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PINUP HAIRSTYLES,
HOW TO GET THE MOST ICONIC LOOKS OF YESTERDAY, EVERY DAY
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Pinup hairstyles are always desirable, and real showstoppers at any event (even if the 'event' in question is shopping for carrots and cupcakes). They can be notoriously tricky to get right though. Thankfully there is always a way to get the looks yourself without having to hire a personal stylist, or even shell out for expensive equipment. This section is all about pinup hair glam. I will go through all of my best tips for hair care, colour and styling as well as my top 12 favourite pinups hairstyle styling videos from youtube.
Click to go right to the videos
I Love hair. It is a woman's crowning glory, and is one of the best and most simple ways of expressing your personal style. Long hair that's romantic and seductive, short hair that's vibrant and fun....any colour and any curl its all good. You just have to know how to handle it to get the result that best suits you.That means the right cut and the right products. So whether you want to wear the pinup hairstyles everyday, or just for a special event I hope you find what you need here, but if you don't then please don't hesitate to just ask. I will be adding new info and tips regularly. One quick thing you should know about me is that I worked for years in a branch of a large pro salon hair and beauty supplies wholesale/retailer as a product advisor. So I do know the difference between the sales pitch and the truth...it is actually the reason I quit, I refused to recommend products I did not rate for bonuses.
The most common hair length for pinup hairstyles is between shoulder and mid back. This is the length that works best for most of the iconic styles of the 1940s and 50s. Earlier fashions from the 1920s and 30s lend themselves better to short hair, however there is a way to get this look without the chop if you prefer.
It is also a good idea to have a fringe or bangs cut in, though layers in the rest of your hair could actually hinder you. This is because most classic vintage hairstyles will involve curling, either roller setting or pincurls, and if the hair is not all one length then it can be a pain to handle when winding as well as possibly ending up with unpredictable shape results. Another issue I have found with layers and pinup hairstyles is of shorter bits falling out of the main style all the time. That is not to say that if you have layered hair that you cannot do these styles, especially if you have long layers in long hair which can actually be helpful, you will just have to take their issues into consideration when styling.
One very good way of getting round the issue of uneven lengths when curling is to put a bobby pin/kirby grip on the section at the point the shortest length ends. This will hold the layers together while you curl so you don't get bits sticking out.
However layers can be very useful if you have fine hair as it aids volume.
Ok so lets start with some basic hair care and an over view of vintage retro, pinup hairstyles, and what you will need.CARE PRODUCTS: Healthy hair is beautiful hair, but it doesn't take much to keep it that way. All you really need is a quality shampoo and conditioner that is suited to your hairtype, and 2 or 3 well chosen styling products.  The perfect natural texture for our pinup hairstyling purposes is quite thick and with a natural wave to gentle curl. So if you have flat or fine hair then try using a volumizing shampoo and conditioner. These do work, and they do so by by having ingredients in them which penetrate the cuticle (outer layer) of the hair shaft and then they expand inside, giving the illusion of more body. Obviously this is a cosmetic effect and will be washed out by any other type of shampoo, but washing it out every so often is a good idea.
If you have a slight natural wave and your hair takes a curl easily then try using a shampoo and conditioner for curly hair. This has a defining, structuring action on the curls of naturally curly hair, but even if you don't have natural ringlets they can actually help your hair to hold a curl better if you already have a natural wave (well it seems to work for me anyway). There is an old wives tale saying that you should change your shampoo every few months because your hair will become immune to its effects. This is a myth, but what does happen is your hair can become weighed down by the build-up from using the same products all the time. What I would do is every time you feel your hair is looking a bit dull, then just wash once or twice with a clarifying/build-up removing shampoo. A leave in conditioner is excellent when applied to just the ends of long hair, especially if you are going to curl it.It helps to prevent split ends, and is generally lighter weight than serum. Be wary of washing your hair too often as this strips it of its natural oils and has the effect of drying the ends and making the roots greasy as the sebaceous glands try to re-oil the hair. 3 times a week is fine for most people if you possibly can.
I like Nature's Gate and Avalon Organics for shampoo and conditioner. See the side column --> for more on them. LUSH also have fantstic hair care products. Their solid shampoo bars are the stuff of legend and they have a luxurious intensive treament for every hair issue. like these ...  
STYLING PRODUCTS: Once your hair is clean and conditioned you will need styling products to make it do you bidding. Again you do not need a whole pharmacy of products for this, there are only really 3 or 4 products in any styling range anyway.
