How would you describe your hairstyle? What do you think it says about you?
Do you like your current cut or style, or do you dream of a better, bolder look?
In “We Are in a Golden Age for Hair,” the photographer Simbarashe Cha writes about the hairstyle trends he saw at this season’s fashion weeks:
Historically, hairstyles can be mapped to time periods and niche communities with delightful accuracy. From the curly white wigs of the 18th century to the Jheri curls of the 1980s to the feathered bangs and finger waves of the 1990s, trends in how we wear our hair are a big part of how we remember (and study) different moments in time.
It’s a wonder we are finally arriving at a place where there isn’t a consensus on hairstyles. At the same time, when it comes to documenting street style, hair has become as important as clothing when it comes to expressing individual taste. Dyed hair? How about every color? Long? Short? Both in one? Because anything goes, this could arguably be the best era for hair ever — or at least the hardest to definitively pin down in 20 years.
What I found, after photographing hundreds of people this past season at various fashion weeks, was a complete democratization of coifs: braids, curtain bangs, bobs and pixie cuts — nearly every popular style from the 1960s onward was represented on the streets and at the shows. More and more people are taking risks with their hairstyles, bringing them closer to the ultimate style dictum: Make it personal. Nothing feels more “now” than that.
Mr. Cha presents photographs of some of his favorite styles and looks from this season, such as “bold angles” and “sweet crops.” Here are the first two sections of his piece:
Face-Framing Curls
Students, look at the rest of the photos in the article and their accompanying captions and then tell us:
How would you describe your hairstyle? What do you think it says about you?
Simbarashe Cha writes that “hair has become as important as clothing when it comes to expressing individual taste.” Do you agree? How important is your hair? How much time and money do you spend trying to get your hair right?
What do you think of the hairstyles featured in the article? Cool? Bold? Funny? Impressive? Which are your favorites? Are there any you’d like to try out? Which trends and looks, like face-framing curls or sweet crops, do you find most intriguing and fascinating? Tell us why.
How have your hairstyles changed over the years? Has your hair stayed basically the same since you were little, or do you change your look every year? Mr. Cha writes, “More and more people are taking risks with their hairstyles, bringing them closer to the ultimate style dictum: Make it personal.” Have you ever taken a big risk with your hair? Do you wish you could?
If you could change your hair for a day, just to try on a different look, what would you do? Why?
Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.
Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.
