50s Hairstyles

The 50s were an interesting decade: by this period of time, the world was recovering from the devastation of World War II.

Cold War developed from a shy conflict to a full-on aggressive competition between the Soviet Union and the United States of America.

Additionally, during the 50s appeared the first clashes between capitalism and communism and its followers.

Tryouts of nuclear weapons, decolonization in Asia and Africa, conflicts about the Korean War…

So, in conclusion, they were difficult years for everyone.

After World War II and the post-war period, the 1950s were a time of prosperity, which influenced a lot in fashion.

This was an extremely influential decade that absolutely impacted  fashion completely, and hence, hairstyles, even to the present day.

Several vintage

In here there will be presented several vintage 50s hairstyles that you will adore.

Memorable 50s hairstyles for women with long hair

Traditionally, long hair is considered as princess’s hair, and no wonder why:

Long locks are very voluminous, romantic, and, above all, versatile, which means you can style it pretty much any way you want!

If you’re a girl who loves the vintage style, you will love these incredible 50s hairstyles.

During the 50s the trend wasn’t long hair

Fashion back then wasn’t only about spending lots of money on expensive clothing.

It was also, during this decade, the idea of being comfortable was born.

The same thing went for hairstyles, so most women kept their hair shoulder length.

However, if you’re looking to recreate an authentic 50s look, you don’t have to chop off all your long tresses.

You can just try with this 50s hairstyles that make long hair look shorter.

One of everyone’s favorite for long hair 50s hairstyles are the Victory Rolls, and this look is actually easier to do than it seems.

Make sure your hair is completely dry, and after, create a French roll on each side of your head and secure them with bobby pins.

For the hair on the back, use a curling iron to obtain perfect medium-sized curls, and to make them last longer use some hairspray.

To learn how to replicate this 50s hairstyle

Check out this tutorial

Every badass girl loves bandanas; it’s just such a look that screams “girl power”!

When anyone takes a look at this 50s hairstyle, all it makes them think about is a hardworking, strong lady.

To copy this look, gather your hair back and coil a French twist on one of the sides of your head and pin it.

Then roll the bandana around your head and tie it at the top.

And you’re done!

Make sure to wear some bright red lipstick and thick eyeliner for an even bolder look!

Gorgeous!

This Pomp-Inspired straight hairdo will give you an all Jackie Kennedy vibe.

The 50s hairstyles were all about the neatness of the hairstyle

This era was all about big curls and lots and lots of volume in your hair.

Tease your hair at the roots to create some lift and thickness and comb it over.

Keep the rest of your hair looking neat and straight with some hairspray. Ta-da!

You probably won’t ever find anything that screams 50s hairstyle as much as this look right here.

This Bumper Bangs are the definition of a cool style, no doubt!

Everybody loves some bangs, and this 50s hairstyle is all about bangs.

To recreate this style, you will need to fill your fringe with a hair sponge, or a small sock with also do the trick!

Memorable 50s hairstyles for medium-length hair

As it has been said, during the 50s, most women preferred to keep their hair from growing too long.

Usually, the hair was kept medium or shoulder length for comfort reasons, more than for fashion.

The 50s hairstyles are certainly a goldmine for when you need some inspiration for classic styles that look incredible on women of all ages.

With these cool 50s hairstyles you have some great options to guide yourself and spark up your creativity for to achieve a vintage lady look.

The first 50s hairstyle recommended for medium length hair is the Brushed under bob haircut.

Very popular 50’s hairstyles

This style became very popular in the 50s decade.

It was what we now call a faux bob haircut, with long, flowing hair on the top, and create extra volume by adding some curls.

Totally fashionable and very appropriate nowadays!

Wavy ponytail

Now, another 50s hairstyle beautiful choice is a wavy ponytail.

Seriously, is there any decade where ponytails weren’t amazing?

The answer is probably no.

Just tie your hair back in a high ponytail and secure it with an elastic.

Part the pony into two or three sections and curl it with a curling iron.

