We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Culinary

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What are Hair Sticks?

Amy Pollick
By
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 7,825
Share

Women use all sorts of hair accessories, from barrettes to headbands to ponytail holders. However, one old method of adorning hair has come back into vogue: hair sticks. Some people refer to any type of hair accessory as hair sticks, but the genuine article is a tapered stick, anywhere from 2-12 inches (about 5-30 cm) in length.

Hair sticks have been around for centuries. Paintings of Japanese and Chinese court ladies show the women with hair sticks holding their elaborate hairstyles in place. Hair sticks were used in the court of Louis XIV in France, with the incredibly elaborate hairstyles of the age, and made a resurgence in popularity in the 1920s, when things Oriental were all the rage in the West. Ladies went from playing bridge to playing mah-jongg and dressed as they imagined women did in the Orient. This often included the use of hair sticks.

Hair sticks can be made of many types of materials: wood, stone, bone, bamboo, plastic - any hard material. They may be plain sticks, or may be elaborately finished, perhaps in cloisonné. Hair sticks may also have decorative beads, gemstones or glass ornaments on the wide ends. This allows a woman to coordinate her hair sticks with her outfit.

While traditional hair sticks are straight, they also come in curved varieties, which many women say are easier to use, especially for beginners. Hair sticks are generally used to hold upswept hairstyles, such as buns or French knots. Some women use them for chignons, but a curved, U-shaped accessory, called a chignon fork, may be better for this purpose. Some beginners may secure their hairstyles with elastic bands, and then use hair sticks as decoration. This is strictly up to the woman who uses them.

Hair sticks are available almost anywhere hair accessories are sold. They are also sold on the Internet. They range in price from US$3 and up, depending on the materials and design.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Amy Pollick
By Amy Pollick
Amy Pollick, a talented content writer and editor, brings her diverse writing background to her work at WiseGeek. With experience in various roles and numerous articles under her belt, she crafts compelling content that informs and engages readers across various platforms on topics of all levels of complexity.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Amy Pollick
Amy Pollick
Amy Pollick, a talented content writer and editor, brings her diverse writing background to her work at WiseGeek. With...
Learn more
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-are-hair-sticks.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.