Q: For my 21st birthday, I want a 50's hair-do that I can do myself. Do you have any suggestions? If you can reply that would be great!
A: Well, the same rules that apply to modern hair styles applied back in the 50s: Some styles were better suited to certain types of
hair and shapes of face. What you should aim to create for your 50s look depends largely on what your hair and face are like. Just
remember that the goal is to create an oval silhouette to the face.
One of the most common hairstyles emulated for a “50s” look among young women is the “pulled back
ponytail with bangs” look, which is great for you if you have long and/or straighter hair. Keep in mind that the “50s ponytail” was
centered in the back of the head usually at eye level (but in the back, obviously).
Another of the most common styles was a circle cut with a roller set and styled with some height
into a “bouffant” style. Be sure to wrap the hair so that the rollers have full on-base placement for maximum volume. Once the hair has
dried, you can comb out the roller set and back comb the hair at the top and crown to make sure to have maximum height.
Fortunately you don’t actually have to use rollers any more. You can use your curling iron to
create the barrel curls needed to form the base of your hairstyle.
For more ideas, you might try scanning some popular older films of the period, or television shows
that were set in that era such as “Happy Days” and “Laverne and Shirley” come to mind and can usually be found in syndication in many places around the globe.