Super easy, quick and totally feminine!

The Poodle Cut was a 50s hairstyle that was extremely popular and recreated by a ton of women.

To perfection this look you need to slick the sides of your head back with some gel and apply some hairspray to make it last longer.

Also, try teasing the crown of your head and curling the rest of your hair to obtain a more accurate look.

This look could be either for casual or formal occasions, depending on how you dress and the accessories you wear.

Although this decade was all about volume and big curls, not all women opted for such style.

This can be appreciated in the 50s hairstyles previously talked about in the article, some women still preferred to straighten their hair than to curl it.

The key is to straighten the hair, but keep the slight hint of curls somewhere, whether it is on the ends of your hair or in the fringe.

That way you can maintain the illusion of volume and stay on trend.

Memorable 50s hairstyles for short hair

Remember what was said above:

During these years following the devastation of World War II, women were all about comfort more than fashion for the first time ever.

Since many women lost their husbands to War, tons of them had to work for the first time ever to survive and even help the troops.

This gave some of them a sense of empowerment and drove them to crop their hair short.

Keep in mind that short equals easy to handle, which is smart.

To look beautiful, you don’t need to necessarily have long hair, so don’t worry too much about it: short is the new long.

In here there are some cute 50s hairstyles for women who are risky and bold enough to crop their nice locks short.

A favorite 50s hairstyle for short hair is the teen cut

This cut, more than being about volume, is about forward movement and spiked hair.

The ends of the hair are slightly curled forward to give it an airy look.

With a soft sided half-bang your face will look even more youthful and softer.

This style looks particularly good on thin faces.

Another 50s hairstyle women adore is the Italian cut, or pixie cut.

This gorgeous style was brought forward into the spotlight by Audrey Hepburn in the 60s, but it was already well known in the late 50s.

This style became a trend not long after it came out, and women of all ages still love it nowadays.

Although the hair is cropped very short, it can also be very feminine and soften your features.

Women weren’t afraid to show off expressive styles.

Rocking short curls

Take in this 50s hairstyle, these rocking short curls.

These genius ladies of the 50s found the way to curl their cropped short hair in an excellent manner.

The 50s was a decade for experimenting with lengths and textures, and women certainly weren’t afraid of trying new things and styles.

Classic

This center part 50s hairstyle is a classic of the decade.

To achieve this look, divide the hair into two and brush it back.

But, not too much so the hair maintains some of its curly texture and slick it back with some gel and hairspray to make the look last longer.

If you’re not a fan on the center parting, this style would also look amazing with a deep side parting.

Nothing quite screams vintage glamour like this beautiful 50s hairstyle by Sophia Loren.

The hair is cut in layers to add the illusion of a little volume, and it’s kept straight and neat to obtain a classy look.

You can’t go wrong with this style!

50s hairstyles for dark-skinned women

If someone knows how to rock some vintage 50s hairstyles is African American women.

Unlike the messy and relaxed trends of the present that we are used to, these classic hairstyles are quite the opposite.

They are intricate, elaborate and fancy, which demonstrates the care and attention women gave to their hair.

Although this decade was all about volume and curls, curiously, dark-skinned women preferred to straighten their hair.

Back then, women didn’t appreciate their curls as much as they do nowadays, and they liked their sleek tresses best.

Girls, remember to flaunt your curls with pride and dignity!

If you’re a lady with naturally thick curls, these intricate 50s hairstyles are for you.

If you’re still not a huge fan of your curls, you can always straighten your hair if you prefer it.

This slick 50s hairstyle is perfect when you combine it with a little volume on the tips of your hair and with sided fringe.

Volume, however small, is always necessary!

This is a super simple look that flatters every face shape.

Victory rolls

Victory Rolls once again make their apparition as a favorite 50s hairstyle.

Women of all races and colors absolutely loved these rolls and replicated them often. Brush the hair back and coil it into two French rolls.

Secure them with bobby pins and curl the remaining hair to add more texture. Hairstyle done!

