Popular Hairstyles of the 1930s
Hairstyles of the 1930s were influenced by the major events happening in the world. The Great Depression was in full force, so funds for glamour were limited and more women learned to style their hair at home. Hollywood was coming into the public eye, and actresses like Joan Crawford and Greta Garbo led many trends. Coco Chanel, the famous fashion designer, was a strong influence.The boyish styles of the 1920s were fading, and women were embracing their curves and femininity. Does this Spark an idea?
-
Finger Waves
-
Finger waves softened the bluntness of the 1920s bob. In order to stray from the harsh, blunt cuts of the 1920s, women started to add waves to their hair. Finger waves were styled with fingers and waving lotions, without the aid of irons or shaping tools. Deep waves and volume were encouraged to add to the femininity that was coming back into fashion. By 1932, hair was most often parted in the middle, and the longer waves were sometimes pulled back and secured at the neckline.
Curls
-
Pin curl styles still allowed for wearing a fashionable hat. The 1930s was the decade of curls. Pin curls were made by wrapping hair around the finger and pinning the coil close to the head with a bobby pin. The curls were held securely until the hair dried, then the pin was taken out and the curl would stay in place. Sometimes the curls were pulled back to form a cluster of curls at the neck. Larger sausage curls were also popular and made by rolling larger sections of hair to follow the neckline. Curls were sometimes stacked on top of the head, or in a line down the part. Most of these styles accommodated the wearing of a hat, which was almost a mandatory accessory at that time.
-
Blondes
-
Blond hair for women was a trend in the 1930s. The 1930s was a time of Hollywood blondes, and women sought to emulate that glamorous look. Influenced by Jean Harlow, a Hollywood starlet with almost white-blond hair, many women flocked to the salon to get their hair bleached, or did their own hair at home. Superstars Ginger Rogers and Carole Lombard also influenced many women to become blondes. Ginger Rogers often wore a combination of finger waves and pin curls.
Hairstyles for Gentlemen
-
Men encouraged waves in their hair. Although short hair was the style in the 1920s, in the 1930s, men started to grow their hair longer. They switched to a clean and loose style and let go of the slick, flat fashion of the past decade. Following in the fashion footsteps of their wives, men encouraged waves in their hair, and this wavy fashion continued throughout the decade. Beards were frowned upon, and most men were clean-shaven, but mustaches were popular and were kept neat, waxed and trimmed.
-
References
- Photo Credit George Marks/Retrofile/Getty Images
