The
Pompadour is an all-time classic hairstyle that was actually named after the mistress of King Louis
XV, Madame de Pompadour. After being adopted by fashionable women in the 18th
century, versions of it remained a female dominated style called the Bouffant
in the early 50's and 60's.
Pompadour
hair style for men was
popular during the 1920's. The
traditional men's Pompadour was styled
by sweeping the hair upwards and away from the face, often worn slick with
swept back sides held in place with Pomade. In the late 1950's Elvis Presley made a version of the
Pompadour his signature look and the
rest, as they say, is history. Still considered a classic rockabilly / rock
‘n’ roll inspired hairstyle due to this connection and was made even more
popular by music and movie stars of this period.
The
Classic 1920's Pompadour
has evolved dramatically since the full swept back Elvis Presley look. The up dated version is styled with extra length
through the top sometimes with a high part while keeping the back and sides tapered
close to the head. Its a lot more flexible than you would first imagine and can
suit many hair types although the extreme versions of the cut needs to be taken
into consideration – as the end result
should complement not only your personal style, but the head shape and facial
features as well.
If
you want to keep your style classic and refined, the back and sides need to be clipper
cut, but not so short that it exposes too much of the scalp. Ideally, the edges
should be tapered really tight while maintaining some length throughout the
haircut. Tapering around the edges not only strengthens the overall head shape but
also adds a rugged / masculine look for those that sport a close or full
beard.
For those with long narrow face shapes keeping
length through
the sides will add width and help maintain a
balance between the top and sides. For a timeless aesthetic and a slightly
fuller result, avoid taking the clippers to close and beyond the curve of the
head. Alternatively, if you want a extreme look take the sides higher to
disconnect the top and sides.
For
a creative take on the Pompadour clipper the sides close with a number
one grade. You could also consider opting for a skin fade (no grade on the
clipper) where the base of the haircut begins. The hair should be clipper cut
really high into the curve of the head, keeping more length through the top
section. This can be worn connected into the crown or completely disconnected,
allowing the hair to stand up or hang below the crown area (think undercut
hairstyles).
Choosing
the right length for your face shape is important. If you have a round face wear the sides
tighter and allow more volume on top will help elongate your face. If
your face is narrow keep a little more length for fullness through the
sides and wear the top slicker and closer to your head.
If
your the creative artistic type and want to make your Pompadour standout from the crowd a splash
of color will do the trick. Adding
hair color also gives the hair extra body and style support making styling a snap. This may cost a few extra bucks but is well
for the time and expense for all the attention your sure to get.
Pompadour
hair styles complement
most face shape and adds a up lifting youthful look to facial features for this
reason many stars and celebrities over the years have sported versions of the
Pompadour hair style. Today everyone from Bruno Mars to David Beckham
have extremely different versions of this classic style. It just goes to prove
how versatile a hair style the Pompadour has been.
To
create a nice crisp finish with shine, apply a styling Pomade (for medium shine and hold) or stronger
grooming / styling gel (for a stronger shine and hold) to towel dried hair.
When working with high shine styling products, it’s important you start off
with a small amount and work it into the hair – you can always add more if
required.
For
those that want more volume, try blow drying the hair – using your fingers or a multi
action Flex Brush to lift and
shape the hair into the direction you're wear it. If required, you can apply another
finishing product on top to create texture for a wet or dry look. To keep your
style in shape, apply firm hold shaping finishing hairspray – especially
if the top has been left with extra length.
So
there you have it, the timeless and versatile Pompadour hairstyle. This classic style is set to become every
more popular in the coming years. However, the one downfall of the close
clipped Pompadour is that it can be an extremely high maintenance haircut
to keep up. In order for it to look its very best, I would suggest having it trimmed
every 3-4 of weeks.