Dark-skinned women also liked to crop their hair short.

This 50s hairstyle is clipped a little shorter on the sides and kept voluminous and long at the top to get the illusion of texture and length.

This look makes the face seem thinner and more stylized.

50s hairstyles for women over 30

If you’re a 30-year-old woman, still in the cusp of youth, you probably are not such a huge fan of keeping your flowing hair until your hips…

…Which is what you most likely did when you were back in high school.

Now, those days are certainly over.

You probably have grown up a lot and realized that your life is busy enough as it is without having to add the stress of dedicating too much time to your hair.

The world’s worst kept secret is that having long hair can be very demanding and troublesome.

Remember that one must dedicate an unbelievable amount of time succumbing to hair care.

However, if you’re a lady who has kept her hair long most of her life, chopping it all off at once can be difficult, if not impossible if you’re attached.

A 50s hairstyle is most likely what you’re looking for: a change of style big enough to cause sensation, yet something not completely life changing.

Women in the 50s kept their hair mostly shoulder length and made the best of it, so don’t worry!

Just see these following 50s hairstyles and prepare to fall in love with them.

A long bob is a 50s hairstyle that was made popular by the well known Grace Kelly.

Grace always stood out by her elegance and simple beauty.

This is a perfect style for a hair length a few inches below the ears.

The hair is slicked tight on the head and curled at the ends to add more texture.

Use plenty of hairspray to secure your hair in place.

This is very formal 50s hairstyle that women still use and love in the present.

Also you can opt for some larger curls, like Elizabeth Taylor’s.

This 50s hairstyle surely has plenty of textures and volumes.

You can recreate this style by using heated rollers, which will determine the size and amount of your curls, or also by using an iron curler.

If you want to make them last longer, apply a tiny splash of hairspray.

Don’t make the curls too perfect: the secret to achieve this style is to make the curls look disorganized yet still round shaped.

This deep side part looks amazing on any woman.

This gorgeous 50s hairstyle was mostly used by women attending formal events, as it wasn’t to be used much in casual social gatherings.

To perfection this look you have to brush your hair all to one side.

You can use gel on the sides of your hair to get a neater look.

And for the rest of the hair on the other side leave it flowing in flirty curls and a sided voluminous fringe.

The classiest 50s hairstyle you’ll ever find are Marilyn Monroe’s timeless short curls.

This hairstyle, although born in the 50s, is still used in the present, and with this hairstyle and her beauty Marilyn certainly marked history.

All you need for this style is an iron hair curler.

You can keep your hair shoulder length or a little shorter if you want.

Everyone that sees you sporting this look will instantly think about Marilyn’s classic style.

Although this section of the article is 50s hairstyle for women over 30-years-old, these hairstyles are timeless.

So, if you’re younger than 30 and you like any of these ideas and you would like to replicate any of them, you can obviously do it as much as you want.

You can even add any personal and modern touch you would like. Don’t be afraid to experience and play around with your hair!

Accesories

Must-have accessories to recreate 50s hairstyles.

Accessories are a part of every lady’s day-to-day life.

To recreate some of the incredible 50s hairstyles you probably have read by now, make sure to get as many hair accessories as you can!

During this era, to recreate a 50s hairstyle accordingly, hair accessories are as important as volume in a hairstyle.

That means it’s pretty darn important!

Actually, it’s nearly obligatory if you want to look as authentic as possible!

But don’t worry, you’ll see how beautiful these accessories are; the only problem is you’ll probably want more than one!

Bandanas are a must-have accessory to recreate a 50s hairstyle for a tough, bold lady.

The common colors were red and black, usually with a polka-dot or foulard pattern, but you can choose any pattern and color that you like best.

Larger than life accessories will become your best friends to complete a look when you want to recreate any 50s hairstyle.

Women used big accessories like colorful flowers.

Nowadays, accessories are used to hold the hair back, but in the 50s the accessory was a part of the whole outfit itself.

Sometimes it can be difficult to get it right, but they’re very fun to try and they’re a quick way to look fabulous.

