Punch perm
Encyclopedia
A is a type of tightly permed
male hairstyle in Japan that was popular among yakuza
(mafia), chinpira (low-level mafia), bōsōzoku
(motorcycle gang members), truck drivers, construction workers, and enka
singers, from the 1960s till the mid-1990s. This hair style probably got its name from "needle punch carpeting", a type of floor covering with a short and tightly curled nap.
The punch perm began to fall out of usage as a result of its general association with the yakuza, as well as normal fashion trends.
, an afro
, and an exaggerated sculpted early 1960s pompadour
.
Another variant is the "iron perm". While a punch perm is created with rollers and chemicals, an iron perm is created with a heated curling iron. This hair style often involves singeing the hair.
Permanent wave
A permanent wave, commonly called a perm, involves the use of chemicals to break and reform the bonds of the hair. The hair is washed and wrapped on a perm rod and waving lotion is applied with a base. This solution creates a chemical reaction that softens the inner structure of the hair by...
male hairstyle in Japan that was popular among yakuza
Yakuza
, also known as , are members of traditional organized crime syndicates in Japan. The Japanese police, and media by request of the police, call them bōryokudan , literally "violence group", while the yakuza call themselves "ninkyō dantai" , "chivalrous organizations". The yakuza are notoriously...
(mafia), chinpira (low-level mafia), bōsōzoku
Bosozoku
is a Japanese subculture associated with motorcycle clubs and gangs.-Traits and history:The word bōsōzoku is also applied to motorcycle gangs, who share an interest in modifications for motorcycles, such as removing the mufflers so that more noise is produced...
(motorcycle gang members), truck drivers, construction workers, and enka
Enka
is a popular Japanese music genre considered to resemble traditional Japanese music stylistically. Modern enka, however, is a relatively recent musical form which arose in the context of such postwar expressions of modern Japanese nonmaterial nationalism as nihonjinron, while adopting a more...
singers, from the 1960s till the mid-1990s. This hair style probably got its name from "needle punch carpeting", a type of floor covering with a short and tightly curled nap.
The punch perm began to fall out of usage as a result of its general association with the yakuza, as well as normal fashion trends.
Variations
A variation of the punch perm that is worn primarily by bōsōzoku is called "aippa": both sides of the forehead are shaved to create a cross between widow's peakWidow's peak
A widow's peak is a distinct point in the hairline in the center of the forehead. This hair anomaly is a result of a lower-than-usual position of the intersection of the bilateral periorbital fields of hair-growth suppression on the forehead.-Definition:...
, an afro
Afro
Afro, sometimes shortened to fro and also known as a "natural", is a hairstyle worn naturally by people with lengthy kinky hair texture or specifically styled in such a fashion by individuals with naturally curly or straight hair...
, and an exaggerated sculpted early 1960s pompadour
Pompadour (hairstyle)
Pompadour is a tall style of men's haircut which takes its name from Madame de Pompadour.There are Latin variants of the hair style more associated with European and Argentine tango fashion trends and occasionally with late 20th century musical genres such as rockabilly and country.The pompadour...
.
Another variant is the "iron perm". While a punch perm is created with rollers and chemicals, an iron perm is created with a heated curling iron. This hair style often involves singeing the hair.
External links
- "Bosozoku (Bikers), Zeros in Setagaya Ward"—Photo of bōsōzoku with punch perms, Leon Borensztein
- Photo of alleged yakuza members with punch perms
- Yakuza: Japan's Criminal Underworld chapter 12, David E. Kaplan and Alec Dubro, University of California Press. ISBN 978-0520215627.
