1950s Hairstyles & Updos
The 1950s were a decade when women became more adventurous with their hairstyles. Short hair and coiffed curls were the most fashionable trends, and women would often spend hours curling, grooming and setting the hair without the use of modern appliances such as hairdryers or tongs. For men it was all about looking neat and sharp, with the masculine crew cut and flat top being the two most popular looks in the nifty fifties. Does this Spark an idea?
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Soft Bob
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The soft bob look became popular in the early 1950s, when it was worn as a daytime hairstyle by housewives all across America. The soft bob featured short hair, which was then teased into smooth, lose waves. The result was a feminine, sleek yet sexy informal hairstyle.
Winged Coiffette
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The winged coiffette was an adventurous hairstyle that featured a smooth fringe and lots of volume at the back of the head. The front of the hair was set in curlers to give it some lift, while the back of the hair was backcombed and teased into curls which were held in place by copious amount of hairspray. The winged coiffette first became popular in 1957, when it was frequently worn by women at formal occasions.
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The Poodle Cut
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The poodle cut look was made popular by "I love Lucy" star Lucille Ball. It was an advanced hairstyle that required hours of curling, setting and styling to get it just right. The poodle cut featured very short hair with an abundance of tight curls secured on the top of the head. Some women had perms, which made it easier to achieve and maintain the style.
Crew Cut
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The crew cut for men was first introduced in the early 1950s by the United States armed forces, and it soon became one of the most popular male haircuts of the time. The crew cut featured short hair that had been cut at even lengths all over. A hair tonic or pomade was used to securely keep the hair neat and in place.
Flat Top
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A flat top was similar to the crew cut, except it had longer pieces of hair on the top of the head which had all been cut to the same length. The hair on the top of the head was then pulled upward with a hair tonic -- hence the name flat top. Variations of the original flat-top haircut are still popular.
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References
- Photo Credit George Marks/Retrofile/Getty Images
