7 Retro Hairstyles To Try This Season

When it comes down to hairstyles these days, there are so many different ones to choose from. Choosing the right style can be a task in and of itself, so why not try out a retro hairstyle? Styling your hair in a vintage fashion will turn heads and make you feel unique among a sea of people. The following retro hairstyles will not only make a bold statement, but it could very well start a trend that hasn’t been popular for many years. 

1. 1940’s Victory Rolls

This fancy retro hairstyle was all the rage during the 1940’s. It could be a style worn for a simple outing to the market or for a big night out on the town. Any gal in the ’40s looked beautiful with her victory rolls! To achieve this look, you’ll need a curling iron, round brush, max hold hairspray, mousse, bobby pins and some hair cream. You’ll start out with curling your hair in sections, while using the mousse to lightly scrunch the ends of the hair. Next, you’ll part your hair to the side and not directly to the middle with the round brush (start this part about halfway down your scalp using your finger to guide you, and comb all of the hair that’s behind your finger back). Pull the hair that you combed back into a ponytail to help keep it out of the way (you’ll want the front part of your hair hanging freely). You’ll then want to tease the hair hanging down in the front as much as you can (for best results tease the hair in sections). Now you want to grab that whole section of hair you just teased and start rolling it manually away from your face (start this rolling process from the back and move towards the front). Once the section of hair is rolled all the way to the front, secure the roll with a couple of bobby pins and a few sprits of hairspray to secure the look. Do the exact same thing with the other side of hair that’s hanging down. Once the other side is done, spray your whole head with as much hairspray as you want (you want to be sure it holds). Take the remaining hair out of the ponytail and curl the ends with the round brush and use a bit of hair cream to add some shine to clean up the look. Bingo! You now have your victory rolls that you can go show off to the world! This retro hairstyle is perfect to wear out to a fancy dinner or night of dancing with your S.O. and will make you feel like the belle of the ball. 

2. 1980’s Mullet

Yup, you read that right. This retro hairstyle that was short in the front and on the sides and long in the back was seen everywhere in the ’80s, and there were even some women who rocked it! But we’re going to focus on the dudes. Many notable ’80s male celebrities wore this style such as, Billy Ray Cyrus, Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze to name a few. And shockingly, this retro hairstyle is making a comeback, mostly among sports players, in 2020. To achieve this look guys, you’ll want to make sure that your hair is long enough first and then head down to your local barbershop (trying to cut this style yourself is difficult, and it’s best to leave it to the experts). There’s plenty of mullet styles that you can show to your barber for inspiration, and it can either be longer or shoulder length depending on your preference. Don’t be shy guys, get out there and rock that mullet with pride! 

3. 1960’s Beehive

The 1960’s have many great retro hairstyles to draw on for inspiration in today’s world. One of the most popular hairstyles of the decade was the beehive up-do, and it looks exactly as it sounds. Hair that was piled massively high in sophisticated sleek look. To achieve this look, you’ll first want to make sure your hair is nice and clean, and you’ll want to use a volumizing shampoo and conditioner. When you dry your hair, make sure to dry it upside down with a hairdryer (this will help give it even more volume). Next, you’ll want to separate two small sections at the front of your face and tease the rest of your hair in sections (the top of your hair should be teased the most). Using a brush, gently comb the top of your hair back while pulling the rest into a high bun (you’ll want to do this with care and making sure the hair holds its beehive shape), and secure the bun with a hair tie. To finish off this retro hairstyle, use some bobby pins and hairspray for any fly-away hairs, and tuck the two loose sections in front of your face behind your ears. This is such a fun hairstyle to wear on special occasions, such as weddings, birthday parties or a simple night out with the girls. 

