Depression Era Hairstyles

An abundance of hair pins secured the typical 1930s woman's hairstyle.

The 1930s ushered in a new era of fashion dramatically different from the boyish, daring styles of the 1920s. The Depression era was all about sophistication and elegance, and garments were made to show off a woman's curves. Depression era hairstyles mimicked these curves with lush, deep-set waves and intricate curls. Tough financial times meant that the ordinary woman typically did not take the time to create some of these time-consuming coiffures, but instead dreamed of wearing the same high-maintenance styles as the decade's most prominent celebrity icons.

Waves and Curls

Women's Depression era hairstyles all had one thing in common--an abundance of waves and curls. The permanent wave was a popular option for adding body to the hair, and a few specific techniques were used to tame the hair into tidy, controlled curls. Finger waving was common and involved wetting the hair with setting lotion, combing it flat and then creating a succession of sharp ridges at regular intervals. The style would be covered with a hair net and gently dried under a hood. Pin curling was especially popular in the 1930s, and this intricate styling technique had ladies wrapping small sections of hair tightly around their fingers and then securing the curls close to the scalp with bobby pins. Many 1930s hairstyles were created to accommodate and accentuate the most important accessory of the decade--the hat.

The Saucer Wave

The saucer wave was a distinct style with a succession of waves that radiated out from a small center wave to create a circular pattern. The saucer could be oriented so that the center wave was right at the crown or it could start at the side of the head to visually tilt the circular pattern.

The Sculptor Wave

This style involved parting the hair to the side and beginning a series of waves above the eyebrow. As the waves got closer to the ear, they would begin to follow a curve, creating a semi-circular pattern over the ear. Women with longer hair often fashion the length of hair below this point into a cluster of curls.

The Coronet

Marked by a long braid worn over the head from ear to ear, the Coronet was reserved for women with longer hair and usually only worn at dressier affairs. The hair in front of the braid would be set with waves, and the portion of hair behind the braided band would be styled into a bunch of curls.

1930s Men's Hairstyles

During the 1930s, a visit to the barber meant a shoeshine, a shave and a neat, tidy haircut. While 1930s women's hairstyles could be quite unique, most men wore the same basic style--clipped very short around the ears and long enough on top to be worn slicked back with pomade. Heavy facial hair during the 1930s was uncommon, but a pencil-thin moustache often enhanced a gentleman's look. Just as with women, no man's hairstyle was complete without a hat, whether it was a bowler or the ever-popular fedora.

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