From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Elly Jackson of La Roux wearing her hair in a quiff
Itamar Franco, former President of Brazil, with a quiff

The quiff is a hairstyle that combines the 1950s pompadour hairstyle, the 50s flattop, and sometimes a mohawk. This can also be another word for a hairstyle. The hairstyle was a staple in the British 'Teddy Boy' movement, but became popular again in Europe in the early 1980s and faced a resurgence in popularity during the 90s.[1]

Origin of the word[edit]


  • It may derive from the Hindi word quoff, meaning hair slicked back.
  • It may owe its origin to the French word coiffe, which can mean either a hairstyle or, going further back, the mail that knights wore over their heads and under their helmets.
  • Another possible candidate for its origin is the Dutch word kuif, meaning "crest." The Dutch name for Tintin, who sports a quiff, is Kuifje, which is the diminutive of the same word.



The Japanese punch perm, a favorite among Yakuza (organized criminals) and Bōsōzoku (biker gangs), is similar to the quiff.

See also[edit]


  1. ^ Averill, Farah. "Top 6: Timeless Hairstyles". UK.AskMen.com. Ziff Davis. p. 5. Retrieved 2014-10-11.