I’ve already begun bracing myself for the onslaught of false compliments and dodgy “Oh! You cut your hair!” comments I’m bound to receive over the Christmas weekend. It’s alright, not everybody needs to love my shockingly different hairstyle, and when people ask me what “made you do it,” I could easily (and awkwardly) talk about dealing with grief and the ensuing emotions that impress the need for a fresh start. And sometimes I do talk about that. But superficially? I’ve got to say. I’m not sure I would’ve been able to sit there in that black vinyl chair watching long strands of hair tumble to the ground if it wasn’t for the beautiful and courageous crop-haired ladies who’ve gone before me.

So let’s start with the actresses above. I’ve always thought these ladies above were so fresh, fun, and really super cute. Not so much on the sexy front, which is fine by me, because I like to think of myself as happily “just cute.” So, they made me wonder, is the pixie cut right for me? Concerned about my body type being able to pull off such a minimal style, I decided to nix it. I just don’t have that much courage yet, and being unable to make that step actually made me really appreciate these trailblazers even more. Maybe after a bit of time with shorter hair, making the step to pixie might be easier than I think.

pictured above and linked to sources: Jean Seberg, Mia Farrow, Audrey Hepburn

Lacking the courage to go all the way to a pixie cut, I looked to the short, curly styles of these actresses I’ve always admired. A little body would be nice for someone with a curvier figure like mine. So, you guys! I actually got a perm. The lady at the salon was so relieved when I described the end product I was looking for. She said after looking at her appointment book that morning, she was really concerned I would walk through the door (maybe gum chewing and rainbow eyeshadow wearing?) asking for a big ’80s style or something. Oh goodness, no! Not for me. Give me Liz, I say!

So that’s the long and short of it. Elizabeth Taylor is now my style icon. Late ’50s and early ’60s Liz, that is. And I don’t even mind needing a perm to make it happen. At first I was a little worried about having a similar hairstyle to the frumpy lady sitting in front of me at church. But friends, I really don’t think I need to worry about being frumpy at almost 26-years-old and as someone interested in fashion and design. The point is- if you want to try a certain style, just try it! That’s my motto, anyways. Does looking young and thin always have to the the yardstick we use to measure beauty? Not for me. I just wanted to feel fresh, sassy, and excited again. Have fun. In the end, it’s really just hair.

pictured above and linked to sources: Deborah Kerr, Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor

Alright kiddos… The past month has been laboriously spent discovering how the heck to get my hair to look like this. Well, I’ve finally achieved a lovely vintage style for my modern-girl hair, and since you’ve been so politely asking for the secrets to be divulged, I’ve decided to share the process with you!

I watched a few YouTube tutorials on how to get a vintage hair-do similar to this one using modern styling tools, but wasn’t happy with the results. My hair doesn’t hold curl very well, and never holds it for long. So I figured I should see how the original 1950s ladies created their hair styles back in the day. I’ll warn you, this process might be easy, but it sure takes a lot of time. It’s pretty easy for a work-at-homer like me, as I can always get some stuff done while my hair is setting in the rollers. But this process certainly isn’t for someone with a lot of time on their hands in the mornings. However, you can still try this look for special occasions or costume parties!

Now if you’re worried that you can’t achieve this look because your mornings are rushed, don’t fear! You don’t need to wet-set your hair every time to get this exact look, though I prefer to use this method right after washing my hair. Then, the next two days I use dry shampoo (as seen in this post) and set my hair with hot rollers, achieving a similar look, though much more quickly. If you have the time, I suggest following this same method of setting your hair right after washing it, because it properly prepares your hair for the next few days when you want to style your hair more quickly with hot rollers. (I use Helen of Troy Hot Shot Tools flocked rollers for non-shower days.)

