What was Mexico really the origin of the iconic hairstyle of princess Leia in “Star Wars”? – LA NACION (Argentina)

Princess Leia and her distinctive hairstyle became the image that would recognize all over the world

The hair of two rolls from side to side characterized by the character princess Leia played by Carrie Fisher has become as iconic as the films themselves. What could have had its origin in the styles of the indigenous hopi (left) of Arizona, USA?. Photo: BBC World

they Are an icon of elegance.

When the fans of the War of the Galaxies began to flood social media with messages of grief following the death on Tuesday of actress Carrie Fisher, who played in the saga of the unforgettable character of Princess Leia, an image was repeated continuously: pictures of small girls smiling to the camera while you look stunning in your hair two perfect “cinnamon rolls”.

small used the same hairstyle popularized Fisher with the character who played 19 years of age.

Although the actress then did many more things in his career, Princess Leia, and his distinctive hairstyle came to become the image by which they should recognize in all over the world.

In 2014, Fisher told the magazine Time Out: “I am Leia and Leia is me. We are spliced because my life has been as a the of a cartoon, or superhero. At my age, it would be ridiculous if I had problems with that fact.”

But what of that hair style so particular, that only appeared in the first film, and that has inspired the imaginations of so many over the years? And, where did it came from?

Star Wars became one of the biggest franchises in the film industry. Photo: THE NATION / BBC World

according to Brandon Alinger, the author of The costume of Star Wars: The original trilogy, the rolls do not even appear in any of the concept drawings made for the character of Leia in preparation for the shoot.

In subsequent interviews, the creator of Star Wars, George Lucas, said that he had explored to the women of the Mexican Revolution, or “soldaderas”, that joined the popular uprising at the beginning of the TWENTIETH century.

“I leaned towards a woman’s style revolutionary southwest to the Pancho Villa, which is precisely that. The rolls are basically from the beginning of the century in Mexico”, said Lucas at the Time magazine in 2002.

it makes sense to explore this group of women when it comes to creating a character very far from the traditional princess waiting for rescue.

The revolutionary mexican not had that hairstyle. Photo: THE NATION / BBC World

“George did not want a damsel in distress, did not want the princess stereotype. I wanted a fighter, I wanted someone independent,” explained Fisher to the BBC in 1977.

But there is a problem with the statement of Luke. Revolutionary women mexican are not known for their hairstyles or, at least, not this kind of hairstyles.

“as Well as I would like to say that the hairstyle of princess Leia was based on the ‘soldaderas’ of the Mexican Revolution, surely that was not the case,” she told the BBC Tabea Linhard, author of “The fearless women of the Mexican Revolution and the Spanish Civil War”.

“If you look at the photos of that time, you’ll see women with braids long, some with hats and, from time to time, cover their hair with a mantilla.

“the conditions in the field of battle were harsh and the work of the women included loading supplies, taking care of the needs of men, to serve as spies, or smugglers: some also participated in the battle.”

The double buns of the character of princess Leia, played by Carrie Fisher, have become as iconic as the movies. Photo: THE NATION / BBC World

“So that the hairdo of Leia was surely not a desirable option”.

however, the style seems to have roots in american history.

Kendra Van Cleave, Frock Flicks, a website that examines the accuracy of the costumes of historical films, told the BBC that, while this type of buns or rolls were the fashion in medieval Europe, the inspiration for “more obvious” is the style of “flower of zucchini” of the women of the hopi tribe, in Arizona.

he Pointed out that: “Consists of two arrangements side that aren’t buns really, they are more like the handles of hair.

“The hair has a stripe in the center, then wrap around a bow of wood in the shape of a U. The hair is wound along a figure of 8, tied at the half and stretched outwards to create two semi-circles.

The hairstyle was first worn by the unmarried women of hopi, Arizona. Photo: THE NATION / BBC World

“This hairstyle is spread much more widely in the early TWENTIETH century thanks to photography,” said Van Cleave, adding quegozó of a resurgence in the 1920s.

“of course, the 1920s were a time in which women of the western hemisphere were revolutionizing the traditional roles of gender. Women in the 20′s in the U.S. gained the right to vote and attended the university they were employed in numbers unprecedented.”

“Many of the women artistic and bohemian of the 1920′s adopted a fashion ‘ethnic’ as a way of manifesting their rejection of what is conventional and, therefore, as a statement of feminist,” noted Van Cleave.

But, of course, the style of the women of the hopi is earlier.

So, that probably was already used when Arizona was still part of Mexico, because the state only was annexed officially by the U.S. in 1848.

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