Kiss curl

1938 Swedish poster showing Josephine Baker with a 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 (hence its alternative name spit curl), 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, and Superman.