Rattail (hairstyle)
Arattailis ahair stylethat is characterized by a long "tail" -like element ofhairgrowing downward from the back of the head. The rattail usually hangs naturally; however, it can bebraided,treated as adread,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.[1]
The rattail saw a brief period of mainstream popularity during the mid to late 1980s. By the mid 90s it had rapidly fallen out of fashion.[citation needed]However, it has recently[2]seen renewed popularity.
Cultural prevalence[edit]
The rattail can be traced back to China during the 17th Century when the Manchu took over and established the Qing Dynasty. It was known as the Manchu Queue. In the 1980's Vietnamese refugees fled to Australia/USA. The Vietnamese youths were known to have rattails and popularized it throughout western culture. The Polynesians also have their variant of the rattail and it is called the "Horse Tail" They are usually thicker and more popular today within Australia/New Zealand youths. The rattail is usually associated with Asian youths, while horsetail is more associated within Polynesian youths.
Somepunksandrivetheadshave been known to sport rattails, although in a much morepunk fashion,sometimes with the tail dyed a different color than the rest of the hair or by shaving the rest of the head, leaving only the tail. It is a very popular hairstyle inBroome, Western AustraliaandNew Zealand,especially among boys, and is sometimes combined with shaved sides as a softfauxhawk. [3] New Kids On The BlockperformerJordan Knightwore a long braided rattail for much of his time with the band, which helped further the style's popularity.[citation needed]
Former junior welterweight bo xing championKostya Tszyusported a rather famous rattail throughout his career.[4]
Game developerRichard Garriotthas worn a rattail since 1984. [5]
In theStar Warsuniverse,Jedi Padawanswear a rattail called a Padawan Braid until they are given the rank of Jedi Knight.
In theHBOseriesThe Idol,the character Tedros played byThe Weekndsports a prominent rattail.[6]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^"Rat Tail Hairstyle".RetrievedFebruary 15,2010.
- ^"Is the rat-tail, the worst men's hairstyle ever, making a comeback?".
- ^Bolat, Jeff."Friseur Essen".Retrieved28 April2021.
- ^"Shane Mosley & Kostya Tszyu: Bo xing 's Smiling Assassins".RetrievedFebruary 15,2010.
- ^@RichardGarriott (26 January 2015)."And... Just for me... The rat tail jokes! Had mine since 1984!"(Tweet).Retrieved1 August2020– viaTwitter.
- ^Gallagher, Jacob (6 June 2023)."Are We Entering a Rattail Renaissance?".The Wall Street Journal.Dow Jones & Company, Inc.Retrieved13 July2023.
External links[edit]
Media related toRattail haircutat Wikimedia Commons
The dictionary definition ofrattail (hairstyle)at Wiktionary
