Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

How can I look more 1930s, less 1920s?

NicolettaRose

Practically Family
Messages
556
Location
Toluca Lake, CA
I think it would be impossible for me to go with the 1940's, since my hair is currently bobbed. Everyone always says you look so 1920's, but I would rather look 1930's, since this is the decade I wear most often and it is by far my favorite decade. What are some tips for achieving the 1930's look? Also, what is the differance between 1920's hair, and 1930's hair?

jean_harlow_gallery_2.jpg

Love this eye makeup, how would I do this like Jean Harlow has? Minus the painted on eyebrows...
 

Naama

Practically Family
Messages
667
Location
Vienna
Strange thing... people always tell me I look 1930's even though when I want to look more 1920s........

Fingerwave your hair!


Naama
 

Miss Neecerie

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,616
Location
The land of Sinatra, Hoboken
NicolettaRose said:
I think it would be impossible for me to go with the 1940's, since my hair is currently bobbed. Everyone always says you look so 1920's, but I would rather look 1930's, since this is the decade I wear most often and it is by far my favorite decade. What are some tips for achieving the 1930's look? Also, what is the differance between 1920's hair, and 1930's hair?

A google search reveals the following helpful links:

http://www.lphouse.com/1930s.htm

http://www.revampvintage.com/30shair.html

http://www.hairarchives.com/private/1930snew.htm


http://www.hairarchives.com/private/1930snew.htm



And thats really the extent of researching for 'someone else' I can spare.

You really might want to learn to use google...and the search here, it would save tons of time.
 

NicolettaRose

Practically Family
Messages
556
Location
Toluca Lake, CA
Naama said:
Strange thing... people always tell me I look 1930's even though when I want to look more 1920s........

Fingerwave your hair!


Naama

I don't even wear makeup most of the time, I was in a department store buying makeup, wearing a 1940's dress and two people from two different counters told me I looked like Louise Brooks and that I should go for the 1920's look. I wasn't even wearing any makeup that day.

Wern't the 1930's finger waved bobs longer then the ones of the 1930's?
 

KittyT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,463
Location
Boston, MA
Also, keep in mind Nicoletta, that most people don't know the difference between 20s style and 30s style, or style of any other decade for that matter.

There's a gal at Miss Bella's office who always tells her she looks so 60s when she's wearing 40s.

You're writing a book, for god's sake. You probably have a better idea of the look than anyone else who's commenting on your look.
 

NicolettaRose

Practically Family
Messages
556
Location
Toluca Lake, CA
Yeah, a lot of the time when I wear thirties people go " That's a nice 70's dress or "that's a nice 1950's dress"

I am writing a book, but I really havn't studied makeup/hair...that is one catergory I still need to be educated in..
 

KittyT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,463
Location
Boston, MA
NicolettaRose said:
Yeah, a lot of the time when I wear thirties people go " That's a nice 70's dress or "that's a nice 1950's dress"

I think this happens to all of us! Whenever I wear a 50s style shirtwaist dress, I have people saying things like "Oh, that reminds me of a dress I had back in the 80s! They don't realize that 80s dress of theirs was part of a revival of 50s fashion that happened during the 80s. Same with the 70s and the 30s!

I am writing a book, but I really havn't studied makeup/hair...that is one catergory I still need to be educated in..

Well everything you would need to know about hair and makeup is pretty much already here in past threads :p
 

NicolettaRose

Practically Family
Messages
556
Location
Toluca Lake, CA
Yes, I will be using alot of referances from the message board for my book since there are so many talented ladies on here. I do plan on putting beauty in my book, but I am concentrating on the fashion portion of it right now.
 

Amy Jeanne

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,852
Location
Colorado
My tool for learning the majour differences between 20s and 30s styles are the movies. Movies, movies, movies! I learned so much from watching so many over the past 10 years.

But still, I'll wear a 30s dress, do a Marcel wave, have on historically accurate makeup and I still get either "that's so 70s" or "that's so goth" [huh]
 

Mildred

New in Town
Messages
36
Location
Hollywood, California
Ideas

It is in the details. Jewelry, hair length, purses, shoes, stockings.

The 20's are so different from the thirties but most non vintage people do not know the difference.

Take lipstick-In the 20's the lips were more bow shaped to take after silent screen star Clara Bow. Thinner eyebrows too.

I suggest you find a look you like and make it your own. And if people think you are from the 1960's or whatever who cares.
 

