Get Timeless – Eight Decades of Glamorous Hair

Mix up your hairstyle. From the 1920’s to the 1990’s, rocking timeless hairstyles never goes out of style.

Glamour is something that never dies. What was considered fierce in the 1920’s still turns heads in 2013. Sexy sirens know all about switching it up; because why oh why would you want to look the same every day?

It’s time to channel your inner Audrey Hepburn, Liz Taylor and whoever else you idolized on the silver-screen. Glamour is all about turning heads – the first thing to start with (and quite possibly the most noticeable).

Your hair is your statement. Sure, it’s always fun to rock new trends, but why not be a little sporadic and change it up? You have your whole life to wear your hair bone-straight.

1920’s Glam – The Roaring Twenties

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Get our your crimper, your curling iron and your bobby-pins. Celebrities like Taylor Swift use the classic, jazzy appeal of the roaring twenties to set the sexy tone for red-carpet events. The 20’s are reminiscent of swanky black dresses and diamond-encrusted barrettes.

Simply part your hair to the side. Using a small curling iron, wrap individualized sections or tendrils counter-clockwise and diagonally around the curling iron. Each section should cover the entire curling iron (as opposed to a tight re-wrapped curl). Try to focus on curling your hair back and away from your face. Once your hair is curled, pin the hair back into a bun using bobby-pins. Spray hair with flexible hairspray.

1930’s Glam – The Swinging Thirties

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Relaxed, loose and big curls take the spotlight during the Great Depression that followed the stock-market crash in 1929. Swing music became the cat’s meow as socialites and celebrities danced around in frilly, layered dresses. Celebs like Charlize Theron, Rachel Evans and Reece Witherspoon love the elegant, polished look of 1930’s hair-glam.

Wash and dry your hair using light-weight, non-straightening products. Part your hair to the side and blow dry the hair with a round brush while occasionally applying smoothing cream to the crown-area (to smooth the volume out). Finish the style by curling the bottom of the hair with a large curling iron. Finish with flexible holding spray.

1940’s Glam – Casablanca Hair

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Whirled and twirled, side curled hair was all the rage during the 1940’s. It may have been the second world war, but beauty and glamour were still heavily romanticized. People found pleasure in the grand cinema and music.

This style can be embraced in a number of ways. You may opt to start on clean hair, but it isn’t absolutely necessary. Using a large curling iron, curl the entire sides of your hair up. The hair should be completely rolled around the iron. Let sit for a moment and unclamp without de-curling the curl. Secure with bobby pins and hairspray.

 

1950’s Glam – Pin up Couture

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When we reminisce of the glorious 50’s, we are left with visions of Marilyn Monroe and Bettie Paige…Beautiful curvaceous women who rocked curves, curls and giant waves.

To get the timeless look that celebrities like Gwen Stafani and Katy Perry often flaunt, start by washing and conditioning the hair with a volumizing line of products. Dry hair with a round brush, giving the hair body, shine and control. Leave the hair somewhat wavy. Using a large curling iron, curl the bangs under into a perfect cylinder. If you do not have bangs, section the front of the hair down around face (as if you were going to cut bangs). Using the hair that “would be” where your bangs are, curl the hair completely up, making sure to wind the hair around the hot cylinder on the iron. Let sit for a minute or so. Spray hair with freezing spray and secure with bobby-pins.

1960’s Glam – Free Love Hair

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Long, luxurious locks were a staple of the wavy, free-love hair that powered 60’s glam. Celebrities like Sienna Miller, Jessica Biel and Kate Moss use the flowing, sexy locks of the -make peace- and -make love- era to turn heads.

This style can be worked lots of ways. Depending on the thickness of the hair, you may want to let your hair air-dry with defining moose or blow-dry using loose fingers (instead of a round-brush). Make certain to part the hair down the center. The 60’s were also about straight hair- so shiny, straightened locks with a bit of bounce also work.

1970’s Glam – Classic Fawcett Hair

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The 70’s were all about funk, classic rock and sexy hair. From male musicians to pinup legends like Farrah Fawcett; big, natural voluminous hair was what was in style. Celebrities like Drew Barrymore, Khloe Kardashian, Sarah Jessica Parker and Britney Spears like the come-hither 70’s inspiration portrayed by the icons of the 70’s.

You will need a curling iron and/or hot rollers. Wash and dry hair with volumizing shampoo and conditioner. Dry hair with a round-brush for superior volume. Curl the hair back and “up” so that the hair flips out. For extra volume, use large curling rolls. Finish hair with flexible, holding hairspray.

1980’s Glam – “Big Hair”

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From big name hair-bands like Guns and Roses and Poison to female sirens like Joan Jett and Pat Benetar, big hair was big during the 1980’s. To this day, 80’s fashion can be spotted in the nooks and crevices of modern style. 80’s hair is known for being big, bold and bodacious. The 80’s were all about partying, sun-bathing and high-wasted shorts.

Get the pumped-up look by using volumizing shampoo and conditioner. Go light (if not bare) on the root-area and apply thickening spray or volumizing moose to the root area. Blow dry hair on hottest heat setting with the head upside-down. When you finish you can opt to curl the hair, or leave it straight. Try and tease the root-area of the hair. Finish with freezing spray.

1990’s Glam – A lunge for Grunge

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The 90’s were famous for many hairstyles, but none quite like those of the grunge genre. Flannel shirts, baggy jeans and studded belts were all classic staples of the 1990’s. Though grunge is generally known for greasy, unkempt hair, many famous celebrities embrace the look by using products. Celebrities like Mary Kate Olson, Drew Barrymore and Kate Moss love the messy, just rolled out of bed look.

Grunge hair is essentially bed-head hair. A bit of pomade on day-old hair with a spruce of dry-shampoo on the root area will leave hair wavy, messy and best of all- not dirty. Rustle the hair with your fingers and spray in a bit of hair spray- or curl random spots to add that unintentional wave. Whatever you do; you can’t go wrong, as bed-head hair is all about spontaneity!

Whether you’re feeling the diamond and pearl-esque decadence of the 1920’s or the messy, bed-head of the 1990’s, no woman should limit herself to the same hairstyle every day. Spice up your style with pinned-back glam hair or big, sexy 80’s hair. Your decade is your oyster…

About the author

Alexandra Meehan

Alexandra Meehan is a poet and writer residing in Gainesville, Florida. When she's not writing, she is biking or spending time with her partner Cathrine and their beloved Australian Shepherd, Pekoe.

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