Sunglasses give an extra glamourous touch to your 50s hairstyle.

Back in the 50s, everyone wore sunglasses all the time.

The most popular style was the cat eye sunglasses.

With thick black-rim, bright colors or patterns, cat eye shape.

But, you could also find big and rounded shapes.

They say fashion always comes back, and that’s true.

Nowadays you can find this same style on nearly every shop, even almost 70 years later after it first came up.

By now you have probably realized that polka dots were the in pattern during the 50s.

To complete your 50s hairstyle, instead of using a piece of fabric as a bandana, you could use it as a pretty scarf.

This scarf style looks particularly great if you pair it with a high ponytail and side bangs.

Make a single knot and turn it over so the knot rests against the side of your neck.

Tools

Must-have tools to recreate 50s hairstyles.

During the 50s, women liked to experiment with their hair, as you might have noticed by now.

The trend was versatile, voluminous and shiny hair. Slicked back, to the side, center part, it didn’t matter, as long as you had some curls.

If you love recreating these 50s hairstyles and you have naturally curly or wavy hair, consider yourself one of the lucky ones.

Imagine just how much time you will save up by not having to curl your hair every time you want to try out any of the 50s hairstyles.

The first thing you’ll most likely need is a curling iron, no doubt.

This tool will help you achieve the dream-like curls every girl desires.

It will also give you the perfect curls to pair up with any 50s hairstyle you want to try out.

They’re not as expensive as you might think, you can get a great hair curler by just $25 or a little less if you’re lucky.

Let’s say you’re still not convinced by the iron curler to help you perfect your 50s hairstyles.

Just because you’re old schooled or you can’t spare the money to spend on it, or just because you just don’t like the product, that’s fine too!

You can use heated rollers, which will actually give the curls a look a bit more natural.

To learn how to use heated rollers to recreate perfectly any 50s hairstyles, check out this tutorial:

Back in the 50s, women looked immaculate all the time.

Seriously, you look at the movies and the pictures and you always see them looking naturally beautiful, not a single hair out of place.

Want to know their secret? Hairspray.

Cans and cans of hairspray, and sometimes hair gel too.

If you have straight hair, you know that keeping the curls into place for a long time is quite the challenge.

However, with hairspray and gel the effect will last much longer.

So, if you dedicate your precious time to make your 50s hairstyle look perfect, invest some in hairspray and hair gel as well.

Otherwise, all your hard work will fall off into nothing in a matter of a few hours.

Bobby pins are a girl’s best friend, no matter how old you are or what decade you are from.

No one knows when or how they came about.

What we do know is that bobby pins have always been there, having our back when it comes to supporting our hair.

To recreate many of the 50s hairstyles, you will for sure need some bobby pins.

Like for example for the Victory rolls, or the Bumper Bangs, to hold your hair in place to make the look last longer.

Perfect makeup

The perfect makeup to go with 50s hairstyles.

During the 1950s, also known as the era of wealth and wellbeing after the devastation of the War, the makeup industry blew up.

New big incomers totally ran over the previous brands that were part of the market became even more important.

50s makeup reflected a change in the attitude of women; they became bolder and stronger.

Since this era was considered the “revival” of the world after so many tragic events in the previous years, everything seemed new and stylish.

Such thing happened with clothes, cars, houses, hairstyles, and even makeup.

Some women (and most men) still preferred natural-looking makeup that accented their beauty.

Although, others liked to be bolder by matching the color of their lips and eye shadow to their hats, gloves, purses, and even their cars!

Putting on makeup wasn’t only about attracting a husband, but keeping him only looking at her.

Independent women who worked were the biggest consumers of makeup during the decade.

If you have recreated any of the 50s hairstyles presented above, try this makeup trend that was followed in the 1950s.

Make sure to use a foundation of your same skin tone or a shade darker, and be careful with the excess.

After, use a light application of face powder and wait a few minutes to brush off the excess.

The key to success with this makeup is to try to make your skin look natural.

