The bob is a longer version of the Eton culture.
The vintage Eton was born out of necessity and perhaps minor rebellion in the 1920s. This type of haircut typically involved trimming a woman’s loose curls in favor of the tapered style worn by men. It included small strands of hair on the sides to resemble sideburns and a slicked-back look at the front and crown, also similar to men’s. Depending on the woman, a curly-textured wave may have provided a feminine touch, although the ears were normally exposed.
Women adopting this type of hairstyle is due in part to the popularity of the choche hat, which clung tightly to a woman’s head like a bell and brushed to a subtle brim across the forehead. Brylcreem and other popular ointments were used to keep hair combed close to the scalp, a practice already used by men. In America, starlet seductress Josephine Baker helped make the style more widely accepted, though it is in Britain that it originated.
Apparently, the name Eton crop was adopted by 1920s writers because of the hairstyle’s resemblance to another cropped style of the time, a favorite of students at England’s prestigious, male-only Eton College. Etiquette watchers were sorry to see the style on women, which often required them to shave the back of their necks to give the hair a clean, even look. The style was also reportedly popular with the lesbian community at the time, which was another cause for alarmist concern.
The women of 2011 can still be seen with the short Eton hairstyle, although they are not likely to experience the same reaction of disdain. It is not the only hairstyle from the 1920s that endures, although it was the shortest. Some variations of Eton culture include the gravel style, with a pronounced shaven back, but one or both ears covered; the Dutch boy, with bangs that give the cut a boxy look; and the bob – with covered ears. The bob is also credited with forming the basis for all other short styles of the time. Often, the so-called Marcel wave was incorporated, giving the hair a wavy, more feminine texture.
Another popular hairstyle for women of the 1920s is called a headpiece. Wrap a part in the middle, with each side ending in a bow above the ears. This style was made famous by Princess Leia in the Star Wars trilogy.