The D.A. (short for Duck’s Ass) was the haircut of the 1950s for cool white males.
Formed by combing the hair back on the side of the head and holding it with place with hair grease (hence the term greasers), the hairstyle was created by Philadelphia barber Joe Cirella in 1940 and took off when it was worn by television, movie and musical stars.
The haircut gained much of its popularity because it was worn by many of Rock and Roll’s biggest stars. At the time, many parents had negative views towards the music and its performers. Young men, eager to rebel, delighted in slicking their hair back with Brylcreem and a wide-tooth comb.
The popularity of the haircut was accented by the fact that several versions of it were spun off in the United States and Great Britain, but faded with the coming of the British invasion of the United States in the early 1960s.