Brookise Wearing The
When most film fans picture the bob hair cut, they think of Louise Brooks & her signature hair style, quickly called the “Louise Brooks bob”.
She may not have been the first to wear a bob, but Brooksie epitomized the flapper’s free spirit and her short, sleek hair was as dramatic & memorable as her film roles.
The public had decided; LuLu, the “It” girl, personified the bob, made the bob. And so the “Louise” became an eponymous classic hairstyle, living on in the minds of fashionistas who’ve never even seen her films. (That is, however, a pity; Brooksie’s films are fabulous!)
When discussing this hairstyle, many people will mention the bluntness of the cut — but what really makes the style sing are the smooth sinuous, sensuous curves…
The sweep along the cheek…
Louise Brooks & The Guiche
Even bang-less & slick, the spit curls are sleek, supple contrasts.
Called by many names (kiss curl, cheek curl, comma curl, etc.) in the U.S., the French call them guiche. Guiche, which rhymes with ‘leash’, literally means ‘curl’.
If you want locks like Brooksie, the best place to look for help is actually in hairstyle books from the 60′s, when the bob was resurrected.
(The guiche was also resurrected again in the 80′s, so those retro magazines may also feature tips on the care and handling of the guiche. Also, since those fashions are now returning, look for the guiche to appear on faces near you!)
There are several pages of guiche styles in the May, 1961, issue of HairDo magazine (a Dell publication). These pages feature different 10 curls along with photos of hairstyles:
The Guiche, Page One (Click For Full Scan)
Retro 1960
The Guiche, Page 3 (Click For Larger Scan)
Retro 1960s Curls
The notes on page 64 are as follows:
The care & keeping of the guiche, that sleek curl drawn out to cheek or jawbone, has inspired many a resourceful innovation. Try setting its flat, fashionable arch with a strip of cellophane tape. To keep it close, try a drop of surgical adhesive (in a tube at your drugstore) or clear nail polish.
Styling products have improved greatly since the 60′s, and you likely will not need to resort to sticking your curls to your face with clear nail polish.