4. Marilyn Monroe Curls

One of the most iconic women in entertainment history was blonde bombshell Marilyn Monroe. Many women of the decade, and to this day, emulate her in looks and style. A popular hairstyle of Marilyn Monroe was her sassy signature curls. This retro hairstyle can easily be replicated today and is perfect for all occasions! Ladies to get this look, you’ll want to be sure that you have a one-inch curling iron, smoothing brush, rat tail comb, round brush, hairspray, hair clips and bobby pins. Start off with taking one-inch sections of your hair, beginning with the bang area, curl the section with the curling iron as close to your scalp as you can get, roll the section of curled hair up and pin it with a hair clip. Repeat this process for the rest of your hair, and start from the top of your head down (a good tip is to have smaller sections of hair curled in the front and larger sections of hair curled in the back). Leave the pinned curls in until the hair has cooled down, then carefully remove the pins letting the curls bounce down. Dampen your hands with a bit of water and gently run them through your hair to make the sections come together. Use the paddle brush to brush your bangs to the side to form one big curl, and grab the section of bang and tease the back of it to gain even more volume while securing it with hairspray. You’ll then want to form the bang section into a swoop with the smoothing brush and pin it (make sure the pin is hidden) with a bobby pin to the front side of your face. Take the round brush and gently brush your curls under and together (don’t brush the front of the hair too much). To finish, spray your whole head with hairspray to hold this look. This beautiful retro hairstyle can be worn for a casual day out or you can spice it up by adding a hair accessory, like a flower clip, and wear it out to a dinner date. 

5. 1920’s Undercut

Though this retro hairstyle was popular from the 1910’s to 1940’s, it was a very prominent look for young men in the 1920’s. Today, this sexy style is making a huge comeback and is seen on many young guys and even some girls. Many people think that this is a look that belongs to the Gen Zer’s and Millennials, but they’re wrong, it’s a look that belongs to the time of our grandparents and great grandparents. To achieve this look guys, again you’ll want to head down to your local barbershop and see the good ol’ expert in hair. I do not recommend cutting this style yourself. You’ll want to make sure that your hair is left long on top (parted either down the center or to either side) and buzzed on the sides and in the back. In today’s fashion, the bangs are typically slicked back to create a trendier look. This retro hairstyle has been able to make a very successful return due to popular tv shows such as Peaky Blinders and Vikings. So guys, go out there and get some inspiration from Thomas Shelby or Bjorn Ironside for some fantastic undercut looks! 

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6. 1950’s Up-Do With A Scarf, Headband Or Bandana

This simple, yet fashionable, retro hairstyle was worn by most women in the 1950’s and was a great way to keep the hair up and away from the face. During the ’50s, this style was popular to wear to the beach, out getting groceries at the market or just cleaning the house. Most people think of Audrey Hepburn when it comes to wearing your hair up with a scarf (don’t forget those iconic sunglasses!). This hairstyle is so easy to achieve, and all you need girls is a light scarf, headband or bandana, some hair ties, hairspray and bobby pins. To start, pull your hair back into a ponytail or bun (depending on what hair accessory you plan to use), and secure it with a hair tie. If you have any strays, pin those back with some hairspray or bobby pins. If you have straight across bangs, then don’t worry! Style them to go across your forehead softly. Next, you’ll want to pick your accessory. For the scarf, drape it across your head (making sure it covers the back) and tie underneath your chin. For the bandana, think of a reverse 1970’s look, where the thick part of the bandana is underneath the hair and is tied on top near the front part of your head. For the headband, just simply put the headband in your hair (thicker ones work better to achieve this vintage look). And there you have it, a simple retro hairstyle up-do with a flare!

7. 1980’s Crimped Hair

Crimped hair was all the rage for the ladies of the ’80s, and this retro hairstyle is still seen to this day. Wacky and fun hairstyles were the staple of the 1980’s and crimping your hair into zig-zag patterns were no different. To achieve this look today, you’ll need a traditional crimping iron, heat protectant spray and hairspray. You’ll want to be sure your hair is fresh and clean before crimping, and that it’s blown dry with the heat protectant spray added on last. Split your hair into four separate sections, and within those sections create even smaller ones so that you get that authentic crimped look. To crimp the hair, pull a small section and put between the plates of the iron (make sure the iron is horizontal, like how you would hold a straightener), and hold the hair for five to ten seconds (you may need to hold for longer depending on hair thickness). Repeat for the rest of the sections, and voila, you now have crimped hair! This retro hairstyle works great either pulled up or left down, makes a vivacious statement and can be worn virtually anywhere! 

Did any of these retro hairstyles catch your eye? Tell us which ones jumped out at you in the comments!

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