In the 1930s, the 1940s, and the 1950s, there were pin-up girls. They were the girls all men wanted and all girls wanted to be. Bettie Page perhaps is the most popular pin- up girl. Her short bangs making her famous. Now they are known as the “Bettie bang.” These retro hairstyles are kept alive by the rockabilly and psychobilly scenes.
According to Wikipedia, rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, and emerged in the early 1950s. It’s a blend of rock and roll and country. Elvis and Johnny Cash are notable musicians in this genre. Another similar music style is psychobilly. Psychobilly is rockabilly mixed with punk music. A popular psychobilly band is Reverend Horton Heat, according to Wikipedia.
Most girls in the rockabilly scene imitate the pin-up models from the 1950s. There are many different hairstyles, but the haircut is basically the same. The middy was a common hairstyle for housewives. It consist of layers that are about three to four inches long. The whole head is layered in this way. Most women curled the ends of their hair.
Today, the “Bettie Page” is the most popular hairstyle. The bangs should start where the ear begins. I use my hand and run it up from my ear to the top of my head and then part. Create a semi-circle from the starting point of the bang to your forehead. Comb your wet bangs flat. The bangs are cut right above the eyebrows. Trim from the center of the bangs going up toward the temples. The shape should resemble a semi-circle. An easier way is to tilt the head down to get a better view of the angle you want. You can wear the bangs flat or curl with a curling iron.
Before the “Bettie,” there were victory rolls. This hairstyle was a statement that celebrated the victory after WWII, according to HairstyleTwist. There were no hair-dryers, so updo’s were the way to go. You need at least chin length hair to create this hairstyle. Comb and part one side of the hair like your going to make a half ponytail. Roll the hair round your fingers going away from your face. Use bobby pins to pin the hair roll down. The shape is similar to an ice cream cone. Repeat on the other side of your head. Hairspray is good to hold the victory rolls in place. You can roll your bangs in a similar fashion as the victory roll. Rockabilly girls with long bangs often roll their bangs up and pin them down to look like a “Bettie bang.
I have a rather long pixie hairstyle. If you are growing your hair out and want to look retro, a great hairstyle is one similar to Audrey Hepburn. I have my bangs cut like Bettie Page. I take the sides of my hair and pin them back with bobby pins or berets.
Another great pin-up girl style is to fold a bandanna and tie it around your head. Take a square bandanna and fold the two opposite corners in. Now, fold those corners one more time. Fold in half to make a head band shape. Tie the bow on top of your head. Another method is to fold a bandanna in half and tie it with the bow on top of your head. Fold the point of the bandanna down into your hair.
Most of these hairstyles can be found on YouTube. The victory rolls and bandanna tie method are there. Pin-up girl hairstyles are sexy and creative. Must haves are a curling iron, hairspray, and bobby pins.
Sources:
“Rockabilly,” Wikipedia
“Psychobilly,” Wikipedia
Lisa, “1940s Victory Roll Hairstyle,” HairTwist
