Vintage Hair Crisis

[~landgirl~]

Hi All

I am really at the end of my teather with my hair, I really can not achieve any of the styles that are posted in here, or any that I have seen elsewhere. I don't know whether it's because I am just utterly useless at hair, or if it is because my hair is just not 'vintage-able' but I desperately need help to achieve a 1940s look.

Ok, so I have a lot of hair - very thick and bulky so I have it layered, however my actual hair strands are normal thickness, so it's not coarse at all. The layers probably don't help things but I need them!

My hair is just past shoulders at the back, but shorter at the sides and I have a fringe.

When I tried pin curls my hair just went HUGE - I did twist before curling which I know is a no-no.

We tried reversed curls last night (my bf helped bless) but the side bits are just too short and what with the layers.. it didn't work and couldn't get a roll.

I can pin all my fringe and side bits ontop my head, kind of a piled look which then leaves the longer back to play with - but it's not a 'big' look on top - just a bit messy looking and out of the way.

Does any one have any suggestions?
Thanks so much. xx

 

[RetroModelSari]

Hi landgirl!

Maybe it is easier to help if we can see a pic of your hair so we get an idea of the lenght of the sides etc. so we get sort of idea what could work!

Hugs,
Sari

 

[~landgirl~]

Oh yes!

Here you go:

I do tend to tuck it behind my ears and don't have any pics with the sides flat - but you can see the bits sticking out to give you an idea and the length is pretty accurate.

Here it is when I pin the top, also showing off my new hair colour

 

[Viviene]

I believe it was GOK who changed her avatar the other day and she was wearing a snood on her hair. It looks really great so maybe that would be something to try. Before getting a snood you could try picking up an inexpensive hair net to see if you like the way it looks.

I sympathize with the hair dilemna. I wanted the Louise Brooks bob and unfortunately the hairdresser gave me a wedge cut ala Dorothy Hamill. I let that grow out and then decided to go for a 50s cut and the hairdresser wound up giving me more of a Brian Setzer pompadour look. Sigh. At least it grows back. Maybe others will have more ideas as well.

 

[~landgirl~]

I do have a black hair net - but I would need to curl the back to fill it.

Sorry to hear about your hair experiences - I think alot of hairdressers see what you want but always have to put 'their' spin on it due to their creative nature. They don't seem to realise just how important it is to us as we have one head of hair and they have about 20 heads a day!

 

[GOK]

Jen, I don't curl mine before snooding it but I do use a sleepnet (about 60p from the chemist) under the snood to keep everything in place. However, unlike me, you might want to make sure your fringe is straight before capuring an image!

BTW, Viviene...

I believe it was GOK who changed her avatar the other day and she was wearing a snood on her hair. It looks really great

Thank you for the compliment.

 

[~landgirl~]

Thanks GOK!

Do you ever cut your own fringe? Mine needs a trim and not going to be able to make the hairdressers this week! I don't want to bodge it up..

 

[GOK]

Thanks GOK!

Do you ever cut your own fringe? Mine needs a trim and not going to be able to make the hairdressers this week! I don't want to bodge it up..

Apart from the last time I went to my hairdresser, I always cut my own fringe. If you're going to do it yourself, do make sure you have very good scissors (pref. proper hair cutting ones) and don't do it when it is wet unless you want to end up with it shorter than you'd like!

 

[~landgirl~]

Do you cut yours all one length or go up a little at the sides?

 

[GOK]

Do you cut yours all one length or go up a little at the sides?

Slightly up at the sides - I prefer the rounded look, I think it's more flattering and less severe.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

I being of the curly hair persuasion....can offer not much concrete help but perhaps some advice.

When you do pin curls and they come out huge and poofy...keep brushing...I know it sounds counterproductive, but for me, brushing the curls out -more- does not make it poofier...it eventually smooths them into actual curls, which you can then guide and aim how you want them to go.....

 

[~landgirl~]

Oh I want to do it, but I'm scared of bodging it!

 

[~landgirl~]

I being of the curly hair persuasion....can offer not much concrete help but perhaps some advice.

