overnight using satin pillowcases or specialized sleeping techniques, with some even wrapping their front section in toilet paper secured with bobby pins—a technique reportedly used by Elvis himself during his army days when maintaining his signature look was particularly challenging.
11. The Artichoke Cut
The artichoke cut represented one of the most labor-intensive and structurally complex hairstyles of the late 1960s, featuring densely layered sections that resembled the leaves of its namesake vegetable. Those precisely cut layers required expert scissor work to create hundreds of short, medium, and long sections that overlapped in a complex pattern working from the crown outward. Styling the finished cut demanded sophisticated technique: each individual layer needed to be blown out separately using multiple round brushes of different diameters, creating a multi-dimensional effect that added remarkable volume without relying on backcombing or teasing.
The maintenance routine for an artichoke cut involved daily styling sessions of 45 minutes or more, with specific products applied to different sections to create varied textures throughout the style. Regular trimming every 3-4 weeks was absolutely essential, as even minimal growth would disrupt the careful balance of layers that gave the style its distinctive silhouette. The most extreme versions of this cut, worn by fashion-forward celebrities like Mia Farrow during her post-Vidal Sassoon experimental phase, required such specific cutting techniques that only a handful of stylists worldwide were considered capable of creating the authentic version, leading to waiting lists at certain exclusive salons and international travel just for haircut appointments.
12. The Pageboy Flip
The pageboy flip combined the sleek, smooth lines of a traditional pageboy with a dramatic upturned flip at the ends, creating a style that looked effortless but required considerable skill to achieve and maintain. Those smooth, straight sections culminating in a perfect upward curve demanded precise roller setting with large-diameter rollers placed at exactly the same height around the entire head to ensure a consistent flip. After sitting under a hooded dryer for 45 minutes or more, each section would be carefully brushed in the same direction, then shaped into the signature curve using the rounded edge of a brush pulled upward at exactly the right moment.
Maintaining the pageboy flip required sleeping in oversized rollers or with the ends carefully wrapped in tissue paper secured with bobby pins, sacrificing comfort for style in true ’60s and ’70s fashion. The style became so popular that specialized tools were developed specifically for creating the perfect flip, including brushes with unique curved edges and setting lotions promising to help hair “remember” its shaped position. When Nancy Sinatra wore a heightened version of this style while singing “These Boots Are Made for Walkin’,” salons across America reported being inundated with requests for “The Nancy,” leading to the development of specialized training courses for stylists struggling to meet demand for the technically demanding style.
The elaborate hairstyles of the ’60s and ’70s represent more than just fashion trends—they were statements of identity, expressions of cultural movements, and sometimes even political manifestos worn right on top of one’s head. While few of us today have the patience, time, or upper arm strength to maintain these architectural achievements in hair design, we can appreciate the dedication and artistry they represented. Perhaps in our age of quick solutions and instant results, there’s something admirable about the willingness of previous generations to spend hours crafting the perfect coiffure. For now, we can be grateful for modern styling tools and products that allow us to recreate modified versions of these iconic looks without the neck strain, insect infestations, or early morning styling marathons required by the originals.
