To bob or not to bob?

[SayCici]

Yes! I went to Sally's and bought some of the wave clamps. It's usually hard to keep it going after one ridge or so though because I'll have short hairs poking out everywhere but if I get some setting lotion that'd probably help.

 

[chicanoir]

bobs are not for everyone

with the 20s being the IT thing these days, i have seen far too many people trying to sport the "cool" bob. granted one won't know if a bob will look good on her or not until she tries it but if it doesn't, move on lady, move on...don't hang on to a hairstyle just because it's the cool thing to have on your head.

i personally can't wear a bob *my hair is curly and i have no patience to use product/hair instruments to straighten it and my face is too long and pointy*

i am quite envious of those that can sport the bob successfully. DARN YOU! haha.

 

[Lily Powers]

with the 20s being the IT thing these days, i have seen far too many people trying to sport the "cool" bob. granted one won't know if a bob will look good on her or not until she tries it but if it doesn't, move on lady, move on...don't hang on to a hairstyle just because it's the cool thing to have on your head.

i personally can't wear a bob *my hair is curly and i have no patience to use product/hair instruments to straighten it and my face is too long and pointy*

i am quite envious of those that can sport the bob successfully. DARN YOU! haha.

I'll bet you're describing the ultra straight Louise Brooks style bob. Bobs don't have to be just for straight hair. I rather like the one Clara Bow sported. Lots of layers can make a bob work for wavy hair.

 

[chicanoir]

ACTUALLY that's exactly how my "bob" is but i don't exactly feel curly hair qualifies as a bob. my hair is more alla nazimova frizz than sleek louise. semantics i guess.

 

[Lillemor]

chicanoir, I like your hair and it looks like a bob to me.

 

[chicanoir]

haha, that was a good bang day (otherwise it's a furled mess) and you can't really see the length in this pic but it's at the ears...not the chin. again, i guess it's just been ingrained in my mind that bobs are STRAIGHT...just google "bob haircut." you'll see.

thanks for the comp by the way.

 

[Lily Powers]

Hey, your hair looks adorable. I love that it's wild and fun - anything that stands out of the crowd is ok in my book.

 

[Scarlet Belle]

Lauren, I LOVE your bob, it just looks darling on you! I have my hair cut the same and because i pin curl it most nights, I find it is actually a perfect length. I can get a classic war time, issue set and the curl holds really well because it isnt too long and heavy.

A forties pin curl set, I can do with my eyes closed, but I just havent been able to master doing the finger waves. I can set the pin curls in, but at brush out time it just doesnt seem to create the wave.

Any tips from any of your glamours? Infact, any photos you may have of your finger waves?

 

[Lillemor]

There is a disadvantage in mid length bobs in my experience. Shirt collars and dangling earrings don't work as well with this bob length as with shorter or longer bobs because the earrings and collar can cause unwanted random flips and bends so the bottom isn't evenly straight or curved under in all places. Just something you might want to consider if you wear it straight like me.

Two days ago a pair of danglers ruined the sleek evenly bent under bottom on the right side. Today my shirt collar on the right side did it again. So far it's only happened on the right side and my bob is even on both sides and centerparted.[huh] I'll have to be very desperate to reach for a vent brush and my blowdryer.

 

[ricki]

I posted this over on my blog, but it made me think of this thread.

(P.S. If you want to hear "Why Did I Kiss That Girl?" you can search for the tune on Jazz-On-Line. Some of the lines, like "WHY oh! WHY oh! WHY" come right out of that song.)

 

[Rockapin-up]

Fake Bob

Well for those of you who want to try a bob, here are a couple of tutorials on how to do a fake bob, granted they don't look vintage at all, more modern but cute to try out none the less

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/newreply.php?do=newreply&noquote=1&p=1074162

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkqyKTDiDUU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAYVEZ87y74

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvi0Dmb9NCU

 

[RainEdayWoman]

I am a cosmetologist 18 years under my belt. I had the advantqage of being trained with heavy focus in the vintage styles and setting techniques. Other than doing actual finger waves (which is one of my favorite styles to do, they are fun) you can achieve the look by pin curling rows alternating directions on each row following the pattern of traditional fingerwaves. Be sure to use plenty of product, make your base for pin curls by finger waving the row as your guide then starting at the "C" curl in the direction the "C" faces tucking each pin curl on top of the next. Clip them using alligator clips and once it is completely dried brush brush brush (front to back like you are trying to make your hair flat to your head) once you begin to see the waves form (this can take quite a bit of brushing to achieve)can use your fingers to then push the waves in place. The bottom can be fluffed to make curls or waves through the ends. I had a precious little old lady that came to me for years, setting and wearing it in 1920 waves and had this done each week. I absolutely loved doing her hair, she was precious.

(basic idea on the row direction)
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_rWdThD85Q...9pFSImEk/s1600/pin+curl+set+1930s+wave+01.jpg

(if done correctly the middle image is similar to what you should achieve from doing it this way.)
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_D6bdv2JFr-4/S5pr5SXNceI/AAAAAAAABu4/uiUxTKrh2_g/s400/1920s+hair.jpg

(good example of brushing and pushing curls into place)
http://www.livingretro.com/jan47_1.html

Okay, I'm not good at describing, but I try: The tips are cut at a certain angle (about 45°) so the cut isn't so blunt and the ends aren't all-one-length. If I blowdry it, the result is this "rounded" shape.

