1950s Pinup Girls' Hairstyles

Hairstyles change as the years pass, but some remain in our memories for quite some time after. The 1950s pinup girls' hairstyles worn by both celebrities and ordinary women alike are one example. Some styles such as the French twist are ageless, because of their suitability for formal and dressy occasions. Other modern hairstyles are variations of older styles.

Bouffant

You could wear a small bouffant, such as the one that Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis made popular, or a beehive, in which as much hair as possible was piled high on top of your head. It took a lot of hairspray and hair pins to create this style. Once you got it right, you wanted it to last as long as possible before you had to have it redone.

Poodle Cut

A poodle cut was a short, curly style made popular by the famous redhead, Lucille Ball. You wanted the hair on top to be brushed forward and styled in curls or ringlets that resembled the topknot on a poodle's head. The sides were brushed back slightly, for a sleek, yet wavy, look.

This was a fairly easy style to achieve and maintain, which is one reason it was so popular. You did not have to use a lot of pins or clips, just enough to hold the hair in place, with some hairspray to keep everything where it belonged.

French Twist

This classic style, worn so well by Audrey Hepburn, is still popular today, especially when you update it with modern hair accessories such as jeweled hair or bobby pins. You can also weave strands of pearls or beads into the twist itself.

The twist starts with you gathering your hair into a low ponytail, right at the base of your skull. You then twist the pony tail either to the left or right, depending on where you want your finished twist to be, until you feel it tighten.

Fasten the twisted ponytail with a covered elastic band and then hold the ponytail straight up. Make a halfway twist and secure that with hairpins, then finish twisting the rest of the ponytail. Anchor with pins as you go so that your style will remain in place.

Flip

This style, often worn by Doris Day, is still worn by some people today and in fact has made a bit of a comeback. It can be worn as a variation on the bouffant style, or it can be styled to lay flat against your head. The main characteristic is the flipped-up hair at the bottom. The flip is meant to go all the way around.

As long as you have enough hair to flip, you can wear this style. It lends itself well to short, medium-length or long hair.

Pin Curls

Bobby pins or clips that used a pincer method to grasp the hair could be used on this style. When styled in this manner, your hair has waves all through it, much like those worn by Rita Hayworth. The size of the wave depended on how long or short your hair was. Short hair would have smaller, tighter waves, while longer hair would have more flowing waves.

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