How to Create an American 1940s Hairstyle

Co-authored by Martha Ellen Mabry

Last Updated: January 2, 2024

So you've got the 1940s fashion down, but do you have the hair? Straight, sleek modern hair was not in. Neither was a messy look. Perfectly styled, voluminous hair was the trend throughout the decade and following into the 50s. Girls in the mid-1940s had very complicated hairstyles because this made up for the fabric rationing that impacted dresses. If you want to create your own American 1940s hairstyle, read on to find out how.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Curl Your Hair With Hot Rollers

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Apply the hot rollers. This will give you the smoothest and least frizzy curls.
You want to soften the curls, but not separate them too much.^{[1]
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Do not scrunch or use mousse or gel. This gives hair a wet look and hard or sticky texture.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Make Pin Curls

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These can be tricky at first if you're new to more involved hair styling. Pin-curls are a 1940s staple, and are necessary for many 1930s and 1950s hairstyles as well.

This may take some trial and error, so be patient.
Let it air or blow dry so that it is still damp. It is most useful to put setting lotion into an atomizer because it can be applied more evenly.
Sections of hair can be from ½ inch to 1½ inch in thickness, depending on how thick your hair is or how it reacts to curling. If you want a certain set, curl in the directions that it will need to go in the final style. If you want just the ends curled, start with the underneath sections of hair and work up.^{[2]
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Make sure that the strand isn't twisted in any manner that would disrupt the direction of the curl. Once the end is started, it is easier to roll up more.^{[3]
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For more ringlet styles, remember to keep the curls uniform and make a little donut shape.
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To make waves along the face, use wave clips. However, these are hard to sleep in and best for use with hairdryers.
- Avoid rolling ends too tightly or they will be frizzy. A set can last from one to five days if it is kept up at night in a snood or scarf.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Make Victory Rolls Or Side Reverse Rolls

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Side reverse rolls involve rolling a thick strand of hair into a circle and pinning it down
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Teasing is a technique used to volumize one's hair through an "in and out" motion with a comb while holding the hair tightly. In order to create as much volume as possible, separate your hair into parts to make this process more manageable.
Starting with a roll and a slight tuck, begin your roll from the back and move slowly towards the front to get that vintage look.^{[6]
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This is an extremely important step because it allows the curls on one side to hold.^{[7]
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Finish the look off with more pins and hairspray.
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Curl ends with a round brush to clean up the hair style. Use a small portion of hair cream to clean up with a shine.
- Women with round or wide faces benefit from the height of the hair, that elongates the face. Women with oval faces will also look good with this hairstyle.
- Women with narrow faces can style the rolls more outward than up and will balance their features, but it may not work for all women of narrow faces.
- This can also can be a good look for women with glasses, so long as the frames aren't so thick on the sides as to disrupt the flow of the hair up from the face, so wire glasses would look best.
- Women who want a better balance between their figure and face will achieve a nice balance with this hairstyle. The hips, bust, and hairdo will all be in better proportion for curvier women, to heavier women.
- Slender women should wear this style in a more petite manner with limited height and width in order to keep proper proportions.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Rat Your Hair

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Removing knots and tangles before ratting will make the process easier to complete and less painful to undo later.
Ratting at the top of your head and working down around the sides keeps your hair accessible for holding or styling.^{[8]
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Continue holding the designated section of hair straight up and firmly swipe it with a fine-toothed comb or bristled brush, starting at the top by your fingers and moving down toward the roots. A bristled brush works best for hair styles involving the whole head, while a fine-toothed comb rats hair tightly in a smaller, concentrated area.^{[9]
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Prevent your ratted hair from falling loose by spraying each ratted section with hairspray.
For example, for a front-bump, gently push the ratted hair together in a clump and comb a small section of un-ratted hair over the ratted ball. Secure the front-bump style with a clip.

Community Q&A

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Question

Where can I buy hot rollers?

Community Answer

Look at your local beauty stores like Ulta or Sally's Beauty Supply. If you can't find any there, I'm sure you can buy them online from Amazon, eBay, etc.

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What hairstyles would tweens and young teens have?

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I would imagine simpler versions of the adult hairstyles, or very simple classic hairstyles like pigtails or basic braids would work well.

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What if I don't have pin curls?

Community Answer

You use bobby pins to make the pin curls. That is where the "pin" part comes in. Just cross the bobby pins into an X to hold your hair.

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Tips

If you are sleeping with pin curls, use a silk scarf on your head so they do not come out.

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If you are using regular rollers, place rollers in a row, turned away from the face, for the very top section of hair. Roll the rest of the hair in rows at the bottom.

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If you plan to use scissors, be careful with long hair as you could hurt yourself.

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