Pompadour (hairstyle)

The primary feature of the pompadour hairstyle is a large volume of hair swept upwards from the forehead
Hair in this style was an essential part of the "Gibson Girl" look in the 1890s

The pompadour is a hairstyle named after Madame de Pompadour (1721–1764), a mistress of King Louis XV of France.[1] Although there are numerous variations of the style for men, women, and children, the basic concept is having a large volume of hair swept upwards from the face and worn high over the forehead, and sometimes upswept around the sides and back as well.

Despite the name, this hairstyle has nothing in common with the hairstyle of Madame de Pompadour, who wore her hair back rather than up, with no extra volume on the top. The name was coined in the 20th century.

  1. ^ Sherrow, Victoria (2006). Encyclopedia of Hair: A Cultural History. Greenwood Publishing Group. pp. 309–310. ISBN 9780313331459.