1940s updo ideas for mid-thigh length hair

[rhosyn_du]

I have a performance coming up that requires me to be in 40's-era costume. I need a style for my hair that is completely up, because it needs to fit under a kerchief for part of the performance. I've done some web searching, but everything I've found on 40's hair has been half-ups or geared toward much shorter hair (or both). Do any of you vintage style afficianados know of any style that might work for me?

[piffyanne]

OOOOOOOOOOOH ME ME ME ASK ME!!!!!

I've been saving this for just such a question:
http://retrowunderland.tumblr.com/post/35368168979/1930s-hair-tutorial-pin-curl-updo-for-long-hair
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_md8vbqaum41ru61pqo1_1280.jpg
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_md8vbqaum41ru61pqo2_1280.jpg (pt 2.)
It's 1930's, but should give either a really good idea what do do, or you could do it despite it being 10 years early.

I don't think it would be farfetched for someone to NOT stop doing a style just because it's not the Newest Fashion if it worked or they liked it.

ETA: re-read my post, crucial word missing, bolded for visibility

[kme81]

Haha! I was going to direct you to Piffyanne, but I see that she has already beat me to it!

I'll try to add a possibility for an updo: How about a french twist with some sort of era correct bangs/fringe/roll going on in the front? It might not look too strange under a scarf. Unless your thigh length hair is just too much for a french twist, in that case, this plan just went kaput.


Oh! I just thought of something, how about a snood? Although it would probably clash with the kerchief...

[piffyanne]

What I usually do, if you don't feel like doing the 30's hairdo (that's the only one I've seen so far made specifically for longhairs!) is an ovalbun (forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=86969). I haven't seen it in historical documentation yet, but it's the sort of thing any woman with long hair who needed to get it neatly up off the neck might do.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/14562_10151140055317282_518580297_n.jpg

I get compliments on it ALL the time from reenactors. :)

kme81, thanks SO much for thinking of me! I actually trawl the threads looking for references to history I can pop in for. I admit it. It's always REALLY flattering to hear that people were going to, or did, refer to me as a possible resource! :smooch:

[Merlin]

OOOOOOOOOOOH ME ME ME ASK ME!!!!!



Desperate much :-)

[piffyanne]

Desperate much :-)

No, just had a really bad day, a thread like this was a highlight. I guess you can say I was desperate for the ability to be useful. :/

[jacqueline101]

Most of the 40's hair dos are short bobbed hair.

[Dorothy]

I loved your enthusiastic reaction, Piffyanne, and you did offer much needed help. Like me on the edge of my seat when anyone says "WHY IS MY HAIR SO _____". I take a deep breath, and I say "well....." and COMMENCE LHC ANALYSIS! I try to hide my enthusiasm in 3D because it really does make people think I'm a little too invested, but I think you're safe here. We're all invested.

[piffyanne]

Now that I'm thinking, Maidenbraids were seen on several celebs.
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/530677_10151064753977282_1968241928_n.jpg
http://furglamor.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/furglamor-1947-song-of-the-thin-man_03.jpg
You also see the occasional ramshorn buns.
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/549888_10151293555532282_1394965212_n.jpg
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m75ep4lmYy1qbuwpuo1_500.png
Myrna Loy in the 1930's had long hair in one of The Thin Man movies, and wore ramshorn buns. (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v213/Nuranar/Vintage-General/LongHair/MyrnaLoylets_go_renegade.jpg)


This thread may also give you some ideas. (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/archive/index.php/t-16057.html)

[HylianGirl]

Those are awesome piffyane! I love seeing historical hairstyles, and i didn't know any 30's/40's ones for long hair, preety cool!

And hey, your reaction seemed to me like a funny internet chat one, not desperate.

[leslissocool]

OOOOOOOOOOOH ME ME ME ASK ME!!!!!

I've been saving this for just such a question:
http://retrowunderland.tumblr.com/post/35368168979/1930s-hair-tutorial-pin-curl-updo-for-long-hair
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_md8vbqaum41ru61pqo1_1280.jpg
http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_md8vbqaum41ru61pqo2_1280.jpg (pt 2.)
It's 1930's, but should give either a really good idea what do do, or you could do it despite it being 10 years early.

I don't think it would be farfetched for someone to NOT stop doing a style just because it's not the Newest Fashion if it worked or they liked it.

ETA: re-read my post, crucial word missing, bolded for visibility



YESSS :cheese: I love it! AMAZING post!

[browneyedsusan]

@ piffyanne:
Thanks so much for your input! I wear pincurls often, and was just bemoaning the fact that my hair will get "too long" for them. I'm glad it won't, and now I have some ideas about what to do with it as it grows.
--Apologies to the OP for the mild thread hijack.--

[piffyanne]

Thanks, HylianGirl, and lelissocool!

