How to: Pincurl Project
So I was telling you all how I wanted to experiment with pincurls, as a result of the old glamour shoot, and this weekend I had a little time to hang out and mess with my coif. I looked up a bunch of examples of how to pincurl hair, checked out all the diagrams on how to space them out, and set out to make curls the old fashioned way. What I learned: Chicks in the 30′s, 40′s and 50′s had a LOT of time and patience to dink around with their hair.
One of the better resources I had was this link to VintageHairstyling.com, who has a GREAT book on vintage styling. In fact, Polly Wood from Sinner Saint Burlesque turned me on to it, and if Burlesque girls love it, you know it’s gotta be good.
I busted out all the bobby pins I own and got to work. My hair was clean and dry, so I used a damp cloth to wet down the strands to be curled. I made little tiny curls, which I rolled around my index finger, being careful not to twist them as I rolled. The small curls seemed like extra unnecessary work in retrospect – the bigger curls make bigger fun waves. When the hair was fully coiled, I pinned them down using a combination of U-pins and bobby pins, crossing the pins in an x over the center of the curl.
- Blur-tastic!
I did the area around my face in an attempt to do waves, and around the crown so I’d have something to hide all the hair I was too lazy to curl…
- More progress.... it took ages, for a first try!
When I was finished curling and pinning, I put a scarf over my head and went about my business till they were dry. Then I pulled them out:
- Here's what they looked like - Boingy!
It had crossed my mind that this could end horribly for my ‘do that night, since I was using an event that night as an excuse to pin up my hair. When I pulled the curls out, I immediately thought “EEP!” because they were so springy – I had to find a way to tame the curls around my face. I pulled the back up into a twist, and then brushed the curls into semi-waves, pulling them back and pinning at the crown. I left curly bits hanging down over the top of the twist to camouflage it, and the end result looked like this:
Not bad, eh? It’s not *really* that retro, but it did look pretty amazing. This is when I realized that I should have done bigger curls up front, like Miss Morgie’s (courtesy of Rita Sue: Vintage Inspiration). The bigger curls do create fantastic waves – and look much easier than fingerwaves (also courtesy of Rita Sue).
- Here's the outfit I wore....
I felt sort of retro after slapping on a little red lipstick and a pair of big old eyelashes. I was excited to accentuate the outfit with a tatted bracelet from TotusMel and the DIY shoes from this project. It was the perfect outfit for taking photos at Scarlet Room’s Triple Door show.
Have you ever tried retro hairstyles? Do you have tips for a girl looking to do the same?
31 Responses to “How to: Pincurl Project”
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hey…look, I made that bracelet, yay! Fun hair, though I’ve definitely not the patience for that anymore.
.-= Pamela Quevedo´s last blog ..Too Hot =-.
I loooooooooove the bracelets! The post should link to your Etsy now, too! Everybody, go check out the TotusMell Etsy site!
Lovely pincurls, my mom used to put them in for me when I was little. You’ve inspired me to try it again.
Totus Mel’s tatting is very cool, i’ve been coveting her stuff for a while.
.-= Lynn´s last blog ..Grand Adventure =-.
Ooh, I love that look! My hair is really too short to do anything retro esque, but I love the look on others.
.-= Michelle´s last blog ..Marvelous Monday! =-.
Jaka Merriman says: Dig it! I love the look, but never had hair long enough to even contemplate getting it done (much like Michelle!). Update with big curls later!
(Also – but damn you look great in those pics!)
.-= Jaka Merriman´s last blog ..Thanks, Naked Tile! =-.
*BLUSH* Thank youuu…
And I was doing some reading on the hairstyle and both you girls (Jaka and Michelle) could do it – a good portion of pincurl styles are created for short hair. Think 30′s flapper bob with pincurls and fingerwaves (you can make waves using pincurls).
Emma Baise-Moi says: I’ve been longing to try pincurls, and I might just now. They don’t look as hard as I imagined!
When my mother had breast cancer and all her hair fell out, one of her favourite things was to play with my hair and make spectacular hairdos out of it. I’ve never been good or had the patience for it, but it was very touching at that time when she combed through my hair and twirled the strands around
Aww Emma, that’s so sweet….It’s not really that hard, and I found out you *can* sleep in them…
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
Scarlet says: I love your do! It looks great sweetie! I think I am not patient enough though. I’m barely patient enough for a curling iron!
xo!
