How to Do 50's Hairstyles

The fifties were a time of glitz and glamour, and many people look back on the styles of this period in history as something to be emulated. Even if you do not idealize fifties fashion, you probably have noticed that fifties-inspired looks are coming back into the foreground in the fashion industry. Even if you do not like the clothes, it is hard not to enjoy the big, flamboyant hair that made that decade so over the top. Classic fifties styles include the ponytail, the poodlecut, the French twist and the bouffant. Fifties hair was all about curls, body and lots of product, so if you are going to do a fifties look make sure you have at least full can of hairspray at the ready, then get out your comb, your brush and your curling iron and go to town.

The poodlecut was made famous by Lucille Ball, although it had been popular before she wore it for an entire season of her hit television show. The poodlecut is very reminiscent of a French poodle, in that the hair is kept close to the sides of the head and then the top is a riot of tight, crimped curls. To get this look, you will need small hot rollers, combs, gel, hairspray and a bristle brush. Roll your hair tightly and let it set for at least thirty minutes. You should use the smallest possible rollers so that you get very tight curls. You can pull off this look with a short bob, but really an even shorter haircut is ideal for this look. Once you have removed the rollers, you can finger comb your hair. However, do as little to disturb the curls as possible. If your hair is long on the sides, you will either need to secure it with combs that push the curls up on top of your head, or gel the hair on the sides flat to your head. Then, spray the resulting mass of curls with a lot of hairspray to hold them in place. Generally, fifties hairstyles were not particularly pleasant to touch, so do not hold back with the gel and spray. It is fine for your curls to be like cement.

As you can see, the hair is kept close on the sides, but pouffed up on the top to make lots of curls in a style reminiscent of a show-poodle's head puff.

If you prefer something simpler than the poodlecut – which really was on the simple side for the fifties – then try a retro take on the ponytail. You will need hairspray, a hairbrush, hair elastics or rubberbands, and a long, colorful scarf. Pull your hair back into a smooth, simple ponytail. It should sit fairly high on your head, but still clearly be on the back, not the side or the top. If you wish, push the ponytail slightly forward as you rubberband it to “bump” the front a little bit. This will create a slightly puffier effect that is reminiscent of the bouffant, another fifties hairstyle. As soon as you have the ponytail in place, spray the front of your head – but not the ponytail itself – to hold that portion of the style. Next, place hot rollers in the ponytail hair or use a curling iron to curl the edges neatly under. Once you have it looking smooth, sleek and perfectly coifed, then spray the ponytail portion of your hairstyle as well. Finish your look off with a long, colorful scarf knotted around the top of the ponytail with the ends hanging down. Do not tie it in a bow, but let the ends hang loose even if they are longer than your hair.

Both of the previous styles are fairly simple and will probably not require a lot of practice or preparation. However, this is not true for the French plait or the bouffant. These may require several tries, and if you are planning to wear either look to a big event, you should try them several times ahead of time to make sure that you like your look and are able to physically manage pulling, pinning and ratting it into place. For a French twist, you should wash your hair the night before or even the afternoon before. You will need a hairbrush, lots of bobby pins and hairspray. Washing a day ahead will enable you to have clean hair, but your hair will be a little easier to work with if it has not just been washed and dried. Pull your hair back and gather it at the nape of your neck as if you were preparing to style a low pony tail. However, instead of securing the ponytail, twist the entire hunk of hair so that you are twisting it up the back of your head. As you twist, the hair will appear to roll over so that you have a side twist. Stick bobby pins into the open side of the twist as you progress up your head. This can take some serious coordination, so be prepared to get a little frustrated. If you cannot manage the twisting and pinning at once, then just continue to twist the hair until you reach the top of your head. When you do, use one hand to hold the twist in place while you pin the bottom in several places. Fold any extra hair back under so that it lies flat under the twist and is secured by the pins that are holding the twist to the back of your head. Most of the pins will be more or less parallel to the floor. Once the twist is secure, spray it heavily. You can also use a large, decorated comb to make this look far easier, but it will not look quite as authentic as if you can pull it off with just the bobby pins and hairspray.

This smooth twist looks very "50's" because you cannot see any pins or other adornment. It is practical as well as pretty.

Finally the crowning achievement of fifties hairstyles was probably the bouffant. This huge, ballooning look could take hours to perfect, so give yourself plenty of time. You will need large hot rollers, a bristle brush, a comb and lots of hairspray. The issue is not how complicated the process is, but just how time consuming it can be. Start by setting your hair on large hot rollers. Let them sit for about thirty minutes so that the body from the rollers is firmly established. You are going to need it. Next, remove the rollers and brush out your hair. Once it is smooth, begin ratting it up a piece at a time. Ratting is the process of giving your hair additional body by creating knots in it. Most people prefer using a comb for this. Hold a section of hair up and then pull the comb through it in short, fast strokes that are directed toward the head. As you rat, spray to hold the newly volumized hair in place. Once your entire head is ratted, it will appear that you have a huge cloud of hair around your head. Use the bristle brush to smooth the top layer of hair, then spray again several times to hold your new construction together. Now, just avoid candles and water, and you should be fine!

The woman's hair in this picture is a classic 50's bouffant.