Here are the styling tools you will need:

• Setting lotion (I use both Nairobi and the Generic brand from Sally’s)
• Wire mesh rollers (no larger than 1 1/8″)
• Metal clips to secure rollers
• A thick bristle hair brush
• A rats tail comb
• Bonnet hair dryer (I use this Gold ‘N Hot dryer)
• A 1-inch curling iron (I use this Helen of Troy iron)
• Aerosol Hairspray

To save on drying time, you might want to towel dry your hair as much as possible before thoroughly applying your setting lotion. After you have worked the lotion through your hair, use a rats tail comb to part your hair on one side. Starting at the front, roll the top section of your hair towards the back of your head and secure with metal clips. Do this for the entire top section of hair alongside your part.  The rest of the rollers you apply on the sides of your hair should be rolled towards the bottom.

Now comes the time intensive part- don your oh-so-lovely bonnet dryer and wait for your hair to dry. The drying time depends on your dryer and its settings, how much you towel dried your hair, how many rollers you used (the more you use the faster it dries), and also your hair’s texture and length. On the high/hot setting, my hair takes about an hour and a half to dry completely. During this time, I usually tuck a towel under the back of the bonnet to protect my neck from the heat while I edit photos or do something else productive on the computer.

When you check to make sure your hair is dry, start at the back bottom, or the the thickest rolled curler on your head. Just beware of checking the front, because if it’s not dry, the set could be ruined on that piece, and I always prefer to have the shoddy looking pieces hanging out on the back of my head. If you do ruin a section of hair, you might be able to salvage it with a hot roller or curling iron.

Gently remove your curlers and make sure your hair is not hot before brushing through. The curls go from ringlets to big puffs in no time, but don’t worry, it’s really easy to smooth them out. Since I have bangs, I need to use a curling iron to finish the top front of my hair, but before I do so, I gently use the comb to smooth out the top of my hair and sort of sculpt the curls into where I want them to lay. After I’ve touched up the front with the curling iron, I spray a good amount of hairspray all around (concentrating on my bangs so they don’t fall down) and then apply a glamorous shade of red lipstick.

Voila! The vintage look is complete. Now that you have glamorous hair, you can forget about cigarettes, because you don’t need them anymore to perfectly channel Lauren Bacall.

Scarves are such versatile accessories for any girl’s wardrobe. I particularly love how easy it is to find a pretty scarf at the thrift store, like this floral one I’ve used several times in outfits features on this blog. Working scarves into your wardrobe is really just a matter of experimenting. You can twist them, tie them, loop them, and fold them. And if you decide mid-way through the day that it’s not workin’ for you, just untie it and try something new!

Look #1: I love this loose, bohemian style because it’s so easy to do. You can try this with all shapes of scarves, but I really like the way this size looks with more ruffly blouses, like the one I wore here.

Look #2: Normally I only tie scarves on my head this way when the knot goes under my chin to protect my hair in the rain (as seen in the last photo of this post). But with some big hair and the right 1950s/1960s look, it really works quite well and all together avoids the poor pauper look reminiscent of old Russia.

Look #3: Tying a scarf around your neck can look super preppy, or even gypsy-like, depending on the rest of your ensemble. With a collared shirt, you’re goin’ for the prepster, but with a lacy blouse and the right pattern on the blouse, you’re all together gypsy! (Like this outfit here!)

Look #4: Twist your scarf and tie in a bow atop your head for a girlish vibe. This works with your hair down or up, but I like it best when tendrils peek out in front of the scarf. If your hair is slippery like mine, and scarves tend to roll off your head, you might want to pull up your hair in maiden braids or part and twist up your hair (securing with pins) like I did. (Similar style most recently seen here.)

Look #5: This is my favorite haven’t-had-time-for-a-shower look of mine! Often-times I will hide greasy bangs under a widely-folded scarf that ties at the nape of my neck. I prefer this look with more bohemian 1960s styles of clothing, but it can be mod too if you’ve got the perfect little shift dress. (Seen on a non-shower day here.)

Look #6: Alright, so this one is actually the ultimate look for a non-shower day. In order to keep my scarf in place, I always have to part my hair, braid it, and secure in the front with pins. Otherwise I find the scarf too easily slips off my head. It’s very easy to tie (in front of the braids), and then I just tuck the excess back underneath the scarf. (Also seen here!)

O U T F I T   D E T A I L S :

blouse: c/o ModCloth | Scarf: thrifted | skirt: thrifted