31 Retro '50s Hairstyles That Are Making a Comeback

Model with a half updo ponytail accessorized with a bow. — @justinemarjan / Instagram

Aside from poodle skirts and milkshakes, when we think of the 1950s, hair and makeup icons like Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Dorothy Dandridge, and Elizabeth Taylor come to mind. Women ruled the silver screen and homefront with elaborate updos, chic pixie cuts, and glamorous waves. And to this day, we still look toward that era for beauty inspiration, as these hallmark styles' innovation, technique, and whim are so impactful that they echo through history.

Luckily for us, gone are the days when women had to spend hours in the salon to achieve those desired hairstyles. Thanks to modern styling tools like curling irons, hairdryers, and hot rollers, as well as strong hold hairspray and volumizing mousse, recreating vintage '50s hair is much simpler. Whether you visit a professional stylist or learn from a tutorial, achieving a subtle finger wave or a sky-high bouffant is now a breeze.

Before bringing these classic looks into the modern era, we enlisted two of our favorite stylists, George Papanikolas and Kara Williams, to give us their best tips and tricks.

Keep scrolling for 31 '50s hairstyles that are having a major comeback.

Meet the Expert

Kara Williams is a Redken certified master designer and colorist and an expert stylist specializing in textured hair. She is the owner of K. Louise Boutique Salon in Philadelphia.
George Papanikolas is an expert colorist/stylist and brand ambassador for Matrix. He has worked on countless celebrity clients and can be found at the Andy Lecompte Salon in Los Angeles and Rita Hazan in New York City.

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Cropped Pixie

Made famous in the early '50s by Audrey Hepburn in the films Roman Holiday and Sabrina, the cropped pixie became a timeless favorite for many women. Halle Berry's version is updated for the 21st century. Ask your stylist for longer, face-framing layers to create baby bangs. Keep the sides and back cropped more closely to the scalp.

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Perfectly Primped

Mandy Moore wears a voluminous, curled retro hairstyle to the 2019 Emmys — Getty Images

There was a time when going into the salon weekly to get your rollers set and washed was more common than not. Today, plenty of red carpet 'dos are still beautifully shaped and fluffed out. A favorite take on this look is Mandy Moore's big, voluminous waves at the 2019 Emmys. "Deep glamorous waves can seem super intimidating," master colorist Kara Williams notes. "Give them a modern and fresh feel by curling your whole head with a small to medium-sized curling wand. "Then, let your hair completely cool down from the hot tools before continuing to style. "Brush out with a paddle brush," Williams adds. Top off with a flexible hold hairspray like the Kristin Ess Ultra Fine Workable Hairspray ($15).

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Topped With a Bow

A half ponytail topped with a bow paired with bouncy, curled ends gives 1950s collegiate cutie in the best way. We think Sandy from Grease would've loved this look (pre-Pink Ladies transition, of course).

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Silk Scarf

Woman with platinum blonde hair wears a green and blue scarf and tortoiseshell sunglasses — @tinietashaa

A loose silk scarf draped over the hair and tied around the neck or shoulders is a great way to make any hairstyle look vintage instantly. First, pull your hair back into a low bun or ponytail. Don't worry about styling too much—the scarf will do most of the work. If you're using a larger piece of fabric, expert hairstylist George Papanikolas suggests folding it into a triangle shape before laying it over the crown of your head with the points hanging downward. Then, he suggests tying the scarf around the neck, as pictured above. For a smaller scarf, you can roll it up into a narrower strip and secure the fabric at the nape of the neck like a headband.

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Short and Sculpted

Janelle Monae wears a curly bob hairstyle — Noam Galai/WireImage

Short hair with fluffed-out or structured curls was one of the most popular hairstyles of the '50s. Here, Janelle Monáe channels her inner '50s starlet. Don't have short hair? You can fake this look with the faux bob technique.

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Brushed Under Bob

Sarah Hyland with a chin length bob, brushed under to create a curl toward her face. — @nikkilee901 / Instagram

In the late '50s, haircuts began transitioning to the mod look that ruled the 60s. Sarah Hyland's bixie (aka bob pixie mashup) meshes the two decades elegantly with a shorter crop and wispy bangs.

