A
hairstyle,
hairdo, or
haircut refers to the
styling of
hair, usually on the human scalp. The fashioning of hair can be considered an aspect of
personal grooming,
fashion, and
cosmetics, although practical, cultural, and popular considerations also influence some hairstyles. The oldest known depiction of hair
braiding dates back about 30,000 years. In ancient civilizations, women's hair was often elaborately and carefully dressed in special ways. In
Imperial Rome, women wore their hair in complicated styles. From the time of the Roman Empire until the Middle Ages, most women grew their hair as
long as it would naturally grow. During the Roman Empire as well as in the 16th century in the western world, women began to wear their hair in extremely ornate styles. In the later half of the 15th century and on into the 16th century a very high hairline on the forehead was considered attractive. During the 15th and 16th centuries, European men wore their hair cropped no longer than shoulder-length. In the early 17th century male hairstyles grew longer, with waves or curls being considered desirable.