Coiffure

Coiffure is the act or result of styling hair. The term comes from the French verb coiffer, meaning to comb or arrange hair. In English, coiffure can refer to a hairstyle itself or to the craft of hairdressing, especially in fashion, film, theater, or haute couture contexts. The practice includes shaping, texturing, coloring, and securing hair into finished forms.

Common techniques in coiffure include smoothing, curling, waving, braiding, and creating updos such as chignons and buns. Finishing touches often involve securing the arrangement with pins and combs, and integrating accessories like ribbons, veils, hats, or jewelry. The field encompasses a range of styles from everyday looks to elaborate ceremonial or runway creations.

Historically, coiffure has reflected social status and fashion. In ancient civilizations, hair was styled for ceremonial or symbolic reasons. During the Baroque and Rococo eras, European courts popularized elaborate updos and wigs. The 18th and 19th centuries saw evolving silhouettes as taste shifted between simplicity and ornament. The modern era separated hair design into a professional discipline with salons, training, and industry standards, aided by advances in tools and techniques such as blow-drying, curling tongs, and flat irons. Today, coiffure denotes both a particular hairstyle and the professional practice of hairdressing, with practitioners known as coiffeurs or stylists who may specialize in fashion media, bridal styling, or clinical and corporate settings.