new year's eve hair

Whether it's going out to a party or staying in for a quiet evening, the jury is still out on what exactly I'll be doing this New Year's Eve. Regardless of what happens, I will be dressing up, there are no questions about that. I just can't help myself! It feels so good to get dolled up, and honestly, I don't have many occasions to do so these days.

When it comes to hair styling, my skills are worlds away from exceptional but at least I can say they're not horrible. This said, I've been looking for vintage inspiration that is actually attainable given my average coiffuring skills.


Rita Hayworth & Classic 1940s Curls. I absolutely love the wild look of Rita's voluminous curls in the 1940s film, Gilda. Never would I have thought that my hair could achieve such ample curl, however, Fleur of Diary of a Vintage Girl created this video, proving all you need is a wave. Love.


Veronica Lake & The Peekaboo. What can I say other than, in my mind, this hairstyle pretty much epitomizes Old Hollywood glamour. It's hard to believe this iconic style was created with an accidental runaway lock of hair during one of her early photo shoots.

While this style requires more patience than Rita's style above, it's still easy to create on your own. Get a bit of help with this tutorial. Not only is it a great visual guide for this classic peekaboo look, it also gives a variety of gorgeous alternatives.


Myrna Loy & the Finger Wave. There really are so many ways of creating and styling a finger wave. I particularly love Myrna's style above with long hair, a center part and loose, slightly frizzy curls. I'd love to wear it with a large bun at the nape of my neck, adorned with some sort of sparkly vintage clip. This tutorial features a gal with short hair, but it's easily adapt it to a variety of lengths.

Now, I just need to decide! It's between one of these looks or possibly a more modern style from one of these incredible tutorials below. In case you're looking for more inspiration, here are a few other links I love.

Super sweet & simple hair tutorials on the more modern side.

More styling guides! Equally lovely but definitely more complex.

A cutesy, inspirational hairstyling video straight from the 1930s.

modern rapunzel

Last year I decided to take the plunge into long hairdom. At the time my hair was just past my shoulders, and I naively thought it would be easy enough. Now here I am with the summer months quickly approaching and am so tempted to start chopping at it. And really I do mean that. I keep a pair of shears in the top drawer up my bathroom for trimming my bangs but I’m thinking about putting them under the lock and tossing the key into the ocean. It’s just too tempting! Alas, persistence and patience are necessary. The first, no problem. The second, well, I’m in the process of learning. In staying true to my goal of elbow length hair, I’m looking to these long-haired beauties for inspiration. And oh how lucky for me and you, they’ve graciously offered a few tips for those aspiring long locks of their own.


Nicky of The Stitchy Life...
Eat lots of fruits and veggies.
Plenty of rest.

Francesca of The Snail and the Cyclops...
Don't skip trims!
Don't wash it that often.
When shampooing only apply shampoo to the scalp.
Coconut Oil.
Supplements.
Eat well.

Hannah of Hannah and Landon...
Patience.

Kennedy of Kennedy Holmes...
Keep growing!
Combined with the bit of research I've done on the subject (and boy has that been lot) I'm thinking this might not be so hard after all! And I suppose it's a good excuse to keep a healthy diet while I'm at it. I really love Francesca's advice of applying coconut oil to the ends of your hair. I'll definitely have to try it. Even with regular conditioning I feel as if my the ends of my hair are always dying of thirst.

If you're interested in my two cents, here are a few other tips I recommend following...Brush your hair before showering. I've found this helps prevent a tangled mess when it comes time to comb. And yes, always comb when wet! I never brush my hair when it's wet because I'm so afraid of breaking it. I've also taken to sleeping in braids. This could be just me, but it's another tangle preventer. And the bonus is you've got morning waves.

So what about you...Tips? Techniques? Advice? From solid text advice to old wives tales, I would love your thoughts on the topic.