Victory Rolls!

[Frenchy56]

I think I might finally have mastered victory rolls, or at least something which looks like them! They make that 'v' shape, anyway!

I can't post a pic, but I got them by winding a front section of hair round my finger close to my scalp, then holding it in position while I push a side comb in, then using bobby pins to deal with any stray hairs. Is that how you're meant to do them?

I'm so pleased, they are such a major part of 40s style and I thought I'd never do it! It's typical though, I have 5-day old greasy hair and I have to wash it tonight, so it might never happen again...

 

[HarlowQueen]

Hey, if it looks good, that's what counts!

It took me a fair bit of time to master them and even then, I find the use of rats to be extremely helpful.

It's definately a style that really requires a pin curl set. I find it's easier as the hair will naturally kind of curl under itself, lending to the ease of styling. I normally just section out the front sides I intend to roll and brush out the curls till I'm just holding the hair taught and there is a bit of curl at the very ends. I have also found back combing really does help if you aren't using a rat.

I start by rolling the ends towards the scalp, almost exactly as you would with a pin curl, holding and rolling with both hands. By the time you get to the scalp it should be easy enough to slip a pin going either direction inside the roll. I find it easiest to pin them and then pull the roll down a bit in the back to get the tapered look you see that lies flat against the scalp...

Sadly, it's all so much easier to do than to explain. Sorry if I really was no help!

I say invest in making a few of your own rats. They make tons of styles SO much easier! I did them the cheap and easy way and just went to like a dollar store, and in the hair accessories section, they normally have cheap synthetic hair extensions, like the sort that have a ribbon attached so you can tie them around your own ponytails, and I cut the hair off it and start to roll the hair between my hands and continue to do so until the rat shapes itself and then obviously you wrap it in a hairnet and sew it shut.

 

[Frenchy56]

Thank you, HarlowQueen, for replying to two of my posts in such a short space of time!

I'm a bit too scared to use rats, even though I know - as you've said - that they'd be really useful. I'm always worried they'd just fall out or blow out, which would be about as mortifying as a wig blowing off or something I'm sure you manage fine though, I'm just inept!

Re: your rolling method, I know rolling them up from the end is probably the best way to do it, but I really struggle. Whenever I can do it I seem to end up with sausage-shaped rolls on the side of my head. I have real trouble doing pincurls this way too (which is why I generally don't do them). I guess I've just got to play around. I am getting a fairly major haircut in a few days - something like a middy, with a Betty fringe! - and I'm hoping this will make 40s hairstyles easier!

Thanks again for your input

 

[HarlowQueen]

The rats really do help get that tapering at the back so they end up looking less sausage shaped. The rats are very secure once rolled in and pinned I've found and the structure they lend to the rolls in definately a major strength point. I have NEVER had a rat fall out from either victory rolls or the little chignon type rolls at the base of the neck.

If you find that pin curls are too complicated, when I'm in a hurry and hadn't set my hair the night before, I just use hot rollers and some setting spray in the front sections to be rolled. Works like a charm! I did just that today to do my hair

Sounds like your new haircut will be wonderful! and No, I'm not just saying that because I'm biased and have the exact cut you are talking about getting

Can't wait to see photos!

 

[Frenchy56]

after trying to do VRs again today, I was starting to despair that they were, indeed, a fluke- then I found this tutorial (I'm sure it must have been posted somewhere else on here!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQSBWHWO4s0

Yes, they are not real VRs, but for a beginner like me they will do

I'll have to try rats one day- especially cause I want to do the Gibson roll/French roll thing. But for now I'm happy faking it, I highly doubt anyone where I live knows what real victory rolls are anyway, so I'll probably just get the usual funny looks regardless...

 

[Lollipop]

After a rather long(No internet) hiatus, I'm back and I've got some fantastic news...

I have FINALLY gotten how to do Victory Rolls(Still working on myself, but as for other people and manniquin heads...I FINALLY got it), and I'm so excited I gotta share the news(And pictures).


Okay, So it's not exactly the traditional looking victory rolls, as I had ended up messing around with it and it collapsing...But I like the Heart shaped it ended up looking like. The only thing I really gotta work on is getting the roll tighter.

 

[LinaSofia]

Hi ladies, I've just posted this picture of my hair today in the hairdo thread, but then I saw this thread so I thought I'd ask you lot a question specific to victory rolls!
I wear victory rolls a lot since I figured out how I could do them, and the thing is, I do them completely differently to how you're "supposed" to do them!
I basically roll the hair around my thumb, starting at the root of the hair, rather than rolling it from the bottom, then I pull my thumb out and pin in place. It's super easy, super quick and to my mind looks almost the same. What is your opinions? Do my rolls look acceptable? Can you tell I do them in a weird way? hehe.

really would appreciate some feedback ladies! thanks!

 

[Tatum]

Hi ladies, I've just posted this picture of my hair today in the hairdo thread, but then I saw this thread so I thought I'd ask you lot a question specific to victory rolls!
I wear victory rolls a lot since I figured out how I could do them, and the thing is, I do them completely differently to how you're "supposed" to do them!
I basically roll the hair around my thumb, starting at the root of the hair, rather than rolling it from the bottom, then I pull my thumb out and pin in place. It's super easy, super quick and to my mind looks almost the same. What is your opinions? Do my rolls look acceptable? Can you tell I do them in a weird way? hehe.

really would appreciate some feedback ladies! thanks!