Browneyedsusan, I was SO excited when I found that one style for longhairs, it took a LOT of looking. That's the culmination of 3 years' worth of digging on the internet, haha! ONE style. :rollin: I'm so glad all that time and effort benefited you, too! :)

They say there is no end to the internet, but I sometimes feel like I've reached it when it comes to historical hairstyles, and then that showed up. YES!! I'm having a devil :demon: of a time finding any hairstyles for longhairs in the 1920's, which is REALLY weird, because the bob, although popular, was not the ONLY hairstyle, a lot of women kept their long hair, in fact long hair (or short hair disguised as such) was still sort of EXPECTED if you met royalty, etc., so why are there no scans online of suggested hairstyles for them?? :pins: I sorta suspect it's 'cause people think the longer styles aren't worth the time to share, because who's got long hair these days? :rolleyes: :nono: /endgripe/

I still haven't tried that elaborate pincurl style on myself, I've decided to let someone else do it TO me, the first time, it just seems luckier somehow. :blossom:

[rhosyn_du]

Thank you for all of the suggestions! I've got partially grown-out bangs that aren't substantial enough to do rolls, but I seem to be able to get a nice little cluster of pincurls out of them. I think I'm going to try pairing pincurls in front with an oval bun.

[Shepherdess]

Piffyanne! Great post, and that's so neat they did that with longer hair!


I'm not sure how old all of these are, but I think they are pretty. I love looking up hairstyles of the past! :D

http://pinterest.com/pin/174233079305725916/

http://pinterest.com/pin/174233079305124421/

Marie Doro
http://pinterest.com/pin/174233079305700886/
Mary Pickford
http://pinterest.com/pin/174233079305126167/

I came across this youtube video while searching hairstyles, and although it says apostolic, I think it looks pretty old fashioned and cute. :) http://youtu.be/XkWZ-hHQ9a8

These probably aren't even from the right time period, just thought I'd share them though anyway. :p

[piffyanne]

Piffyanne! Great post, and that's so neat they did that with longer hair!


I'm not sure how old all of these are, but I think they are pretty. I love looking up hairstyles of the past! :D

http://pinterest.com/pin/174233079305725916/ [Edwardian]

http://pinterest.com/pin/174233079305124421/ [1940's, approximately]

Marie Doro
http://pinterest.com/pin/174233079305700886/ [looks Edwardian, COULD be an example of a woman in the 1920's who kept her hair long, they tended to keep with the old styles, from what I know so far]
Mary Pickford
http://pinterest.com/pin/174233079305126167/ [PRETTY sure this is Edwardian]

I came across this youtube video while searching hairstyles, and although it says apostolic, I think it looks pretty old fashioned and cute. :) http://youtu.be/XkWZ-hHQ9a8 [Looks like something from the 1880's, very cute indeed! :) ]

These probably aren't even from the right time period, just thought I'd share them though anyway. :p

My comments in bold. :)

Thanks so much for sharing them, two of the images were even new to me, and all so cute!! :cheese:

[WaitingSoLong]

I try to hide my enthusiasm in 3D because it really does make people think I'm a little too invested, but I think you're safe here. We're all invested.

I love how you worded this.

Well, I think I will try the oval bun on my FTL hair today. I am only a ii but I have a feeling this bun will eat my head.

[Aeris]

Now that I'm thinking, Maidenbraids were seen on several celebs.

This reminded me of the rope crown braid on Ginger Rogers in Top Hat - 1935, very pretty, and should be easily hidden :)
http://filmfanatic.org/reviews/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/top-hat-rogers.png

[WaitingSoLong]

Oval Bun attempt. My pins are not staying in at all!

http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp17/Poetry4me75/DSC02032600x800_zpse4d4f3e1.jpg

[HylianGirl]

WaitingSoLong that's a beautifull braided bun! And so big *o*

[torrilin]

They say there is no end to the internet, but I sometimes feel like I've reached it when it comes to historical hairstyles, and then that showed up. YES!! I'm having a devil :demon: of a time finding any hairstyles for longhairs in the 1920's, which is REALLY weird, because the bob, although popular, was not the ONLY hairstyle, a lot of women kept their long hair, in fact long hair (or short hair disguised as such) was still sort of EXPECTED if you met royalty, etc., so why are there no scans online of suggested hairstyles for them?? :pins: I sorta suspect it's 'cause people think the longer styles aren't worth the time to share, because who's got long hair these days? :rolleyes: :nono: /endgripe/

Actually, I find looking at primary source pictures... short hair was very likely a minority thing. Even when you can find things like pictures of an entire chorus line in street clothes, or class photographs of high school seniors or college girls... only about 1/3 or so have hair where we can be sure it's actually short. About 1/3 will be indeterminate length, where it could be long hair with the front styled fashionably, or it could be short hair. And about 1/3 will be visibly long hair. Even if we're talking very racy Hollywood actresses, short hair was only just barely a majority.

That said, looking trendy definitely mattered, and having the *look* of a short style from the front is really common.

[Shepherdess]

My comments in bold. :)

Thanks so much for sharing them, two of the images were even new to me, and all so cute!! :cheese:

Oh, you know a lot about this stuff! I really love looking up old vintage photos and hairstyles online, but I have never really paid attention to their history. :D

You are welcome! I am happy that you liked them! :cheer:

[browneyedsusan]

Oval Bun attempt. My pins are not staying in at all!

http://i393.photobucket.com/albums/pp17/Poetry4me75/DSC02032600x800_zpse4d4f3e1.jpg

wow-SER!
:thud:

[shirohane]

WaitingSoLong, that's amazing! :shocked:

I think my hair should learn from yours so that I could get my braids (and buns) to look neat like that. I get frizzies and flyaways all the time... *mumble mumble* :mad: