Quiff

Teenager sporting a quiff hairstyle

The quiff is a hairstyle that combines the 1950s pompadour hairstyle, the 50s flattop, and sometimes a mohawk. The etymology of the word is uncertain but may derive from the French word "coiffe" which can mean either a hairstyle or, going further back, the mail knights wore over their heads and under their helmets. The hairstyle was a staple in the British 'Teddy Boy' movement, but became popular again in Europe in the early 1980s with early psychobilly acts including The Meteors, Demented Are Go and, more recently, Jedward.

For a while, DJ and TV presenter Mark Lamarr was a famous proponent of the quiff. Mark Kermode, popular film critic and reviewer, is a well known for having an 'impeccably-coiffured quiff'. Probably the most famous example of the more prominent variety of the quiff is singer Morrissey. It has been taken to the extreme and parodied by the Finnish band Leningrad Cowboys, and is their calling card.

The hairstyle, although prominent in the 80s, faded into obscurity except among ardent 80s culture fans. The quiff saw a revival in the late 90s, due to the advent of the French crop, a modern version of the quiff, and continues through today.

In the 2000s, pulling the fringe back into a quiff with a ponytail was a popular female hairstyle in some countries.

The Japanese Punch perm, a favorite among Yakuza (organized criminal) and Bōsōzoku (biker gang) members, bears a similarity to this hairstyle.

Irish pop music duo Jedward are known for wearing their signature flamboyant blond quiffs, which they described in a segment on The X Factor in 2009.

The Belgian comic book character Tintin is famous for his quiff, which first appeared in his first adventure, when the character jumps into a car and drives off at speed, causing his hair to form a quiff.