30s Hairdos

Hairpins are used to create 1930s-style pin curls.

Despite the economic troubles of the 1930s, women continued to visit salons for fashionable hairstyles. Inspired by styles seen on Hollywood actresses, the hairdos of the 1930s featured soft waves and a feminine silhouette that contrasted strongly with the harder, boyish styles of the 1920s.

Length

In the 1930s, women wore their hair slightly longer than in the 1920s, when the short, boyish bob prevailed. Women's hair in the 1930s tended to be cut a little longer than ear length, and shaped into soft waves and curls.

Styles

Hairstyles early in the 1930s bore a closer resemblance to those of the decade before, with perhaps a few more waves and a little more length. The hair was kept close-cropped, and finger waves and pin curls were popular. Later in the decade, hair became longer, and the waves became looser and softer.

Techniques

The soft waves of the 1930s could be created using a number of techniques. Finger waves and water waves were set using special wave clips. Pin curls were small tight curls made using hairpins. The 1930s also saw the advent of the permanent wave, made either with ammonia or with an electric wave machine.

References

• ReVamp: 1930s
• Nostalgia Cafe: 1930s Fashion