Past Generation Lead The Way For Fashion Accessories | The History Of Hair Combs

Updated 9-07-2022

💻    Styles by Arica Hart

      

The History of hair combs

          

  Past Generations & Fashion Accessories 

People have been using hair combs to make a fashion statement, as far back as 5,000 years ago. Yes, that's a long time ago. As you know, humans like to keep their appearance in a certain way. I imagine they used their fingers until someone decided to make a comb from bone or something. There have been primitive versions of combs found by the archaeologist.

There are many variations and uses for the comb. 

There are styling combs and decorative combs. Some are used to untangle the hair. Others are used for parting the hair in the styling process. Then, you have some that are used as hair accessories and holding the hair in place.

Ancient hair comb

Decorative Combs

The pretty fancy combs to decorate your Up-do hairstyle emerged during the 1930s & 1940s. 

Today some of us are still wearing those glamorous Up-do hairstyles. This is true, especially during prom and wedding seasons when some brides use a wedding hair comb to enhance the beauty of their wedding hairstyle on their special day. 

Bridal hair comb

You May see beautiful hair combs tucked in some creative and stunning up-do hairstyles. 

The wedding hair comb may have a glamourous design made of 

• rhinestones
• pearls
• sequins
• and floral embellishments

The hair accessories come in a variety of sizes for a person's particular needs.

Decorative Comb

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So if you think this generation is the leader of fashion, think again! 

Don't get me wrong! There are fabulous, creative people out here, that really know how to work their fashion and style. I see their fabulous post and think, that is gorgeous. Shouts out to you, because you do take fashion to the next level in an awesome and beautiful way; but we should always remember the past generations lead the way for style to repeat itself.
               

Victorian style

The History of Hair Combs

Years ago, wood or bones were used to make combs. Some were made from the horns of buffalos or ivory. 

Classy and beautiful combs were made by the Chinese Kingfisher's exquisite turquoise feathers. It almost led to the extinction of the species. 

Combs were made from animals sometimes but eventually changed to mostly plastic and wooden because of animal rights.  

The sentiment for Ivory was getting strong and the supply became low In 1869; meanwhile, two brothers named John and Isaiah  Hyatt discovered celluloid while playing around in the laboratory. 

This was a very big invention for the world of combs because it was the first plastic to consist of camphor and nitrocellulose. It made the price of combs cheaper and faster to make, but it kept the appearance of the tortoiseshell and ivory. 

This was good for the animals because they were no longer in danger of becoming extinct so that people can look beautiful and handsome.

These days you can have a comb made from low to high costing material. They can be made of plastic, steel, gold, or platinum, depending on how much you want to spend. Combs vary in the space and size of the teeth. 

Some have even used the teeth of the comb to make music.

Theoriginof.com stated, 

Many of the historical combs can be seen in museums. In the Hermitage Museum, there is an exquisitely carved comb belonging to the Scythian period ca 400 BC termed the Salokha comb. On the head are depicted three human figures, one being on horseback, about to kill an animal. 

That showed they were very creative with creating and designing combs ages ago.

Types of Hair Combs

In this day and age, we are Bringing hair styling out of the dark ages & into the light. 

There are many different types of combs available for everyday use.

• Rat-tail comb: A rat-tail comb has a thin handle & is used for parting the hair. 

Rat-tail Comb

• Afro comb: At one point in time the Afro comb was very popular to comb natural hair.

Afro combs were popular when people wore afros

• Rake Combs: There are combs called rakes, for designing special hairstyles. 
• Wide-tooth comb: Then there are wide tooth combs for detangling the tresses. 

Wide-tooth comb for untangling

• Accessories combs: As you know we still have those beautiful accessories combs to decorate our elegant updo hairstyles. 

Beautiful accessories combs

So combs range in all different shapes and sizes. They have a variety of uses. I'm sure the next time you pick up your comb, you'll think about its amazing history! Have a blessed and awesome day!

  Multicolor Afro Comb

multi-color Afro comb

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