Mad Men type hair styles with minimal back combing/heat styling?

[ElusiveMuse]

Help, you guys! I am going to a formal event this weekend and need to work some sort of magic on my hair to get it into an up-do. My outfit is just begging for a Mad Men type hair style but I know those use some serious back combing and heat styling. My hair is rather fragile and I really don't want to ruin years of growing for one night, but on the other hand I feel like every time I get dressed up I hate the way I look because my hair does not look formal enough. I am not sure what to do. Please post your tips and tutorials!

[ArienEllariel]

torrinpaige just did a mad men inspired hairdo on youtube. check it out :)

[heidi w.]

What about using a "form" for pumping up the hair on the top of the head. I have been thinking of doing that for a while now because I have a super flat top of the head, which is pretty unattractive.

You can go to hair supply shops and find a form, use pins to pin it in the hair and comb hair over it to hide it and do an updo, and then it would look all proportional, all around.

It's an idea.
heidi w.

[lilliemer]

I believe pin curls are the basis for many of the '50's and vintage-style hairdos. If you sleep in the pins, they (the curls) don't need to be heat-set. It's probably worth a test drive a few days before to see how they turn out in your hair since you will have to set them overnight. Also it will give you practice if you've never done them before...I still cannot get the ends quite right. Google search for "pin curls" turns up tons of videos and tutorials.

good luck!