Pigtail

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A woman with long pigtails and braids. Braided pigtails.jpg
A woman with long pigtails and braids.

In the context of hairstyles, the usage of the term pigtail (or twin tail or twintail) shows considerable variation. The term may refer to a single braid, but is more frequently used in the plural ("pigtails") to refer to twin braids on opposite sides of the head. Sometimes, the term "pigtails" applies whether or not the hair is braided, [1] but there is not widespread agreement on this (in places where this usage is common, unbraided pairs are called doggie ears or bunches and a single bunch, regardless of position on the head, is called a ponytail).

Contents

Word origin and usage

Bedouin woman with pigtails, 1880s. Bedouin woman 2 (1898 - 1914).jpg
Bedouin woman with pigtails, 1880s.

The term pigtail appears in English in the American colonies in the 17th century to describe a twist of chewing tobacco. One of the steps in processing the tobacco was to twist a handful of leaves together to form a compact bunch that would then be cured (dried, either with or without smoking). The term "pigtail" was applied to the bunch based on its resemblance to a twisted pig's tail.

From the later 17th century through the 19th century, the term came to be applied to any braided ("plaited", in British parlance) hairstyle. The British army also adopted a single pigtail or "queue" as its standard dress for long hair. British barristers continue to wear a wig with pigtails as a way to hide the hairline in an attempt to provide basic anonymity. [ citation needed ]

Robert Louis Stevenson mentions "pigtail" referring to hair and then to "pigtail tobacco" in the first and fourth chapters of Treasure Island , respectively. [2]

Most modern dictionaries still define "pigtail" as a single tight braid. However, many speakers use the term to describe two symmetrical bunches of hair on either side of the head, braided or not. [1]

Styles

There are numerous styles of pigtails in which a person may wear their hair. They may be braided, straightened, beaded, ribboned, in buns, fishtailed,[ clarification needed ] and even French braided. Pigtails can be placed on different parts of a person's head: high, low, or to the side.

In some regions of China, traditional culture related the wearing of pigtails to a girl's marital status. A young, unmarried, Chinese girl would often wear two buns, or bundles of hair on either side of the head to display her availability to prospective husbands. This style of pigtails is sometimes referred to as "ox horns." However, when this girl would marry, the two pigtails, or buns, would be replaced with just one, thus indicating her marriage.

The Manchu and later Qing dynasty men's coiffe called the "queue" is sometimes described incorrectly as a pigtail.

Bunches

Sometimes the portrayed hairstyle is referred to as "pigtails" in general, while "bunches" is more specific as they are unplaited. Pigtails.jpg
Sometimes the portrayed hairstyle is referred to as "pigtails" in general, while "bunches" is more specific as they are unplaited.

Bunches (also called pigtails, bunchies, twintails or angel wings) are a hairstyle in which the hair is parted down the middle and gathered into two symmetrical bundles, like ponytails, secured near the scalp. Sometimes this hairstyle is referred to as "pigtails", but in other cases the term "pigtails" applies only if the hair is braided. [1]

In Japan

Unbraided pigtails are extremely popular in Japan, especially in anime and manga fandom and Japanese otaku culture. [3] Traditionally a hairstyle worn by young girls, it has come to represent innocence, and is also known as the "twintail" or futatsu-yui (二つ結い). Anime and manga characters sporting twintails have been prevalent since the 1960s, and the hairstyle has since entered mainstream culture, in part due to Vocaloid Hatsune Miku embracing the look. [3] This includes the creation of a "Japan Twintail Association" to promote and celebrate the hairstyle, as well as running photo spreads of models sporting the dual tails. [3] "Twin Tail Day" is officially recognized by the Japan Anniversary Association and falls on February 2, when girls post images of themselves with the hairstyle onto Twitter. [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

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A hairstyle, hairdo, haircut or coiffure refers to the styling of hair, usually on the human head but sometimes on the face or body. The fashioning of hair can be considered an aspect of personal grooming, fashion, and cosmetics, although practical, cultural, and popular considerations also influence some hairstyles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Braid</span> Structure of strands of flexible material

A braid is a complex structure or pattern formed by interlacing three or more strands of flexible material such as textile yarns, wire, or hair. The simplest and most common version is a flat, solid, three-stranded structure. More complex patterns can be constructed from an arbitrary number of strands to create a wider range of structures. The structure is usually long and narrow with each component strand functionally equivalent in zigzagging forward through the overlapping mass of the others. It can be compared with the process of weaving, which usually involves two separate perpendicular groups of strands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wig</span> Head accessory that mimics hair

A wig is a head covering made from human or animal hair, or a synthetic imitation thereof. The word is short for "periwig". Wigs may be worn to disguise baldness, to alter the wearer's appearance, or as part of certain professional uniforms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ponytail</span> Hairstyle gathering hair at the back of the head

A ponytail is a hairstyle in which some, most, or all of the hair on the head is pulled away from the face, gathered and secured at the back of the head with a hair tie, clip, or other similar accessory and allowed to hang freely from that point. It gets its name from its resemblance to the tail of a pony.

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The mohawk is a hairstyle in which, in the most common variety, both sides of the head are shaven, leaving a strip of noticeably longer hair in the center. Mohawk hairstyles have existed for thousands of years. As of the 21st century, they are most commonly associated with punks, or broader non-conformity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French braid</span> Type of braid

A French braid, also called a French plait, is a type of braided hairstyle. The three-strand gathered plait includes three sections of hair that are braided together from the crown of the head to the nape of the neck.

