How to Style Hair Like the 20s

Silent film star, Louise Brooks introduced the famous “bob” hairstyle and women ran to their hairdressers in droves to chop off their locks. Up until that time, women’s hairstyles had been long, and time consuming. With the popularity of the bob also came great controversy, because women felt completely freed by the short style, which led to the looks of the infamous flapper; long beads, shorter dresses, rolled down stockings and rouged knees. Today the bob and “finger wave," another popular look of the day, are often recreated for Halloween costumes. So if you’ve got that Halloween party coming up, why not dress as a flapper? Although the hairstyles of the day look complicated, you can master them in a few steps and a little practice. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

  • Haircutting shears
  • Hair gel
  • Hairspray
  • Setting lotion
  • Fine tooth comb
  • Large hair clips
  • Scarf
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Try the bob, by starting with the cut. Wash your hair first. With your hair still wet, cut it bluntly straight across, online with the bottom of your ears. Cut the bangs bluntly as well, in a straight line just above your eyebrows.

    • 2

      Towel dry and comb the hair smooth. Apply a small amount of mousse or anti-frizz product throughout. Blow-dry the hair, wrapping it in 2-inch sections around a round brush and pulling it taut, from root to tip. Curl the ends under with the round brush.

    • 3

      Dab a small amount of gel in your palm, and rub your hands together. Apply the gel to the hair just in front of the ears on each side, pulling the ends to a small point, facing forward. Brush the rest of your hair completely smooth, then add a little shine serum and hairspray. You have stepped back in time with Louise Brooks' bob.

    • 4

      Try the finger wave. Start with wet hair. Apply a liberal amount of setting lotion throughout. Part the hair on the side and comb smooth. Start the first wave, by combing a 2-inch section down from the part, using a fine tooth comb. Flip the comb up so that the teeth are facing upwards and push the hair up slightly to loosen the wave. Using the comb, pull the entire wave forward. Slowly remove the comb and hold the wave in place with a long clip.

    • 5

      Repeat Step 4 for the second wave with the exception of pulling the wave forward. This time pull the wave back, before removing the comb. Continue waving all the way down your head, alternating the waves leaning forward, and back, securing each wave with a clip.

    • 6

      Wrap a scarf around your entire head. Sleep with the clips still in place overnight. In the morning, take off the scarf, remove the clips and examine the result. Your hair should be dry. If a few stray hairs pop up, smooth them down with your hand and spray your entire head with hairpray. Now, all you need is a flapper dress and a long string of pearls to hit the Halloween party circuit.

Tips & Warnings

  • The finger wave works best on short hair, but if you have shoulder length, or long hair, pin curl the bottom half of your hair up overnight. In the morning take out the pincurls. Pin it up again loosely. A slightly messy look, pinned around the nape of your neck is ideal.

  • Don't worry if your hair looks a little crispy from the setting lotion. That's part of the look.

Related Searches:

Resources

Comments

You May Also Like

  • How to Style Hair Like the '20s

    Create a 1920s hairstyle by using a lot of gel and creating finger waves by sculpting the hair into place. Style hair...

  • Roaring 20s Hair Styles

    Turn up the jazz and dance you way into the roaring 20s by recreating the famous hairdos of the decade. Born in...

  • 20s-Style Hairdos

    The '20s was a decade of glamor, fashion and hairstyles. During the 1920s, women's hair became more of a fashion accessory than...

  • How to Create a '20s Costume for Women

    The 1920s flapper is a stunning hit at any costume party. Although she appears glitzy, her look is simple, with only a...

  • How to Do 20s Hairstyles at Home

    Long hair has been a sign of femininity throughout history, but the "roaring 20s" changed many women's outlooks on hair styles. Short...

  • How to Style Your Hair Like Rihanna

    Rihanna changes her hairstyle often, but she always looks great. She's not afraid to take risks like cutting her long locks into...

  • How to Grow Facial Hair Faster

    Few things are more sexy to some than facial hair on a man. While the rate of facial hair growth is largely...

  • How to Do Hair Styles With a Bump

    A hair style with a bump, or pompadour, is relatively easy to achieve. It's probably the only hair style that employs an...

  • How to Do Threading Hair Removal

    Do you want to remove your hair using the threading technique? Threading gives eyebrows a beautiful define look and can be more...

  • How to Style Hair Like a Pro

    Stepping out of a salon, you look and feel great with a fresh, shiny head of professionally groomed hair. When you look...

  • How to Do 1920s Hair

    Finger wave hairstyles were arguably the most popular hairstyle of the 1920s and the 1930s. It was an everyday style for women....

  • How to Get Forties-Style Hair

    Whether dressing for a 1940s-era costume party or in the Rockabilly style, you may want to style your hair in the popular...

  • How to Do Flapper Hairstyles

    Although the roaring '20s have come and gone, the style of that time remains. The free spirited and liberating tresses made popular...

  • How to Do '50s Hair Styles

    The trick to a 1950s hair style is teasing and backcombing curled hair until it takes the desired shape. Take a step...

  • 1920s Long Hair Hairstyles

    1920s Long Hair Hairstyles. In the '20s, women's hairstyles changed dramatically from the longer, coiffed hair of the 1910s into the short,...

  • How to Get Healthy Hair

    No matter if your hair is worn long, short or somewhere in between, healthy hair is always in fashion. Learn how to...

  • How to Create Waves for Hair

    Everyone loves sexy waves in their hair like most celebs are wearing these days. These tips will help you create the same...

  • How to Get a Free Virtual Makeover and Try Trendy Hair and Makeup Styles

    Do you ever go to the salon with a photo of the PERFECT cut and color, only to discover that it doesn't...

  • How to Curl Hair With a Curling Iron

    Curls can add an alluring bounce or subtle glamor to your hair that can always be useful to know for a last...

Related Ads

Featured