What I'm looking for: I don't have a picture at hand (will look for one), but basically, I'd like to have a mixture between a fingerwaved 20's bob at the crown and a more curly result at the ends.

 

[Jasmine Jolene]

nice pics, RainEday.

can you explain to me what 'pins are laced evenly' means in the first instruction? i can kinda see what's going on, but have no idea how to achieve it, and i have a feeling it is just what i need to make a really nice smooth wet set!

 

[RainEdayWoman]

nice pics, RainEday.

can you explain to me what 'pins are laced evenly' means in the first instruction? i can kinda see what's going on, but have no idea how to achieve it, and i have a feeling it is just what i need to make a really nice smooth wet set!

It is talking about the first non pin curled row that looks like zigzags along her hairline. This is pushing start of the waves further back and really is unnecessary if you be sure the first row of pin curls make a "C" with the open end facing the hairline. Or, in the case of that particular set the "C" facing down. You can also achieve that same side look using smaller wet set rollers (plastic rollers you will not get a strong enough curl with foam and velcro rollers) but works better on short hair. It is difficult to explain how it is done. But the rollers are place in a fan shape using triangle sections, but there is a trick to combing the hair in a particular angle before sectioning and placing that first roller to get the lift and push back.

Be sure to go heavy with setting lotion or a good quality firm hold gel (Queen Helen Pink gel works well and is a cheap option. Beauty supply places and or ask your salon for the pink stuff used for wet sets.) or setting lotion (comes as a powder, you add water and it turns to slime consistency). You can use pretty much any firm gel but I like saving the expensive products for styles that do not require so much product. Both the cheaper options I suggested are alcohol free. That makes all the difference when it comes to achieving a stable wave. You want the wet hair to almost feel slimy with product and crispy when dried. As you brush it, it softens up and the more you brush the waves almost seem to form itself and with just a little push from your fingers can be molded into shape easily. If you do not master it the first time just keep trying. It gets easier once you get the hang of it.

Also, in most places styles like this is required learning. All these teach the basic fundamentals of hair styling and are in many places required learning to get licensed. Check around at any of the schools. You can get a wet set for usually next to nothing and see how it is done (and over hear instruction to the student as well) so when you try it for yourself you have a better idea on what to do. Just be sure to specify what you want (it set in pin curls or what not) and bring a photo of what you want to achieve.

 

[de-stressed]

Well, I went and did it. I bobbed. lol

I haven't had a bob for a couple of decades and I'm happy with the outcome. I have naturally curly hair so it works well for those days when I don't have time to fuss with it. Now I just need to figure out what color to go with. I've really been wanting a darker color but the kids and hubby want me to stay sandy blonde. I don't know, I'm kinda fed up with the straw-for-hair look. I'm desperately needing a color too! Anyone have any suggestions?

Edit: Note to self: when going to a darker color make sure you pick cool tones otherwise you will be auburn not brunette!!

 

[RainEdayWoman]

I found a decent tutorial from a school on how to do pin curls. It is not the best video but this is what I was trying to explain with the "C" and making the base wave for the pin curl. I wish she would have gone into a second row of waves to show changing direction. You basically do the same combing your wave into the opposite direction of the first and so on. This is the proper way to pin curl that will result in a true wave pattern rather than soft curls.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=57688772

 

[Jasmine Jolene]

thank yooooooou!

i am going to set my hair tonight, i have always gone light with product as it is the only thing that makes my hair greasy, and i am lazy and love not having to wash my hair more than once a week lol

 

[Lillemor]

The good thing about hairdressers having cut so many bobs recently is that they at least know what they're doing because whenever I've felt for a bob when it isn't trendy, it's turned out awful as if the hairdresser is a bit out of practice. I'm having my bob adjusted on 1st of October. I've regretted the bangs that grow way too fast and don't work with my oil prone forehead and a centerpart isn't really working for me either. I just think a sidepart works best and looks more sophisticated and mature on me so I'll have her cut the bob from the side part instead. I hide my bangs under the heavy side.

Both the cheaper options I suggested are alcohol free.

:eusa_clap I'll hunt it down. The alcohol in most styling products is the main reason why I've stopped using any and aren't doing anything to set my hair.

I think waves pushed up and away from my forehead suits me better than waves with parting.

 

[CaramelSmoothie]

My hair is down to the middle of my back and I am debating cutting it. I just think I look better with shorter hair but by the same token my hair looks so pretty! I am thinking of having the best of both worlds by getting a human hair wig to see how I like it.

 

[Aorta]

@ RainEdayWoman: Thank you so much for sharing your expertise with us, I really appreciate this. I'd love to have a hairdresser nearby that knows how to do a nice 1920s wave. I'll look for the Queen Helen Pink Gel over here in Germany, maybe I can find it at an Afro-American beauty supplier (also bought my Revlon Lottabody there).

@ Lillemor: I'd recommend you to go to a salon that's not specialized in trendy haircuts, maybe one where they have a lot of elderly customers. If you have a Vidal Sasson or Toni & Guy salon near you, they are a good option for bob haircuts, too, not necessarily only the 60s types of bobs.