When you do pin curls and they come out huge and poofy...keep brushing...I know it sounds counterproductive, but for me, brushing the curls out -more- does not make it poofier...it eventually smooths them into actual curls, which you can then guide and aim how you want them to go.....

I didn't try that, I just pulled the curls apart with my fingers and proceeded to almost immediately wash it out!

 

[GOK]

When I try to brush them out, they do just that - come out! And my hair is naturally curly too!

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

jen, a really good trick for cutting a fringe accurately is to use a beard trimmer! Sounds weird but it works ridiculously well. It's how my fringe was done originally by the hairdresser (when I had one). Because it's a mini clipper with a flat edge you just make sure it's dead straight then press into your fringe with it. Then go along matching it up until you have done all the way across. I used to do mine every couple of weeks like that and it was always dead straight.

Very very old phone camera pic, but you get the idea!

 

[Paisley]

Landgirl, my hair sounds exactly like yours: thick, straight, not fine or coarse, layered, about shoulder length.

I don't pincurl my hair anymore, but when I did, I had to use extra conditioner to keep it from looking like a blond afro. John Frieda makes a product called Frizz-Ease; it's a serum that keeps your hair smooth.

Another thing: don't pincurl all of your hair, just do it around the hairline. I now use a curling iron and it comes out looking like the Lauren Bacall picture (somewhat) in the 1940s hairstyles book. I think I might have sent you that via e-mail awhile back, unless I'm thinking of someone else.

 

[TOTTIE]

stocking top?

Hmm, not sure if the side bits are too short (nice cut, though! Awkwardly very, very modern) but one of the easiest styles to do when you're starting out (well, it was for me) is the stocking top. You have to have thick hair for this. The finished effect is like a smooth victory roll going all the way round the head. Might be worth a try:

Cut the top of a stocking (no, not a lacy one). As a dark haired person, you would be wise to choose a black stocking. This creates a ring which is just the right size and tightness for your head. Push the stocking top down over your hair, like a hairband, but don't let your hair come over it. Strategically pin it in place so it doesn't slip. Then, start curling your hair to cover the stocking and tucking it in.

This style was v. popular with the WWII girls because (with practice) you hardly need to use any pins and it stays in place well.

It does mean you'd have to tuck your fringe (bangs) over it though - off your face - not certain that'd work... OR use something more attractive than a stocking top and simply allow it to show at the front.

 

[~landgirl~]

Thanks for all the tips everyone!

I may just try the stocking trick Tottie! And yes about the modern thing. Although I don't even have a 'style' to my hair at the moment but it used to be exremely short and mod-like, it has been layered constantly as I try to grow it out and get it passed the 'inbetween' stage. My hair dresser just takes the ends off now so eventually, once it has some length and weight it will hopefully hold down enough to get rid of the layers!!

I will have to look for a beard trimmer Fleur! lol

 

[Miss Dottie]

Hmm, not sure if the side bits are too short (nice cut, though! Awkwardly very, very modern) but one of the easiest styles to do when you're starting out (well, it was for me) is the stocking top. You have to have thick hair for this. The finished effect is like a smooth victory roll going all the way round the head. Might be worth a try:

Cut the top of a stocking (no, not a lacy one). As a dark haired person, you would be wise to choose a black stocking. This creates a ring which is just the right size and tightness for your head. Push the stocking top down over your hair, like a hairband, but don't let your hair come over it. Strategically pin it in place so it doesn't slip. Then, start curling your hair to cover the stocking and tucking it in.

This style was v. popular with the WWII girls because (with practice) you hardly need to use any pins and it stays in place well.

It does mean you'd have to tuck your fringe (bangs) over it though - off your face - not certain that'd work... OR use something more attractive than a stocking top and simply allow it to show at the front.

Tottie, that sounds pretty cool, but I just can't see it in my head. Any way, you could post a picture of it? It too suffer from extremely unsocial hair that just has a hissy fit if I try to do anything remotely fashionable with it. Sigh!

 

[Tourbillion]

You could try some styles like these:

These ladies all have cuts similar to your's. If you think your hair is too curly when you set it, try a curling iron.

Once you curl it, you pull it back with clips or bobby pins, and you have authentic, instant 40's hair!