Pig tail may refer to:

Traction alopecia is a type of alopecia or hair loss caused by a chronic pulling force being applied to the hair. It commonly results from a person frequently wearing their hair in a particularly tight ponytail, pigtails, or braids with increased likelihood when hair is chemically relaxed as this compromises the hair shaft's tensile strength resulting in hair breakage. Traction alopecia causes a recession of the hairline due to chronic traction, which is characterized by a fringe along the marginal hairline on physical exam. Diagnosis is clinical and treatment directed at cessation of the chronic traction, while cosmeses, with surgical restoration is reserved for severe cases with scarring fibrosis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bun (hairstyle)</span> Type of hairstyle

A bun is a type of hairstyle in which the hair is pulled back from the face, twisted or plaited, and wrapped in a circular coil around itself, typically on top or back of the head or just above the neck. A bun can be secured with a hair tie, barrette, bobby pins, one or more hair sticks, a hairnet, or a pen or pencil. Hair may also be wrapped around a piece called a "rat". Alternatively, hair bun inserts, or sometimes rolled up socks, may also be used to create donut-shaped buns. Buns may be tightly gathered, or loose and more informal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pigtail Ordinance</span>

The Pigtail Ordinance was an 1873 law intended to force prisoners in San Francisco, California to have their hair cut within an inch of the scalp. It affected Qing Chinese prisoners in particular, as it meant they would have their queue, a waist-long, braided pigtail, cut off. The proposal passed by a narrow margin through the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1873 but was vetoed by the mayor. An identical version of the law was enacted by the California State Legislature in 1876 and was subsequently struck down as unconstitutional in 1879.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rattail (hairstyle)</span> Tail-like hair style

A rattail is a hair style that is characterized by a long "tail"-like element of hair growing downward from the back of the head. The rattail usually hangs naturally; however, it can be braided, treated as a dread, permed, straightened, poofed, or curled with an iron. In some instances, an individual might choose to grow several tails as opposed to a single very long tail. A rattail is characterised by hair longer than the rest of the hair surrounding it.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queue (hairstyle)</span> Hairstyle worn by the Jurchen and Manchu peoples of Manchuria

A queue or cue is a hairstyle worn by the Jurchen and Manchu peoples of Manchuria, and was later required to be worn by male subjects of Qing China. Hair on top of the scalp is grown long and is often braided, while the front portion of the head is shaved. The distinctive hairstyle led to its wearers being targeted during anti-Chinese riots in Australia and the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hair tie</span> Fashion accessory used to bind up hair

A hair ties is an item used to fasten hair, particularly long hair, away from areas such as the face. This is usually done as part of a hairstyle such as pigtails, bunches, or ponytails for straight, wavy, and loosely curled hair, and referred to as afro puffs, bunny tails, and "pineapples" for highly curled and highly textured natural hair. Two common types of hair tie are the scrunchie and the elastic. The term can also include a fixed tie or rubber band which is placed through or around strands to hold specific parts of hair together, rather than tie it or clasp them together like a hair clip.

<i>Gonna be the Twin-Tail!!</i> Japanese light novel series

Gonna be the Twin-Tail!!, abbreviated OreTwi (俺ツイ), is a Japanese light novel series written by Yume Mizusawa and illustrated by Ayumu Kasuga. Shogakukan has published 22 volumes under their Gagaga Bunko imprint since June 2012. An anime adaptation produced by Production IMS aired in Japan from October 9, 2014 to December 25, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Box braids</span> Hair braids which are characterized by "boxy" or square-shaped hair divisions

Box braids are a type of hair-braiding style that is predominantly popular among African people and the African diaspora. This type of hairstyle is a "protective style" and is "boxy", consisting of square-shaped hair divisions. Box braids are generally installed by using synthetic hair which helps to add thickness as well as helping the natural hair that is in the braid. Because they are not attached to the scalp like other similar styles such as cornrows, box braids can be styled in a number of different ways. The installation process of box braids can be lengthy, but once installed they can last for six to eight weeks. They are known for being easy to maintain.

Secular laws regulating hairstyles exist in various countries and institutions.

A ponytail is a hairstyle where hair is gathered and secured at the back of the head.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Braid (hairstyle)</span> Hairstyle formed by interlacing 3 or more strands

Braids are a complex hairstyle formed by interlacing three or more strands of hair. Braiding has been used to style and ornament human and animal hair for thousands of years in various cultures around the world.

Hairstyles of Japanese women have been varied throughout history. Since the 7th century, Japanese noblewomen have sought out elaborate and structured ways to wear their hair to show off their elite status. This included hairdos built of wax, ribbons, combs, hair picks, and flowers.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "What Are Pigtails?". Ambafrance-do.org. Retrieved August 14, 2016.
  2. Stevenson, R. L. (2006). Treasure Island. Retrieved October, 2008, from Project Gutenberg database.
  3. 1 2 3 Ashcraft, Brian (17 December 2012). "Japan's Love Affair with Pigtails". Kotaku. Retrieved April 4, 2016.
  4. Coello, Joan. "Twin Tail Day makes Twitter a paradise for guys in Japan". Rocket News 24. Retrieved April 4, 2016.