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.

The new girl has a question

FlapperRen

New in Town
Messages
13
Location
Minnesota
Hi! I happened across this forum a while back and finally decided to suck it up and ask for some advice. I've had a wretched time finding Hairstyle pic's from the 30's-50's and I wondered if any of you girls could send me in the right direction. I tend towards 1940s styles but sometimes stray on a whim.
Thanks so much and I look forward to future postings!

Renny :coffee:
 

jitterbugdoll

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,042
Location
Soon to be not-so-sunny Boston
I created a very informal page of 1930s-50s hairstyles awhile back when I was planning my 40s-style wedding. I need to update it and add some additional credits, but I collected quite a few photos in my travels.
http://www.theknot.com/co_profileview.htm?profilename=vintagehair


Otherwise, I suggest searching for the various starlets and pinups that were popular in your desired era. I've gotten plenty of inspiration from studio portraits!

Other interesting links with how-tos include:

http://www.nocturne.com/swing/hair/hair.html
http://members.tripod.com/slowdyve/Hairstyles.html
 

FlapperRen

New in Town
Messages
13
Location
Minnesota
Hello to you too- It's honestly refreshing to know there are people out there as (dare I say) obsessed with everything retro as I am. And my friends called me "wierd" :p
 

Kaela

Vendor
Messages
115
Location
California
I bought a copy of "40s hairstyles" and found it to have some pretty good information...They show the "sets" you are supposed to use, where to lay the pincurls, unfortunately, they don't show much more than that, and since I'm all thumbs, and no patience, I had the darnedest time trying out these styles on myself for a while, I don't know if you're up to doing everything as it would have been done, but if you are, I'd say you'll get much, much, much better results, curling irons give a really modern, overly sculpted look, at least for my hair, pincurls or just rollers will give you the best curls that last longer...
also, the nocturne.com site was pretty helpful when they had actual pictures, but they said your hair has to be 5" to put it in side reverse rolls... my hair was 3 1/2", and I turned them out... also short war haircuts were 3" and allowed for less dramatic rolls, just start trying to make up your hair with hairpins (avoid bobbypins for period correct... but if you're dancing it may not be enough!) And there was some mention on the site of a tool for pincurling! I'm still on the hunt incase anybody's heard, seen, or suspected something like that, i'm quite interested... it gets tedious!

Best source of course, is ALWAYS lil' ol' ladies, if you see a hairstyle you like on a lil' ol' lady, you should ask them how they did it because they are usually so flattered they'll start telling you cute little stories, so much fun! And you just know they're feeling good about themselves the whole rest of the day! :eek:)
 

FlapperRen

New in Town
Messages
13
Location
Minnesota
I have been to nocturne...pin curls have seemed to turn out pretty good through A LOT of practice! I've let my hair grow out enough so that I can pull off some good 40s style rolls and curls. I thought about buying the book, but since my results have been good I've held off. Pictures help out a lot though. If I can see the pic, then the style just comes with a butt load of practice as per usual.
 

Wild Root

Gone Home
Messages
5,532
Location
Monrovia California.
Hey there! Welcome to the Lounge. I have here a few photos from the early 40's you may enjoy.

First one is of Carol Landis second is of Betty Grable.


carolelandis10mf.jpg


bettygrable0nx.jpg


Now, the 30's have some great hair styles! Love Nroma's look!!! Also Ginger Rogers is great!

normashearer19in.jpg


gingerrogers2eo.jpg


I have more, but not enough time to post all. So, I'll be posting more for you!

Enjoy,

Root.
 

swinggal

One Too Many
Messages
1,386
Location
Perth, Australia
I have compiled some good hairstyle links from the 30s and 40s for our website.
http://www.perthswing.com/fashion.htm

I have also put together a vintage hair and makeup book for workshops I have run here book if anyone wants a copy of the pdf.

Here are my listings if you don't want to go to the Perth Swing site:
http://revampvintage.com/30shair.html
http://www.lphouse.com/1930s.htm#1937
http://www.hairarchives.com/private/1930snew.htm
http://www.hairarchives.com/private/archivesnew.htm
http://revampvintage.com/40shairupdos.html
http://www.nocturne.com/swing/hair/hair.html
http://www.vintagebybuttons.com/hairdo/hairdo.htm
http://www.lphouse.com/1940s.htm
http://www.maryjanesfarm.com/About/farmlife/hairstyles/
http://www.retrohairstyles.com/
http://www.vintagememoirs.com/hair.html

I found the the ReVamp site great. The instructions are good and I have followed them quite easily and the styles have turned out well.
A tip for girls just starting out, pin curls are THE way to go. It is the method used to aquire the waves and rolls of the 30s and 40s. Hair was even permed using this method, not around a roller like we do today. I put them in the day before usually so that they are 'wet set' and stay in for days.
 

swinggal

One Too Many
Messages
1,386
Location
Perth, Australia
No, but this one is my exact hair colour and is well done. The 40s ones are terrible.

[
aubob3.jpg


I did once by a black bob wig for a 20s swing ball but I altered to be an exact replica of Louise Brooks bob cut, which was much more severe and shingled up the back. People had no idea it was me and it was very authentic.

DCP_0948.jpg
 

FlapperRen

New in Town
Messages
13
Location
Minnesota
Ya know, I just found out that a lady I work with still has her hair permed the old pin curl method and I NEVER would have known, it looks so beautiful and natural and she's 60! I want hair like that when I'm 60 hehe
 

FlapperRen

New in Town
Messages
13
Location
Minnesota
Yeah, it looks like when she just washes it, it has this beautiful wave to it, but she can wear it curly as well...she has her hair cut in shorter layers so she wears it sometimes modern and sometimes a bit more early 50's looking. It was just the other day that she said she was going to go have it done again by her sister whose been doing it since the 50s...a dying art I suppose. It is lovely though :) Maybe I can talk her sis into doing mine!
 

Forum statistics

Threads
107,350
Messages
3,034,929
Members
52,782
Latest member
aronhoustongy
Top