bouffant

Think of Jackie Kennedy or Brigitte Bardot—that's often what comes to mind when you hear "bouffant." A bouffant is a voluminous, swept-up hairstyle typically created by teasing and backcombing the hair at the crown. It's more than just "big hair"; it has a specific silhouette—rounded fullness on top, often with the sides smoothed down or tucked back. While it reached its peak popularity in the 1960s, the bouffant still makes a statement today on red carpets and at vintage-themed events.

The word comes from the French verb bouffer, meaning "to puff out." It originally described a hairstyle where the hair was puffed out all around the head, but now generally refers to any style where volume is concentrated at the top. Achieving a true bouffant isn't just about height; it's about structure, style, and usually a serious amount of hairspray!

A bouffant is a distinctive hairstyle characterized by significant fullness and volume, particularly at the crown of the head. This height is achieved through a technique called backcombing or teasing, where sections of hair are combed toward the roots to create a "nest" of lift and body. To finish the look, the top layer is smoothed over the teased section, and the sides are often pinned or smoothed down to emphasize the dramatic elevation on top.

The bouffant rose to global prominence in the early 1960s, becoming a signature look for style icons like Jackie Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn, and Dusty Springfield. It represented a shift toward more glamorous, high-maintenance, and sophisticated aesthetics following the softer, simpler waves of the 1950s. Variations of the style include the "beehive," which is essentially a very tall, conical bouffant. While often associated with mid-century fashion, bouffants have experienced numerous revivals, frequently appearing on modern fashion runways to evoke a sense of retro elegance.

The term "bouffant" itself is rooted in the French verb bouffer, meaning "to puff out" or "to swell." Historically, it was used to describe 18th-century hairstyles that were puffed out in a wide halo around the head. Today, the term is most closely linked to the "puffed-up" crown of the 20th century.

You might describe a character in a period film as sporting a "towering bouffant," or notice a celebrity "rocking a modern bouffant" for a gala. It remains a powerful cultural symbol of mid-century glamour, evoking an image of poise, playful extravagance, and a touch of rebellious volume. If you see hair swept high and full, you are looking at the iconic bouffant.