Also, you can use subtle eyeshadow to bring out your eyes and make your eyelashes pop.

A bold winged eyeliner is an important element.

Don’t keep it to thin; remember it’s supposed to look thick and daring, yet not overly so.

Add some liner on the top lash and mascara to your eyelashes to make them look so long it seems they’re tangling together.

This winged eyeliner adds more personality to any 50s hairstyle you want to recreate.

If you want to learn how to make a winged liner to that goes with your 50s hairstyle perfectly, visit this tutorial:

Dark, arched, filled-in eyebrows will sharpen your stare and make your eyes look shinier and bigger.

Remember to fill them in with a dark pencil, just not so much that they look too arched and pointy.

Keep them looking naturally soft; they are what frames your face, and they have a huge impact on your features.

A slight pinkish blush on your cheeks will add color to your face and make it look even softer.

Before you apply it, tap off the excess so you don’t have to deal with common mistakes.

Like, for exampe, ending up looking like a clown with overly flushed cheekbones.

Also, always try to apply the same amount of blush on both your cheeks.

Now, the defining factor, the key to everything this look searchs for.

Probably the most important thing that will add the final touch to your perfect makeup to go with 50s hairstyles is a passion red lipstick.

Bold, passion red was certainly the predominating color, applied in a heart shape.

However, you can also use other lighter lipstick shades like pink, orange and coral.

The important thing is that the color brings out your lips and makes them look desirable and sexy!

This makeup style will go perfectly with any 50s hairstyle you’re willing to try, especially the Marilyn short curls and pin up girl look!

50s hairstyles for young girls

In the 50s, young children wore a different variety of hairstyles that mothers still replicate on their little girls in the present.

Most young girls liked to wear their hair curly, whether it was their natural hair texture or not.

Other girls liked to keep it straight and stylized it with several accessories, especially barrettes, to add an extra touch.

If you or your daughter are into vintage styles, the both of you will love these 50s hairstyles for little girls.

Pigtails, ponytails, pigtails braids; all of these are popular 50s hairstyles that little girls still use in the present.

Girls of all ages love pigtails, that’s no secret, even back in the 1950s.

This 50s hairstyle has predominated throughout history, and it has evolved.

For this look, part the hair in two sections and tie a ponytail on each side of the head and secure them with elastic bands.

The pigtails could be placed lower, just above the shoulders, or higher near the ears if you’re going in for a more innocent look.

Instead of just doing the same regular pigtails, you can follow this 50s hairstyle and braid the ponytails.

Follow the same steps of doing pigtails: part the hair in two, tie a pony on each side of the head and secure them with a hairband.

This is where things change: once the ponytails are tied, braid them from the elastic down to the ends of your hair and tie them with an elastic once again.

You can tie some bows around the elastics to add some extra style and you’re done!

Little girls didn’t sport their bangs too much.

As a 50s hairstyle, most of them kept their bangs long and usually tied them back into the pigtails or ponytails with a bow or hair elastic.

Other bolder and more adventurous little girls wore ponytails with bangs cut short.

A pixie cut was a very popular 50s hairstyle, loved alike by younger and older ladies.

This hairstyle became a boom thanks to Audrey Hepburn, as it was her favorite to-go hairstyle.

Although this look was born a long time ago, it’s very modern and even more popular nowadays.

50s hairstyles for men

Now that the majority of aspects regarding 50s hairstyles for women have been covered, now it’s time to talk about guys!

Gentlemen, this is your time to shine.

For women, hairstyles were all about the volume, more than the length and texture, and the same thing goes for guys’ hairstyles.

If you want to achieve an authentic 50s hairstyle, make sure to have extra volume in your hair. The more, the merrier!

During the 1950s, women’s hairstyles were inspired by huge personalities.

Actresses and models like Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, among many others, marked this era.

With the birth of Rock and Roll and the boom of jazz music, men’s 50s hairstyle were inspired by male influencers like Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, and Cary Grant.

This era was certainly called The Golden Age for a reason.

