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Fringe-cut / Beatles hair
Fashion Synopsis
Ohmigosh! It touches their ears!!!
Had the Beatles not gone on to create dozens of albums during the decade, they would still be remembered for their famous mop-top haircuts of their debut years. The Beatles burst onto the scene in the early 60’s sporting the long, fringe-cut style (a very modern version of the bowl cut) that would create as much controversy as their music.
Although it would be considered quite short by today’s standards, the mop-top style was excruciatingly long and shaggy for the days when hair was neatly cropped above the ears, coiffed with the help of Brylcreem hair grease. The hairstyle was actually a stylistic adventure performed by Astrid Kircher, a rock photographer and girlfriend to original Beatles bassist Stuart Sutcliffe. The ‘mop-top’ designation came from the cut’s similarity to the shaggy strands of a dish mop.
When the Beatles arrived on the scene, they were known as much for the scandal of their hair as they were for runaway hits like “Love Me Do” and “I Wanna Hold Your Hand.” But the boys got it right: in their outrageous hair, slick mod styles, and infectious tunes, they turned into overnight teen idols and rock stars. Boys copied the loose locks, shocking parents and causing uproars in classrooms across the country. The slicked-back pompadours of the 50’s were nothing compared to this outrage—hair touched the shirt collars, the ears, and fell to the face, almost obscuring sight.
Rock reviews were as quick to comment on their hair as they were to report on the craze of Beatlemania sweeping the nation. Beatle haircuts were banned in schools, and authorities cracked down on the crazy rock and roll coif. Those who suffered the consequences of the barber’s chair could top their less-than-wild wisps with an authentic Beatles mop-top wig. Yes, for a few dollars, that shaggy style could be yours when you were out cutting a rug at the concert, but still allow you to return to your conservative, respectful self when you got back home.
If you were lucky enough to escape the wrath of the clippers, you could care for your mop-top with the Beatles’ very own hair care line. Start the style off with a little blue Beatles hairdressing lotion, and then set the look in stone with a liberal application of the Fab Four’s hairspray.
It may have been a tad rebellious, but if parents only knew what was in store around the corner, they probably wouldn’t have put up such a fuss over such a simple, non-threatening style.