Popular Hairstyles of the 1920s

The Earphone

Of course “earphones” were the style of hair Princess Leia famously and beautifully wore in the Star Wars Trilogy.

The Bob

Introduced by dancer Irene Castle somewhere around the beginning of World War I. The short bob haircut could be worn with bangs or with the hair brushed to the side.

The bob hairstyle has remained in fashion since the 1920s. One of the most famously worn hairstyles of the 1920s by Louise Brooks and Zelda Fitzgerald, this style has remained in vogue with movie stars ever since. Cameron Diaz and Natalie Portman have both worn this style beautifully.

The Shingle

Is basically a bob haircut that tapers down to the nape of the neck. The hair on the neck is razor cut very short into a “V” shape, often with “spit curls” at the sides.

This style was also often called “the boyish bob” and was introduced in 1923. Katie Holmes wears this style beautifully.

Eton Crop

Of all the bobbed hairstyles popular in the 1920s, the Eton Crop is the shortest and most severe. It basically extended the razor shortness of “the Shingle” all the way around a woman's head.

This style was actually patterned after mandatory boy's hairstyles at London's prestigious Eton Preparatory School. Josephine Baker wore this style beautifully.

Marcel Wave

Developed by French hairstylist Marcel Grateau. This style was created by using a hot curling iron and flipping the hair upside down.

Here's a video:

This process produced beautiful waves, but early on the process was difficult because of the limited technology of curling irons. In 1920 Montgomery Ward introduced an electric curling iron that plugged into a light socket and simplified the process.

Finger Waves

Similar to the Marcel Wave, finger waved hair with the fingers (duh) and “finger waving lotion.”

This process used the fingers holding down a section of hair while combing the hair back. The process needs copious amounts of gel, some patience, and a lot of combing.

Here's a video of how to Finger Wave your own hair:

Chignon

For those women who chose to keep their hair long and pull it back at night when they went out. This process created glossy waves over the head that ended in a chignon or bun, at the nape of a woman's neck.

Bobby pins were used to create waves and to keep the hair in place.

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