A classic pompadour is a 50s hairstyle that you might have recognize, or have even seen young guys wearing it nowadays.

Remember when someone very wise once said that fashion always comes back? You better believe it.

For this look, the hair is clipped short on the sides and kept long and flowing at the top.

You can style the hair at the top with some gel to go for a neater look.

Next, who could ever forget Elvis Presley’s classic 50s hairstyle, a look he later shared with rock star Freddy Mercury.

The messy quiff is perfect option for that guy who wants to get a look worth noticing, yet not too different.

It’s not a style that’s easy to achieve, but every girl goes weak in the knees for some messy curls!

Remember: sides must be a little shorter and the hair at the top must be kept considerably longer.

Using the right products is also important! You want your hair to look natural, so don’t go too crazy with the hair gel.

Another 50s hairstyle that gentlemen a little older preferred is the Cary Grant slick side part.

All the hair is kept at the same length, and the hair is divided into two parts, one considerably deeper than the other.

Brush the hair to the side and apply some gel to get an extra lasting effect.

Keep in mind that for whatever 50s hairstyle you want to recreate you’ll most likely need tons of hair gel!

This is a super attractive look, no doubt!

If you’re a fan of the pompadour style, yet you’re not too fond of the idea of keeping the hair at the top longer, don’t worry.

You can opt for this 50s hairstyle brought into the spotlight by Sean Connery.

It consists of pretty much the same as a classic pompadour, except that the hair at the top isn’t kept so long.

It’s cropped almost at the same length than the sides to go for a neater look.

50s hairstyles for young boys

Little boys’ 50s hairstyles cannot be forgotten!

Young boys, especially through their teenage years, like to follow the trends, like everyone else.

The 50s was a cool era for boys’ hairstyles.

The style changed completely with the appearance of new music genres that revolutionized the world, like Rock and Roll.

Most of these 50s hairstyles still exist in the present, and you can still see men out and about wearing them, but some of them are not as popular as others.

Remember it matters more that you choose something you feel comfortable in, instead of only following a trend.

Frank Sinatra’s short sides and textured top is the perfect 50s hairstyle for young boys because the textured top adds a picture of boyish innocence.

For this look you have to crop all your hair short, the sides a tad shorter, and messily play with the hair that remains at the top of your head.

That way you will achieve the texture you’re looking for.

Whether they’re young or old, every single man out there adores a pompadour hairstyle.

Little boys are recreating this classic 50s hairstyle more and more each day.

Remember the hair has to de clipped very short on the sides and kept longer at the top.

You can fluff it for a more natural look or use some gel for a neater look; depends on your style and preferences.

To add a modern look, kids are fading the hair at the sides or personalizing it with lines.

Teen guys kept the style simple with a very classic 50s hairstyle.

Equally cropped short, with a deep parted side and slicked back to the side with a hairbrush and some hair gel to go for a look way neater.

Some guys liked to let a single curl loose so that it fell right across the center of the forehead.

Asian 50s hairstyles

Back then, women all around the world, no matter their race, color or religion shared the same love for 50s hairstyles.

Asian women and men too followed the same trends that were going around the globe.

For the women, they particularly loved the deep side part with flowing curls.

This 50s hairstyle is completely feminine and fashionable, no doubt, and it looks amazing with Asian’s dark colored locks.

Once again, who doesn’t love Victory Rolls?

Women of all ages scattered all around the globe worked hard to achieve this 50s hairstyles perfectly.

This hairstyle is symbolic to most, as it was named after the support to soldiers fighting in World War II.

Asian men loved to replicate the classic pompadour hairstyle.

This 50s hairstyle is the male version of the Victory Rolls: loved by every man alike all around the world.

No matter their race or religion, you would see any type of man strolling around the street with a pompadour style.

Thank you so much for reading this article, and we hope you enjoyed these 50s hairstyles as much as we did. If you liked it, make sure to share it with your family and friends so they don’t miss out on these incredible looks.

Thank you for reading!

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