The seventies. An all-around exciting time for fashion, most notably haircuts and makeup. Bobs, bangs, plaits, and of course, mullets. So many styles to channel, some still popular today.
Many of the seventies style are still incredibly popular today, here are a few:
Sleek and straight:
You may have heard the story of women who used to iron their hair back in the seventies. Not a big deal, but they used a basic clothes iron to get the straightest, shiniest hair possible (not to mention, plenty of split ends). Sleek and straight hair has stuck around but thankfully, we can now use the most modern ceramic irons that’ll do the same without as much damage.
Headbands and accessories:
The easiest way to dress up or personalize a hairstyle is to accessorize. All types of headbands were common the seventies, bandeaus (wide headbands), scarf headwraps, (that tie at the base of the neck), and more narrow shapes. Wrapping a very thin headband (maybe some braided leather) around the forehead (what’s now popular once again) was a common seventies’ style that’s now been revived.
Braids:
Braids, or “plaits” as they were called back then are also making a comeback. Worn wrapped around as a headband or mixed into a chic twist or bun, both thick and thin braids can be seen all over the fashion runways. In the seventies, they were carried over from the hippie days of the sixties and worn in a more subtle way.
Bobs and bangs:
Bangs, or fringe, were a popular addition to seventies haircuts. Bobs, cut either chin or shoulder-length, were given a twist when blunt bangs were added across the forehead to give an edgier look. Still as classy today as it was back then, many women have the bob haircut and some variation of bangs, usually side swept across the forehead.
Vidal Sassoon revamped the bob haircut in the seventies and brought it into the fashion spotlight. Hollywood celebrities and rock stars alike wore the style back then, and you can continue to see it all over the red carpet today. There’s a reason the hairstyle has yet to fade – its sleek silhouette and classic shape, easy styling, make it a timeless haircut.
The Forties: Pin Curls and Pin Up Girls
There is no doubt that women in the forties must have spent a lot of time styling their hair. But, it seems that what they were doing was right as we still wear some of their hairstyles. Back then, soft and feminine styles were the most sought after looks and women spent hours rolling their hair into the perfect “pin curls”. You’ve seen them on the famous pin-up girl pictures and they’re still channeled by retro-lovers today.
Once dry and unrolled, the hair formed big, round, bouncy curls that were then elaborately styled into different updos or half-updos, sure to attract their suitors’ eyes. Rolling curls was a painstaking process that took a long time. If you’re lucky enough to have naturally shapely curls, than all you need is some styling product and you’ve got the look that these ladies spent hours to achieve. If you’re not naturally blessed, today you can achieve the same look with hot rollers, soft curlers, or hot curling irons in a fraction of the time (and effort!). Always a romantic touch, soft curls really play up feminine styles and soft makeup.
Another style that was wildly popular in the forties and continues to be popular today is the chignon, a fancy French way of saying “soft bun”. Back then, women wore a chignon to more formal affairs as it is a sleek and sophisticated hairstyle. Today, the chignon is popular for prom girls and brides alike. Easy enough to wear, the hair is swept back at the nape of the neck and twisted up, where it is pinned to stay in place. Some women add a dressy comb or accessories as a personal touch. It can also be seen on everyday women, usually in a professional setting, as it is an easy solution to the dreaded “bad hair days” we all experience.
With the elegant style and classy looks of the women of the forties, it is no surprise that we still use their hairstyles decades later, although, we do have it easier thanks to modern tools and products. Although we don’t spend as much time rolling our hair into tight ringlets, we still covet beautifully curled styles.