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Structured Shape

Mary J. Blige wears a beehive updo hairstyle — Getty Images

Bouffants, beehives, and French twists were popular updos that consisted of lots of hairspray and backcombing, giving the hair both lift and structure. Mary J. Blige wears a clean, modern hybrid of the beehive and a classic French twist here. To achieve this, start by teasing the hair at the crown of the head, using a rattail comb. Smooth out your backcombing, then pin it in the back to secure it. Next, set the entire look with a generous amount of hairspray. As pictured above, side-swept bangs help update the look and keep it fresh.

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Finger Waves

Model with a short, finger waved pixie. — @charmthestylist / Instagram

Finger waves first rose in popularity during the 1920s and 1930s, when starlets like Josephine Baker and Esther Phillips rocked the style. The flowing look of the curls creates movement and softens the traditional blunt bob.

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Flirty Ponytail

Zoey Deutch wears a '50s-inspired bouncy ponytail hairstyle — Getty Images

A simpler look that caught on in the '50s was the ponytail. Reincarnated, we love this modern, flirtatious pony on Zoey Deutch. Instead of a teased backcomb, secure your hair into a high ponytail and use a flat iron to curl the ends outward, creating that sumptuous S-shape gently.

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Bettie Page Bangs

Katy Perry is a vintage queen who has been rocking Bettie Page bangs on and off for years. The beauty of this style is that it can be worn with any hair length, texture, and style. Talk about versatility.

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Pin-Up Bandana

Emma Roberts with a blonde messy bun, accessorized by a navy blue bandana. — @nikkilee901 / Instagram

Go rockabilly-chic with a tied-up bandana. To begin, pull your hair back into an updo of choice. Williams says to tie the scarf around the base of the ponytail "for a great pop of color" or "leave out bangs and pull your hair into a cute messy bun, tie the scarf around the middle, and make a bow between your bangs and bun."

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The Poodle

Kate Winslet wears a poodle updo and crystal earrings — Getty Images

Largely made popular by Lucille Ball, the Poodle was a notable hairstyle in the '50s, with bouffant-like volume in the front and fluffed out curls pinned up in the back. Kate Winslet's red carpet updo is a modernized version. "Those patterns from the '50s still translate to a great foundation for current hairstyles," Papanikolas says. "What makes them more current is that they are less stiff and less teased so that they have a more moveable texture."

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Victory Rolls

More often than not, pin-up girls in magazines wore victory rolls, a hairstyle that took voluminous curls and pinned them up to frame the face and add height. Tessa Thompson wears one elongated victory roll above her long, flowing strands. "Hot rollers are a great tool for quick curls," Williams says. Start by setting the desired victory roll section with hot rollers. Once cool, brush out the curls. Next, "wrap your hair around your finger at the desired height of your victory roll." To copy Thompson, you may need to bump the height a bit. "Slide your finger out carefully and pin it into place."

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Curly Pixie

Beauty creator wears short red curly hair, brushed brows, and blue-green eyeshadow — @mx.maquillage.etc

A curly pixie crop is both timeless and oh-so-modern. Start by using your favorite product to create curl dimension instead of brushing out the hair. Then, apply some pomade or styling paste. If your hair is longer in front, lift the front sections back for a windswept appearance.

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Lifted Ponytail

Lucy Liu wears a blonde ponytail with a voluminous crown — Getty Images

The lifted crown on Lucy Liu's sleek ponytail has a bouffant vibe, with a slightly teased crown that elevates the look beyond your average gym-friendly style. Showcase the volume by leaving the ends down and sleek instead of pinning them up.

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Vintage Wave

Lily Collins wears a '50s-inspired vintage wavy hairstyle, cat eye liner, and red lipstick — Getty Images

We can't get away with a post about 1950s hair without mentioning inward, forward-facing curls usually created using a widespread roller set, softly brushed out and held up with hairspray. Lily Collins's red carpet appearance in this look has kept it alive, relevant, and lust-worthy.

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Old Hollywood Glamour

Lucy Boynton wears a wavy blonde bob hairstyle — Steve Granitz/WireImage

This classic, old Hollywood style worn by Lucy Boynton at the Oscars was an obvious ode to Grace Kelly, known for her soft, blonde hair and face-framing waves. While Boynton has turned down a bit of the volume with asymmetrical curls and clean, structured ends, this modernized style hasn't lost one bit of its glamour.