HadleyH

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,811
Location
Top of the Hill
Difference between 1920s and 1930s hair

Well, I don't do vintage in clothes or hair myself, so I can't talk from personal experience, having said that I can tell you what my books say about the matter :)

1920s*** Short hair, this is the decade of the bobbed head (women adopted the small cloche hat which fitted tightly on her head) For a brief period the hair was not only bobbed, but cropped close to the head like a man's.

1930s*** Women's hair became less severe, was curled at the back of the head. The prevailing style of hairstyle was shoulder length or almost shoulder length, page boy or curled bob. This new decade came with a sort of prettiness that the 20s lacked; ruffles, bows, furbelows, you know, that sort of thing. :)
 

katiemakeup

Practically Family
Messages
822
Location
NYC/L.A.
BegintheBeguine said:
Just goes to show what a classic look "the thirties" is, perhaps more so than any other decade. It's a chameleon. :)


I agree! As far as Jean, George Hurrell put good old fashioned vaseline on her lids and face. I'm sure you can substitue with something less sticky! I'm no expert on hair- let alone period hair, but when I think 20's I think bobbed- but when I think 30's I think more waves and curls- you can still have short hair. That's just me though!![huh]
 

Brooksie

One Too Many
Messages
1,166
Location
Portland, Oregon
katiemakeup said:
I agree! As far as Jean, George Hurrell put good old fashioned vaseline on her lids and face. I'm sure you can substitue with something less sticky! I'm no expert on hair- let alone period hair, but when I think 20's I think bobbed- but when I think 30's I think more waves and curls- you can still have short hair. That's just me though!![huh]
Hey, Nic - i think i mentioned this to you in a previous thread a while back when you had a question about eye make up and sensitive eyes.

LB
 

Daisy Buchanan

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,332
Location
BOSTON! LETS GO PATRIOTS!!!
I will reiterate what Miss Neecerie has said, and I know this has been said many times before you need to use the search function on both this site and on Google. There is a lot of information here and on the web. The bartenders have spent a lot of hours working very hard to combine all of this information for us ladies, to make everything neat and tidy. If we just start a thread every time we have a question without doing some basic searching first, everything is gonna get all messy again. It will become very difficult and confusing for us to find the information that we need that is already here. So please, just do a little searching first. As Miss Neecerie has shown you, her quick search revealed a bunch of information. The bartenders are here to make sure that everything runs smoothly, they are not here, nor are any of us here to do the searching for you. You are writing a few books after all, you should know how to search the internet.....
 

swinggal

One Too Many
Messages
1,386
Location
Perth, Australia
The clothing is also drastically different.

Dresses in the 20s were not fitted like 30s gowns. They were boyish and straight, sometimes with emphasis at the hip. But breasts were flattened and the female body shape was not emphasised at all. Skirts rose to under the knee which had been unheard of before. Not everyone had short hair in the 20s either. Ladies who wanted to sport a 'bob' look without cutting their hair would leave most of it in low bun at the nape of the neck - giving the appearance of short hair. Not everyone was a 'flapper' in the 20s and people forget this. Rosebud Lips were a signature of the 20s too. The cupids' bow was higher and full lips were not 'in'.

1920s_fashion_lineup.jpg


early 1920s

1930dressstyles.jpg


late 1920s

hair-flappers.jpg


1920s hair and make up.

The 1930s is my favourite era - the time of bias and flowy fabrics. 30s dresses began to be fitted and belted at the waist but were designed to make the figure look long and lean. Shoulders were also becoming more padded and puffed - but the look was very slinky. Hemlines also dropped again. This sleek look was achieved by smoothing undergarments. I think this is a big mistake a lot of ladies make when trying to recreate the 30s look today - they dont wear thwe right underpinnings for the garments. Smoothing bulges out was everything in the 30s with bias gowns and the bust was no longer flattened like the 20s giving ladies a feminine shape again. Most ladies sported shorter hair in the 30s with soft waves and curls - sometimes bobs but without the severity of a 20s cut. make up was also softer once again.

30s_hair-makeup.jpg


1930s hair and makeup

c9f5f277deb6d77a5e9292597be8101d_l.jpg


Mid 30s Sears catalogue
 
Last edited:

Forum statistics

Threads
107,217
Messages
3,031,285
Members
52,690
Latest member
biker uk
Top