Going Retro: The 1940s Waves Hairstyle

Many times hairstyles return to an era in history that held a lot of importance for fashion, and one of the eras in history that had a big impact on fashion was the 1940s. There was so much that was going on in the 40s that impacted the world, culture, and even fashion. The Second World War was going on in the 40s and this impacted many aspects of the world, which one of them was the role women played, and the influence they had. Because the men were off fighting, women had to learn how to “hold down the fort,” and women had an influence not only at home but also on the battlefield. It was a time for independence, and this showed in the things they accomplished and in the fashions they wore. The hairstyle that every woman wore (whether their hair was short, long, or medium) was waves, and women of today have been seen wearing this style more and more as its recent popularity rises.

Starlets of the 1940s wore these waves, and today starlets are returning to the retro 40s hairstyles, as actresses wave their hair to imitate the women of that era. Technology makes curling your hair healthier than the heating methods they used in the 1940s, so curling your hair in the 40s fashion is easy and does not damage your hair. To curl your hair in this fashion you need to first section off pieces of your hair (about three inches) and use a curling iron (it is best to leave the hair in the iron for 5 to 6 seconds). When curling your hair for this style you need to curl from the roots to the end, but make sure you stay a decent length away from your scalp. Place the curling iron near your roots and without opening the iron to grip the hair, twirl your hair with your other hand around the iron. Then you take the section of hair you just curled, and secure it with a hair pin or clip (a butterfly clip is best to use for this). When you curl the back of your hair separate the sections into 4 or 5 inches, because you want the curls looser in back. A few good tips to use for this style is, first, use a heat protection spray on the sections so that the curler does not damage the hair, and if your hair is hard to curl you can use hairspray to help keep the curls in. When finished with curling and pinning, you then un-pin your hair and brush your hair (downward) with a flat brush.