WW2-era short hairstyles?

• Feb 27, 2013

• #1

p51

One Too Many

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My wife shocked the heck out of me in December by getting a reproduction 1940s dress for my living history group's annual Christmas party.
I didn't have time to go over hair and makeup and she told me about the day before the party itself (I'd assumed she was just going to wear a modern black dress she has). But afterward, she admitted she'd have liked to have gone a little further with the look (again, surprising the heck out of me, this is so out of character for her).
Are there any good guides for hairstyles for a 40s woman with short hair?

 

• Feb 27, 2013

• #2

QueenOfRandom

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I am desperately trying to find 40's looks for short hair myself! Mine is a bit shorter than your wife's so I really do struggle hehe. However there is always the victory roll, here I am with mine (not done by me but by a pro, I haven't mastered the nack!) which do look good in short hair and just add that vintage touch.

 

• Mar 1, 2013

• #3

geekgirl

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Oh gosh, her hair is hardly "short" for the era! A standard middy (style of hair cut popular at the time) was 4" long from the scalp. People are often surprised at how short that really is.

The important thing stylistically in the era is curls. Pin curls, pillow rollers, foam rollers, rag curls, even a curling iron, can all create the typical curl patterns of the time. Send her here, there are a lot of threads about the various techniques & tips for curling, brushing & styling 1940s hair.

Chole

 

• Mar 2, 2013

• #4

Antje

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As far as I can see her hair is not too short, just it needs curling. The most authentic would be pincurls

 

• Mar 4, 2013

• #5

MissNathalieVintage

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@QueenOfRandom Here is a great youtube channel that shows how to style short pixe hair into vintage hairstyles http://www.youtube.com/user/StarspangledHeart?gl=US&hl=en&client=mv-google&nomobile=1

 

• Mar 4, 2013

• #6

QueenOfRandom

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MissNathalieVintage said:

@QueenOfRandom Here is a great youtube channel that shows how to style short pixe hair into vintage hairstyles http://www.youtube.com/user/StarspangledHeart?gl=US&hl=en&client=mv-google&nomobile=1

Click to expand...

Ooo thank you!

 

• Mar 4, 2013

• #7

Edward

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I picked up this book, on recommendation (I think from round here), for a couple of friends. Apparently it is really very good:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0981663915/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

• Mar 5, 2013

• #8

p51

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Well behind the front lines!

Edward said:

I picked up this book, on recommendation (I think from round here), for a couple of friends. Apparently it is really very good:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0981663915/ref=oh_details_o04_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Click to expand...

I've seen that book in a bookstore recently. It's good, but honestly that's a lot of coin for something my wife might use maybe once a year at the most (if even then). I was hoping there might be some decent guide online somewhere...

 

• Mar 5, 2013

• #9

vintageTink

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p51 said:

I've seen that book in a bookstore recently. It's good, but honestly that's a lot of coin for something my wife might use maybe once a year at the most (if even then). I was hoping there might be some decent guide online somewhere...

Click to expand...

My library did an inter library loan for us. Could you ask them if that's an option?

 

• Mar 6, 2013

• #10

Christi.adell

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Georgia

I've done vintage hair with hair MUCH shorter than that!

If she curls it then honestly, that's like 80% of the battle in my opinion.
I hated, HATED sleeping in rollers and only liked pincurls a tiny bit better. I can't rave enough about these rollers http://www.amazon.com/Caruso-C97953...&qid=1362600071&sr=8-1&keywords=steam+rollers

You put them in in a basic set pattern wait about an hour and nice shiny, curly, hair, they gave me more "authentic" curls than hot rollers did. And they stayed in longer. After they're out brush and pin back the sides for an easy 'do.
If she's never curled her hair before they can take some getting used to but that would be with any method.

And as a disclaimer I will say when I was using them my hair was only chin length.