Evening Glamor 1940s Hairstyle Tutorial

My new lovely lady mannequins are finally getting their time in the spotlight, starting with this quick tutorial for a glamorous 1940s hairstyle for an evening event. I’ve named this hairstyle the Leona.

It could also be a day look with a 1940s style suit. If you get the hair at the nape of the neck up enough, it would also make a great hairstyle to wear with a uniform.

Starting with the setting pattern:

• I used Rockin’ Rollers and setting lotion combined with 20 minutes under the hooded hair dryer to get the curl. You could also use foam rollers or a pin curl set.
• To keep the sides from showing unwanted gaps when brushing the hair back, I used 1 roller for each of the 3×2 inch side sections above the ears and rolled the hair section perpendicular to the floor in a forward pattern. Sometimes, when you use 2 rollers on a section of a wet set that will be in the highly visible hairline area, you can get a gap that sets in and is impossible to brush out.
• The top section from the forehead back to the apex (the highest point of your head) is rolled in 3 rollers in a diagonal forward set.
• The rest of the hair is rolled downward in a bricklay (staggered) pattern.

On to the pinning:

1. Brush the back section out first. And the specific way to get this effect is to brush the hair as one big section with your motion always directed toward the neck. Work your pomade of choice through the hair with your hands and then brush some more. The wet set will hold up. Also brush under to get the curl to flip under smoothly. I used 2 different brushes through this style depending on the control I was needing: the Miracle Curl Brush and a Teasing/Smoothing Brush.

2. This entire hairstyle is held in place with 1.5″ Grip-Tuth® Hairtainer Combs. I used 5 altogether. The way to use a hair comb for hold is to first start using the comb to comb back the hair section.

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3. Comb all the way back to where you want the comb to insert. Tip the comb so the teeth are poking diagonally in toward the scalp.

4. Use pressure to push the teeth of the comb to skim through the hair at the scalp as you press the comb back the other direction. Please be careful with this. It is a plastic comb, but it can still hurt if done wrong.

5. Repeat these steps on the other side of the back section. Comb back to where you want the comb to insert. Tip the comb so the teeth are poking diagonally in toward the scalp.

6. Use pressure to push the teeth of the comb to skim through the hair at the scalp.

Styling the side sections above the ear:

7. So you have the sides that were rolled forward.

8. Brush the section back and work pomade through the hair to control flyaways and smooth the section.

9. Style the side section where you want it to be. Place the comb teeth where you want the comb to insert and tip the comb diagonally in toward the scalp.

10. Use pressure to push the teeth of the comb to skim through the hair at the scalp.

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Repeat steps 7-10 on the opposite side:

11. Once you have brushed the hair, style the side section where you want it to be. Place the comb teeth where you want the comb to insert.

12. Use pressure to push the teeth of the comb to skim through the hair at the scalp.

Styling the front:

13. With the last section of hair on the top, brush the entire section into 1 piece diagonally back.

14. Twist the hair at the base tightly toward the rear of the section, leaving the ends free. Insert the 1.5″ Grip-Tuth® Hairtainer Comb at the base of the twist to hold it in place.

15. With the ends in hand, brush the section over your hand to smooth the curls and straighten them into a wave.

16. Arrange this last piece as best you can to break the hairline and hang a little over the forehead. I did use a bobby pin neatly tucked into this piece to help hold it in place.

Hairspray for hold and it’s done!