I think it looks fine, and I tend to do the exact same thing when I don't have quite enough curl left to pull off traditionally constructed rolls. Who says a lot of girls didn't do just that back in the day?

 

[sheeplady]

LinaSofia- Do you use the thumb trick for your back roll at the base/nape of your neck? Your back roll looks so much better than mine ever do.

 

[LinaSofia]

I think it looks fine, and I tend to do the exact same thing when I don't have quite enough curl left to pull off traditionally constructed rolls. Who says a lot of girls didn't do just that back in the day?

Great! glad to hear I'm not alone in doing mine this way! It's so much easier, because generally when I do victory rolls I don't pin curl my hair first. victory rolls are kind of something I do when I can't be bothered to pin-curl! I do usually pin-curl the back though, if I wear it lose. If I don't pin-curl I wear it like this, or in a french twist.

LinaSofia- Do you use the thumb trick for your back roll at the base/nape of your neck? Your back roll looks so much better than mine ever do.

No I don't at the back. That would end up looking like a huge pin-curl if I did! I just use the hair-rat as a curler and roll up as if you were setting your hair on a spool. I've just started being able to do this, because before my hair was too short, now it's just below shoulder length at the back and I can roll it around the rat more easily and it doesn't unravel like it used to.

 

[Tatum]

LinaSofia, I wish I could get my rolls that flat. I have one heck of a mane. My rolls are usually huge...like right now. I'll try to get a pic before I wash it tonight.

 

[LinaSofia]

I usually wish for the opposite! My hair is quite thin and fine. Please post a pic, I'd love to see! From your avatar I am guessing you are one dab hand at them!

LinaSofia, I wish I could get my rolls that flat. I have one heck of a mane. My rolls are usually huge...like right now. I'll try to get a pic before I wash it tonight.

 

[Tatum]

I usually wish for the opposite! My hair is quite thin and fine. Please post a pic, I'd love to see! From your avatar I am guessing you are one dab hand at them!

Oh, my avatar... My absolute favorite (based loosely on one of the styles in Lauren Rennels' book) which I have not been able to pull off as nicely since. Which, I might add, was done just the way you do yours--that small outside curl is part of the larger front roll, left out!

Last night's, which is my go-to. Two or three rolls (this one is two), and a low ponytail if I don't like the way it brushed out (which is often)!

I always forget how unhappy I look in self-shot pics if I don't smile. Argh!

 

[LinaSofia]

love that! So you have one big roll and a smaller one behind it? I think I'm going to take inspiration from you today and do something similar! (I'm off sick, so I haven't quite got dressed or fixed my hair yet.. ehum).

ps. I have that book too! I need to start experimenting with it more, I haven't used it much at all.

Oh, my avatar... My absolute favorite (based loosely on one of the styles in Lauren Rennels' book) which I have not been able to pull off as nicely since. Which, I might add, was done just the way you do yours--that small outside curl is part of the larger front roll, left out!

Last night's, which is my go-to. Two or three rolls (this one is two), and a low ponytail if I don't like the way it brushed out (which is often)!

I always forget how unhappy I look in self-shot pics if I don't smile. Argh!

 

[LinaSofia]

Here's my attempt..

but now that I'm looking at your pictures again I see what you've done different. You've pulled your roll through more and have invisible bobby pins! well done on that, mine always show!

 

[Tatum]

Invisible?? Good gracious no... I do use blonde and gold pins, they hide themselves pretty well if I can place them right. I tell everyone to buy Rustoleum spray paint in a color that matches their hair and spray their pins...I can't remember where I heard that trick.

Yes, it is one little roll (the smaller side of my part) tucked behind the big main roll. That way, I can be as lazy as I want with the small one, as I can pin it any which way. I think this one took me a few tries to get right, I usually don't get them perfect first try unless I have pretty freshly curled hair.

I think yours looks more polished than mine, honestly! Oh, and read the book! I never get the styles "just so" but I use it for ideas and I always love how the styles come out!

 

[LinaSofia]

ah good trick to spray paint the pins! I quite liked this big front roll, it worked out quite nicely with my bleached strand! but it made a big weird flat area on one side of my head, with all the hair pulled forward into that roll, which is why I put that big hair clip there! This style would work quite well with a small tilt hat I think! I can't wait for my bettie bangs to grow out fully, they're still about eye-length so it'll be a lot easier to do things when they're longer.

 

[Frenchy56]

I just wanted to add- Smuterella's blog tip of rolling standing pincurls round a mascara tube also works really well for victory rolls, I found! (thank you!)

 

[Tatum]

I just wanted to add- Smuterella's blog tip of rolling standing pincurls round a mascara tube also works really well for victory rolls, I found! (thank you!)

Yes it does! But if you have huge, massive hair (like me) a powder brush works well too. Anything cylindrical within reach!

 

[Frenchy56]

a powder brush works well too

I just used the handle of my powder brush to do a back roll I had to spread it out a bit, and I'm sure it's really messy, but I'm so pleased to have found a way to do big rolls without using a rat- I know lots of you ladies champion them but I could never get used to the idea.