Rebellion presents itself in many forms, fashion being one of them. A new style of pants, an interesting hair color, or a new haircut. This generation of millennials has been packed with trends; leggings, the feather hair clip, the side bang, the list goes on and on.
The 19th Amendment passed on May 19, 1919, granting women the right to vote. Females across the country embraced the bob hair cut as a form of sexual revolution and a step toward embracing a level of equality women had never experienced before. The bob truly symbolized a controversial time period for the United States, full of scandal and flashy flapper dresses. Thus, feminism began to form its shape-- curvy and vivacious as it was.
Merriam-Webster states that feminism is: “the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.”
The 1940s hit America hard and Rosie the Riveter, a symbol of feminism to this day, became a household name during The Great War. Women took over the hard labor jobs of men in an effort to support their country. By the time the 1960s and ‘70s rolled around, the ‘50s idea of a housewife was completely archaic. Bras were being burned and women were gathering and protesting in the hopes of gaining equality in the workplace, screaming “the personal is political!”
Today, feminism has many famous faces, such as Emma Watson and Lena Dunham who speak proudly of their beliefs. Another thing that both these leading female powerhouses have in common?
The pixie cut. Not just a trend, but a statement.
Michelle Hoskins, a Oakland University student and journalism major, got a pixie cut late last year. The cut is short, easy to work with and an expression of Hoskins' light and airy personality.
“I think there's a lot of movement to break away from rigid gender roles in our generation and I can see the pixie cut representing that,” said Hoskins.
The inspiration behind Hoskins' decision to cut her once long locks was a young girl that attended day care where Hoskins worked. The little girl told Hoskins how she wished she could have a “boy” haircut, but “boy hair,” the little girl regrettably told the college student, does not look good on girls.
Hoskins took the statement as a challenge, a moment to prove something to both herself and the young girl.
“The look on the girl's face when she saw me was so meaningful,” beamed Hoskins. “I think for a lot of girls, long hair represents the power of their femininity, but to cut it off and still feel beautiful, sexy, strong and womanly is so liberating.”
Kayla Urban, a cosmetologist at Sara’s Downtown Hair Designs in Manistee, Michigan, also sports a pixie haircut. Asymmetrical, choppy and auburn in color, the look makes Urban noticeable at once.
“A pixie used to be an empowering symbol for women who trusted their looks to still look feminine. Now a pixie is a fashion trend, it's a fad that women love on women and men love on women. I think the younger generation loves to push the limits and express their own style and individuality,” said Urban.
“A pixie is very confidence-boosting and empowering. It allows you to not rely on your hair as a cloak to hide behind. No longer are the days of long perfect hair now is the days of cute short hair and confident strong women,” Urban concluded.
To many people, a pixie may be nothing more than the style of today, a trend sweeping the nation that started with artists like Miley Cyrus. The pixie is more than just a trend, more than a beauty statement and more than a fad. The pixie is a haircut that will be remembered, like the bob, as a defining style that helped bring America and the world into a new era of gender equality and an expression of ideas.
