The History of French Girl Hair: From Marie Antoinette’s Pouf to Brigitte Bardot’s Bedhead

The History of French Girl Hair: From Marie Antoinette’s Pouf to Brigitte Bardot’s Bedhead

When trying to quantify the ineffable allure of the femme française, one obvious trait is right in our faces—and theirs, much of the time: French girl hair. Its natural, unfussy texture sets the tone for an effortlessly cool look, inspiring women around the world to ditch the styling tools in favor of rumpled, slept-in waves seen on Caroline de Maigret and the convoy of street style stars we’ll be watching as Paris Fashion Week kicks off today.

But French hair hasn’t always been so uncomplicated. Marie Antoinette’s numerous coifs—the most memorable being the pouf, created by hairstylist Léonard Autié at the Dauphine’s request—defined luxury of the time with elaborate additions and ever-increasing height. The bob was popularized by the French in the 20th century thanks to a desire for simpler shapes, as well as the Parisian production of the Ballets Russes’s Scheherazade, which showcased the clean-cut style paired with flowing Arabian garb. Coco Chanel famously adopted the cut in 1916, as did the French-American artist and feminist Niki de Saint Phalle—the beauty muse behind Dior's Spring 2018 show—decades later, though Joan of Arc might be credited as the original innovator.

The bouffant, worn by Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve, reimagined '60s sensuality—particularly when paired with a wing of black liner—while Françoise Hardy’s naturally straight hair and bangs inspired a wave of styling insouciance the world over. Expats from Josephine Baker to Carla Bruni knew that calling Paris home came with the responsibility of adopting a directional coif. Today, It girls Lou Doillon and Clémence Poésy possess waves that only genes can deliver, along with the kind of aspirational texture that keeps dry shampoo in business. It’s a look that has range, as proven by the most recent Bond girl, Léa Seydoux, who hit the big screen (and often, the red carpet) with a polished take on the unofficial national coif. From Édith Piaf to Audrey Tautou, above is a brief history in pictures of the best French girl hair of all time.

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