Texturizer - Texturizing products include waxes and putty. They are designed to separate the hair and add movement. They can be heavy and weigh down the hair as well as make it look dirty if you use too much, so be careful how much you put on. Just add a small amount at a time, you can always add more but you cant get it out if theres too much.Wax has been with us a very long time and comes in either a semi solid state in jars, or in pump bottles as spray wax. Both types are medium hold. Spray wax is better for curls (though not frizz) and solid is best for definition on shorter styles.Putty is newer than wax and has many similar variations including clay and paste. It has a light hold and is very good for curls, especially the clay texture types. It can be used before or after styling, or both infact. This is the type I would most recommend of the two for our purposes. Hairspray - Another golden oldie, hairspray is the most common styling product and no pinup girl can do without it. It comes in two types, styling and finishing. The two are pretty self explanatory. Styling spray is used when you are ..well...styling and comes in different strengths depending on what you need your style to do (i.e. move or stay still) Though for pinup hairstyles I would generally recommend a medium hold most of the time because it is workable while curling. Finishing spray is again quite obviously to finish a style once its in place. Finishing means it tidies up the stray flyaway bits, sets the shape and adds shine. It is generally firm hold. Shine spray alone is a waste of time. The environmental issues of hairspray could be a real concern. Pump action sprays are fine for styling in my opinion as long as you keep it moving as you spray so you don't saturate one part. But sadly they tend to be disappointing as finishers and for our pinup hairstyles here we need the finisher spray to really do the business (especially if going out in your pink Cadillac convertible!). Heat protection - To be honest girls pretty much any product you put on before heat styling will offer some level of protection from heat styling. Curling tongs and heated rollers cause minimal heat damage so you will be fine with your regular styling product. But straightening irons put direct heat high enough to cook a frozen pizza right on your delicate locks, and just 3 uses of straighteners, unprotected, will cause irreparable damage. Most modern heat stylers have heat settings, so follow the instructions and select the right heat for your hair type NOT the maximum heat setting, because the more heat you use the more damage you cause, the more damage you cause the more frizz you get. Heat protectors that also claim styling abilities tend to be, in my experience, pretty rubbish. But happily for pinup hairstyles we are more interested in curling rather than straightening. Lush also do styling products. Here are two of my favorites for the role of texturizer...  If you want more hair styling options, but still want natural, organic, cruelty free and effective then try this - John Masters Hair Styling range at Beautorium really good stuff, and proof if it were ever needed that natural products are not the preserve of hippies! So all we need is a shampoo and conditioner for curls or volume, a leave in conditioner for split end protection, 2 cans of hairspray and a tub of some kind of clay or putty (experiment with these as the differences between them are more varied than our hair types)
TOOLS: This bit is nice and easy. All you need tools wise for pinup hairstyles are
A cushioned brush with rounded tips to the bristles.
A rat tail comb (a standard comb with a long thin handle that comes to a point).
A radial curling brush that can be used with a blowdryer without melting.
A huge pack of bobbi pins / kirby grips in the colour closest to your hair colour (go for salon size packs because you are reeealy going to need these).
A pack of sectioning clips, go for the long ones that look like a curved birds bill but make sure they have a strong spring.
And finally a good sized triple mirror and a hand held one for checking the back. See the side column --> for more on tools, clips and pins. A note on brushes:All hair is different and needs to be treated differently, that is why there are so many types of hair brushes. Ricky's NYC have a great selection of brushes and combs from radial styling brushes to classic paddle brushes. Click here to find the right one for you...Ricky's Hair brushes .
Electricals are not actually strictly needed but you will probably want a hair dryer, curling tong of about 1 inch diameter with a clamp and perhaps a set of heated rollers.
Pinup hairstyles of the 1940s, which are the most recognizable today, actually benefit from having slightly unclean hair. The farm and factory work that women did during the war tended to get the hair kind of mucky and with shampoo hard to get and even water under ration, the styles had to be both practical and glam. So if you are going to do a set of victory rolls and you have just washed your hair, you will need to 'dirty' it up a bit with some hair putty, gel or clay. The clothing rationing, and practical day to day issues meant that hairstyles were the main way in which a woman could glam herself up, which could be the reason 40s hair is so complicated.1950s pinup hairstyles are essentially a young look. The 50s and rock'n'roll saw the creation of the teenager. So the hairstyles have to hold up to the stresses of rock'n'roll dance as well as move in a 'perky' manner.
Now on with the retro glamour hairstyles!!
Click here to watch the pinup hairstyles videos
Thankyou for reading Pinup hairstyles, either click on the link above for more vintage hair advice and video turorials OR...Here are some more articles you may enjoy...
back from pinup hairstyles to RETRO GLAMOUR
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1950s fashion guide
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