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All Rolled Up

Rihanna wears a '50s-inspired updo with shaved side and red lipstick — Getty Images

Stylized updos were worn by many women in service during the war. While it may not be how working women show up for the job today, Rihanna displays a '50s-inspired updo as one of pure glamour and glitz.

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Braided Crown

This cool braided style nods to '50s updos like the poodle and the bouffant without looking outdated. It's also much simpler than it looks. Braid a medium-sized section of hair in a classic braid and secure it at the end. Loop the braid in a crown-like diagonal across the forehead. Secure into place with a headband. Use one that mimics the color and texture of the real braid to create the illusion of more braids in the hair. Leave hair down or pull it back into a ponytail or bun for the final touches.

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Soft Waves

Woman wears soft blonde wavy hair with a face-framing balayage — @hairby_ederson

Soft, structured waves never go out of style. Take care not to brush out the waves too much to keep the curls intact. If you're feeling adventurous, you can wear a silk scarf to modernize the look.

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Baby Bangs

"Baby bangs like [those seen on] Mia Farrow and Audrey Hepburn are having a huge moment in pixie cuts right now," Williams says. Zoë Kravitz gives us a contemporary take with sexy, jagged edges. To style, "blow dry hair flat with Matrix Total Results High Amplify Foam Volumizer," Williams advises. Then, use your fingers and a pomade or styling paste like OUAI's Matte Pomade ($26) to get that piece-y appearance.

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Pin Curls

Lizzo demonstrates the totally timeless effect of pin curls, which work beautifully on any length. "For pin curls, wrap a small section around your pointer and index finger in the direction that the curl falls and use a pin to place the curl flat," says Williams. Let the pins out, shake your curls, and you're ready to hit the red carpet. "Pin curls can be done on damp hair and allowed to dry for a damage-free set," Papanikolas adds.

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Modern Beehive

Zendaya's modern beehive is softer than the '50s version. Go light on the hairspray to allow flyaways to sneak through. We love this modern version, which leaves the side bangs free and imperfect rather than sleek and slicked back.

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Curly French Twist

The French twist gets a bad reputation as a formal hairstyle stuck in the past, but this curly version is totally current. Working from top to bottom, form the iconic French twist shape. Then, start pulling the hair to one side, securing it with bobby pins, and wrapping the hair under to create the twist. Leave a few face-framing strands loose by the ears for a soft, romantic effect.

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French Twisted Ponytail

This low ponytail combines elements of the French twist to create a red carpet-worthy style. Follow the guidelines from #21, but leave the ends hanging loose instead of wrapping all the hair.

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Shoulder Length Pin Curls

As Emma Stone demonstrates, pin curls work on most hair lengths. This wavy bob follows the same general steps as #19, just with shorter strands.

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Tucked-Under Ponytail

Jennifer Lopez wears a tucked-under, slicked back ponytail hairstyle — Getty Images

This red carpet style on J.Lo is simple, but it makes a big statement, especially when paired with stunning diamond and emerald drop earrings. Slick the hair back into a high ponytail, using lots of gel and hairspray to smooth flyaways. Then, tuck the bottom of the ponytail underneath itself and secure it with bobby pins to form a large loop. Fan the tucked hair out over the back of the head and use a light coat of hairspray.

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Grease is the Word

Emma Roberts wears a slicked-back short hairstyle — Getty Images

Traditionally feminine hairstyles are not the only option when it comes to '50s inspiration. For example, Emma Roberts is serving up impeccable greaser vibes (Danny Zuko, anyone?) with this slicked-back style. All you need is some gel and a pack of bobby pins to pull this off on chin-length hair.

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Braided Poodle

Amandla Stenberg wears a warm blonde braided updo with finger waves — Getty Images

Unless you're a professional braider, you'll probably need some help from the salon to achieve Amandla Stenberg's impeccable updo. Reminiscent of the classic poodle style, it features goddess braids and a low bun.

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Brushed-Out Bob

Jessie J wears a brushed-out curly bob hairstyle — Getty Images

Once again, follow Williams' advice from look #2 to achieve sexy vintage waves, giving them a thorough brush out and a center part to update them for today.

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