Swing Haircut

Q: In the early 70s there was a haircut called the Swinger; shorter in the back and graduated longer towards the front. Does anyone remember it or have a picture of it?

A: Actually, I think that the cut you are referring to was called “The Swing”. It was created initially by Vidal Sassoon and was designed for use with individuals who had thick, straight hair types. The style was widely celebrated for its freedom of movement and the fact that it seemed so low-maintenance.

I myself had never heard of “The Swing” before, so I had to go searching. Admittedly, the information about the style is rather sparse, but I managed to find mention of the “Swing” style on two separate sites (one of which was unrelated to hairstyling altogether).

One site mentioned the “Swing” as the popular style at a specific school in the 70s, and the other actually discussed the “Swing” with a little info on how it looked back then, and the revival and update it has received for use today.

I couldn’t find a photo that I could legally use, but I did manage to create a separate graphic to demonstrate the one example I found, as well as give the elevations and cutting angles to create the style. See the graphic accompanying this question.

To create a Swing style, the hair needs to be straight, either naturally, or through chemicals or styling, and the hair should be cut with shorter layering in the back and longer lengths on the sides as you progress to the front. A true “Swing” does not incorporate bangs and will resemble somewhat the bob cut. The key difference between the bob and the “Swing” will be the presence of layering.

©Hairfinder.com

See also:

Seventies hair

Vintage hairstyles

What is a swing cut and can I do it myself?

Swing hairstyle with an elongated forward edge