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
I’ve been looking for a guide on doing the finger wave for years, thanks!
.-= Vyque´s last blog ..Links à la Mode: July 23 =-.
I have ways to do it better now. It takes about 30-45 to set it, and then sleep on it and take em out later. 
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] year’s new designers exhibition in London – cut-out dresses, paper-like jewelry and more! ♥ Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – retro styling techniques [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
Great, looks like a professional job.
.-= Eyeliah´s last blog ..Look of the Day ~ Emily G. on Lookbook =-.
Katie says: Glamour puss! I love it!
.-= Katie´s last blog ..My attempt at a fashion post =-.
Ev`Yan || apricot tea. says: Ahhh! Pin curls! Practicing this in beauty school (on those wretched doll heads!) used to drive me absolutely mad! & no matter how many times I practiced, I could never get them quite right. Same with finger-waves. It’s an art, I swear.
& I ADORE the red in your hair. I would love to put a stripe in my hair, again. :] Beautiful!
.-= Ev`Yan || apricot tea.´s last blog ..the proust questionnaire, in my words. =-.
Thank you Ev’Yan! I love the red – I’m thinking of going a little darker for autumn/winter. I think I’d have so much fun at hair school, though applying it to someone else’s head is slightly daunting!
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
hey…look, I made that bracelet, yay! Fun hair, though I’ve definitely not the patience for that anymore.
.-= Pamela Quevedo´s last blog ..Too Hot =-.
I loooooooooove the bracelets! The post should link to your Etsy now, too! Everybody, go check out the TotusMell Etsy site!
Lovely pincurls, my mom used to put them in for me when I was little. You’ve inspired me to try it again.
Totus Mel’s tatting is very cool, i’ve been coveting her stuff for a while.
.-= Lynn´s last blog ..Grand Adventure =-.
Ooh, I love that look! My hair is really too short to do anything retro esque, but I love the look on others.
.-= Michelle´s last blog ..Marvelous Monday! =-.
Dig it! I love the look, but never had hair long enough to even contemplate getting it done (much like Michelle!). Update with big curls later!
(Also – but damn you look great in those pics!)
.-= Jaka Merriman´s last blog ..Thanks, Naked Tile! =-.
*BLUSH* Thank youuu…
And I was doing some reading on the hairstyle and both you girls (Jaka and Michelle) could do it – a good portion of pincurl styles are created for short hair. Think 30′s flapper bob with pincurls and fingerwaves (you can make waves using pincurls).
I’ve been longing to try pincurls, and I might just now. They don’t look as hard as I imagined!
When my mother had breast cancer and all her hair fell out, one of her favourite things was to play with my hair and make spectacular hairdos out of it. I’ve never been good or had the patience for it, but it was very touching at that time when she combed through my hair and twirled the strands around
Aww Emma, that’s so sweet….It’s not really that hard, and I found out you *can* sleep in them…
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
I love your do! It looks great sweetie! I think I am not patient enough though. I’m barely patient enough for a curling iron!
xo!
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
I’ve been looking for a guide on doing the finger wave for years, thanks!
.-= Vyque´s last blog ..Links à la Mode: July 23 =-.
I have ways to do it better now. It takes about 30-45 to set it, and then sleep on it and take em out later.
Awesome! Let me know how it works out!
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] year’s new designers exhibition in London – cut-out dresses, paper-like jewelry and more! ♥ Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – retro styling techniques [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
Great, looks like a professional job.
.-= Eyeliah´s last blog ..Look of the Day ~ Emily G. on Lookbook =-.
Glamour puss! I love it!
.-= Katie´s last blog ..My attempt at a fashion post =-.
Ahhh! Pin curls! Practicing this in beauty school (on those wretched doll heads!) used to drive me absolutely mad! & no matter how many times I practiced, I could never get them quite right. Same with finger-waves. It’s an art, I swear.
& I ADORE the red in your hair. I would love to put a stripe in my hair, again. :] Beautiful!
.-= Ev`Yan || apricot tea.´s last blog ..the proust questionnaire, in my words. =-.
Thank you Ev’Yan! I love the red – I’m thinking of going a little darker for autumn/winter. I think I’d have so much fun at hair school, though applying it to someone else’s head is slightly daunting!
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]
[...] Bonne-Vie: Pincurl project – experimenting with glamorous retro style techniques to create a saucy updo! [...]