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Marcelling is a
Marcelling is a hair styling
A hairstyle, hairdo, haircut or coiffure refers to the styling of hair, usually on the human scalp. Sometimes, this could also mean an editing of facial or body hair. The fashioning of hair can be considered an aspect of personal grooming ...
technique in which hot curling tongs
A hair iron or hair tong is a tool used to change the arrangement of the hair using heat. There are three general kinds: ''curling irons'', used to make the hair curly, ''straightening irons'', commonly called ''straighteners'' or ''flat irons'', ...
are used to induce a curl into the hair. Its appearance was similar to that of a finger wave
A finger wave is a method of setting hair into waves (curls) that was popular in the 1920s and early 1930s and again in the late 1990s in North America and Europe. Silver screen actresses such as Josephine Baker and Esther Philips are credited wit ...
but it is created using a different method.
Marcelled hair was a popular style for women's hair in the 1920s, often in conjunction with a bob cut
A bob cut, also known as a bob, is a short to medium length haircut, in which the hair is typically cut straight around the head at approximately jaw level, but no longer than shoulder-length, often with fringe or bangs at the front. The standar ...
. For those women who had longer hair, it was common to tie the hair at the nape of the neck and pin it above the ear with a stylish hair pin or flower. One famous wearer was Josephine Baker
Josephine Baker (born Freda Josephine McDonald; naturalised French Joséphine Baker; 3 June 1906 – 12 April 1975) was an American-born French dancer, singer and actress. Her career was centered primarily in Europe, mostly in her adopted Fran ...
.
History
Accounts vary about the invention of the style, but Marcel Grateau (October 18, 1852–May 31, 1936) is widely credited with inventing the hair styling technique in the 1870s (differing accounts report 1872 or 1875). The inventor and stylist emigrated to the United States and changed his name to François Marcel Woelfflé, sometimes reported as François Marcel. He was granted U.S. patents for implements for performing the technique; the first, U.S. patent 806386, entitled "Curling-Iron", was published in 1905, and the second, entitled "Hair-Waving Iron", for an electric version, under the name François Marcel, was published in 1918. His obituary appeared under the name Francois Marcel Grateau in 1936.In popular culture
*In the 1914 song " By the Beautiful Sea", the female protagonist is said to have a job marcelling hair. *The song "Keep Young and Beautiful
"Keep Young and Beautiful" is a song by Al Dubin (lyrics) and Harry Warren (music), performed by Eddie Cantor and a chorus in the 1933 film ''Roman Scandals''.
A recording by Abe Lyman and His California Orchestra was released in 1934.
Annie Len ...
", popular in 1934, references the hairstyle.
*The doo-wop
Doo-wop (also spelled doowop and doo wop) is a genre of rhythm and blues music that originated in African-American communities during the 1940s, mainly in the large cities of the United States, including New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Chica ...
group the Marcels
The Marcels were an American doo-wop group known for turning popular music songs into rock and roll. The group formed in 1959 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and signed to Colpix Records with lead Cornelius Harp, bass Fred Johnson, Gene Bricker, R ...
were named after the hairstyle.
*British comedian Kenny Everett
Kenny Everett (born Maurice James Christopher Cole; 25 December 1944 – 4 April 1995) was an English comedian, radio disc jockey and television presenter. After spells on pirate radio and Radio Luxembourg in the mid-1960s, he was one of the fi ...
portrayed an over the top French stereotype by the name of Marcel Wave in his TV series.
*In the film, "Some Like It Hot" Actor Tony Curtis stood up his girl who complains she just had her hair Marcelled!
See also
*Permanent wave
A permanent wave, commonly called a perm or permanent (sometimes called a "curly perm" to distinguish it from a " straight perm"), is a hairstyle consisting of waves or curls set into the hair. The curls may last a number of months, hence the ...
References
;Citations ;Works cited *External links
* * {{fashion-stub Hairdressing 1920s fashion African-American hair