I have been fervently studying the book Creative Hairshaping and Hairstyling You Can Do by Ivan of Hollywood. This book was originally published in 1947. Ivan was the creator of many of the popular haircuts from the '40s. I am going to do a quick break down of definitions of each cut. It tends to bother me when persons use the wrong name for a cut, especially after reading this book.
Starting shortest to longest, we begin with:
The Shingle: Most hair in the back is cut to blend down to the nape which is cut to .5". The sides are cut to 2.5" and the top is cut from forehead to crown 4" to 6". All of the hair is blended together and the ends tapered.
Next we come to:
The Shingle Plus: Every dimension of this haircut is identical to the Shingle, except for the nape, which is cut to 1" and .75"
The next shaping is:
The Baby: This cut follows the lines of the Shingle Plus, except for a few changes. The nape is cut to 3" at center and 4" behind the ears and then blended to the shorter lengths above it. The sides are cut at 3" by the face, blended to 4" behind the ears and the top is cut to 3".
The most popular of cuts:
The Middy: The approach to the Middy is the same as the approach to all previous cuts. The length at the center nape is 3.25", while behind the ears is cut to 4". The side panels are cut at 3" by the face to 4" behind the ear. The top of the cut is exactly like the Shingle.
A variant of the above:
The Middy Plus: This cut is 4.5" at the center nape and still 4" behind the ears, like the Middy. This is the only difference, the remainder of the cut is exactly like the Middy.
Finally the longest cut:
The Long(Femme Fatale): Much the same as the Middy, only the center nape is cut to 6", while behind the ears is still cut to 4". The sides and the top are exactly the same as the Middy, except to blend the top a little longer at the crown to match the longer portion in back.
I felt that it was an interesting journey in to some of the most popular cuts from the '40s. There are some variations for the top and sides of each cut, if you were wanting a style that included rolls. That was left to the hairdresser to decide what would work best for each client and the finished style they would be wearing. The reason I put all of these here is that it seems that most ladies get a Middy Plus or a Long cut and it's still called a Middy. The shape, I suppose dictates that now. I will continue in learning about these classic styles and hope to spread the good word to those that will listen.
