Kiss curl


A kiss curl describes a lock of hair curling onto the face and usually plastered down. Although the curl could be flattened with saliva, soap or hair lotion was more typically used.

Pre-20th century

In the late seventeenth century there was a fashion for fringes composed of curls described as fripons, guigne-galants, or 'kiss-curls', sometimes augmented with false hair.

20th-century onwards

The kiss-curl was worn by both men and women.
It became a trademark of the singer Bill Haley, who wore a large spit curl over his right eye to divert attention from the other blind eye. Other people who became known for kiss/spit curls included Josephine Baker, Diana Ross, Coco Lewis and Superman.