As the pandemic continues to keep lockdowns in place across the country, it can only mean one thing: Return of the Buzz Cut.

Social media has been inundated with pictures and stories of Men, Women and even celebrities having a go at shaving their own heads. But the bold look is not just a haircut of convenience, meant to keep the locks under control while Salons and Baber Shops remain closed.

Outside of the army, where it originated, the Buzz Cut has long been the preserve of counterculture - a symbol of rebellious aesthetics and empowerment. At a time when the world seems to be spinning out of place, it’s a powerful, personal way to reclaim ourselves.

In countries like the US, Russia, the UK and China, the style was also common among military recruits who had just started training and was known as the "Induction Cut," which is still used today. The reasons were pretty obvious: the style was clean and easy to maintain, prevented the spread of lice and, in the army, helped create a sense of uniformity.

Developed during the 19^th century with manual clippers first and electric clippers later, in its early days the style was mostly worn by young boys. It symbolised a youthful masculinity with its minimalism straightforward and simple style up until the 1960s, when the Vietnam War changed things dramatically.

Hairstyles then drastically changed during the 60s with dreadlocks and long locks becoming popular, before Punk began to take hold in the mid-70s.

Punk was loud, aggressive and eager to shock. With flower crowns and tie-dye shirts now a thing of the past; leather jackets, spikes, pins and shaved heads were in. And this time around both men and women sported the look of the Buzz Cut, a blatant expression of rebellion against the system that had endorsed the style in the first place.

In the 90s and early to mid-2000s, Female Buzz Cuts continued to be worn as a token of empowerment and embraced the look as a stance against gender norms and heteronormative ideas of beauty.

Over the years, The buzz Cut hairstyle has been popular with A-list celebrities like David Beckham and Brad Pitt and even Britney Spears in 2007. And once again, the Buzz cut returns.