Whether they’re from the 20s, the 60s, or any decade in between, vintage hairstyles for women definitely have a charm of their own.
Adored by women around the world for their feminine glow, retro hairstyle trends will never go out of style.
We’ve done the research for you and picked some of the most representative and glamorous vintage hairstyles to flatter your style.
Choose your favorite retro hairstyle below!

1. Vintage Pin-Up Hairstyles for Women with Long Hair

The longer your locks are, the more pin-up hairstyles you can have fun trying out.
One way you can accentuate your length while styling your hair creatively is through a half up half down. Don’t forget the curls to get that vintage glam.
2. Vintage 1920s Hairstyles for Women

We’ll be covering a few decade-specific vintage hairstyles, starting with trends from the 1920s.
The Roaring Twenties, as the period is commonly called, thrived through prosperity on all levels, fashion and beauty included. Showy accessories were a must!
3. Soft Curls Vintage Hairstyles

A lot of vintage hairstyles involve soft, flowing curls. No matter how long or short your hair is, you can get the retro look by gently curling your locks. Avoid tight ringlets and opt for delicate, easygoing waves.
4. Retro 1930s Hairstyles for Women

Margaret Sullavan is a wonderful example of how chic hairstyles were in the 1930s. Although haircuts were generally maintained on the short side, they sparkled with femininity through graceful waves or curls.
5. Vintage Hairstyles for Women with Short Hair

You don’t require waist-length hair to benefit from vintage hairstyles. In fact, if you’re looking for a hairstyle inspired by the first half of the 20th century, having short hair is an advantage.
It’s all in the charming waves and fabulous accessories!
6. Bandana Vintage Hairstyles for Women

Going back to pin-up fashion, here’s an iconic hairstyle that you should never overlook. Thanks to Rosie the Riveter and the world-famous “We Can Do It!” campaign, paisley print bandanas became a household staple.
7. Retro 1940s Hairstyles for Women

To represent the vintage hairstyles of the 1940s, we have no better example than the enchanting Marlene Dietrich.
As you can see, trends slowly turned into hairstyles with longer locks, mostly around shoulder-length. The curls remain.
8. Vintage Finger Waves Hairstyles for Women

One of the few hairstyles that will instantaneously make you think of “vintage” when you see them are finger waves.
Regardless of the length of your hair, you can look up tutorials for obtaining these sophisticated and highly elegant curls.
9. Vintage Hairstyles for Weddings

Weddings are arguably the most popular occasions for rocking vintage hairstyles.
If the bride has a vintage wedding dress, of course, she’ll want a hairstyle to match. Go for a sweeping updo that will also help you reveal your bridal jewelry.
10. Retro Faux Bob Hairstyles for Women

Just as bob haircuts are top trends today, they have been in style for decades. If you want a vintage hairstyle that won’t involve cutting your hair, you can style your strands in a faux bob.
After curling your hair, pin it underneath to make it seem shorter.
Check out these celebrity hair changes that you might want to try.
11. Side-Swept Vintage Hairstyles for Women

Indeed, half-up hairstyles are perfect for recreating a pin-up look. However, side-swept hairstyles are just as iconic for the style.
To boost the whole impact of your appearance, mix the two with a classy half-up and side-swept hairstyle.
12. Victory Roll Hairstyles

As far as pin-up vintage hairstyles are concerned, victory rolls are a must. You can pick any size you want from yours, starting with the area associated with bangs.
Make sure you roll your hair inwards, away from your face, and that you tightly pin it in place.
13. Swirled Curls Hairstyles

Here’s another beautiful idea for vintage wedding hairstyles. You can pick a chignon as the foundation for the look and embellish the rest with swirling curls.
Ensure that you stock up on hairspray beforehand – you’ll be needing a lot!
14. Easy Vintage Hairstyles for Long Hair

If you don’t want to get too complicated with your vintage hairstyles, you can always rely on texture.
As you have most likely noticed by now, the majority include soft waves or curls. Give yours a personal touch by making them messy. A daring and sexy look that you might want to try! Check it out!
15. Curly Half Up Vintage Hairstyles

Another way to sport a half-up vintage hairstyle is by emphasizing the lower part. If you are looking for a decent and simple way to style your hair, then, this is for you.
Instead of focusing on the top half that’s tied up, you can accentuate the curls underneath to make the whole hairstyle shine.
We definitely recommend it for our long-haired gals.
16. Super Short Vintage Haircuts

The beauty of vintage hairstyles is that they’re generous enough to include even the shortest of haircuts.
For instance, if you’ve just made your Big Chop and want to grow out your natural hair, you can style your short strands by curling the tips. Keep it short and classic!
17. Vintage Hairstyles for Bob Haircuts

We’ve talked about creating the illusion of a shorter hairstyle with a faux bob, but what if you already have a bob haircut?
Your job is already halfway done! All you have to do afterward is work your way to big, loose, and soft curls all around. This is a perfect summer vibe hairstyle. Try it out!
18. Pin Curl Hairstyles

Are you wondering just how you can get those picture-perfect swirled curls associated with many vintage hairstyles?
It’s all in the pin curl technique. As the name suggests, pin curls involve creating a curled shape and pinning it in place.
19. Side-Pinned Vintage Hairstyles

Alternatively, you can choose to spread your curls out and highlight the back part of your hair. To get Scarlett Johansson’s hairstyle from this photo, you should take a section of your hair from one side, brush and pin it back.
20. Retro Scarf Hairstyles

Want to add a simple yet effective retro touch to your look? It can be as easy as using the right accessory. In this case, we’re talking about a satin or silk scarf.
Choose one with a cute pattern and cover your head, tying it below your chin. Don’t forget the vintage sunglasses afterward!
21. Retro Eton Crop Hairstyles for Women

Now here’s a favorite for genuine vintage lovers. The Eton Crop is a retro hairstyle that got its name from the English boarding school that started the trend.
Also known as the boyish bob or the shortest bob haircut, the Eton Crop was in fashion in the mid-20s.
22. Classy 50s Hairstyles for Long Hair

As we get closer to the middle of the 20th century, we can observe a significant increase in length among vintage hairstyles.
In the 50s, it already became popular for women to sport longer locks, especially if they were gracefully curled.
23. Vintage Hairstyles with Headbands

We’ll go back a few decades to the Flapper Era when women weren’t afraid to go full-on glamorous with their party outfits.
Often, this meant using eccentric additions to their outfits, such as headbands with feathers.
24. Retro Bold Hairstyles for Women

Nowadays, a cool idea is to spice up vintage hairstyles with modern elements. For example, you can take any pin-up hairstyle and make it stand out with an adventurous color.
You don’t necessarily have to use the bright blue in our example, but just keep the essence in mind.
25. Vintage Pompadour Hairstyles

The pompadour is one of the vintage hairstyles that looks exceptional on men and women alike.
It has an unmistakable retro shine that will also bring out your edgy side. We especially recommend the look for women with smaller, heart-shaped faces.
26. Stacked Bob Vintage Hairstyles

If your base haircut is a stacked bob, you can easily obtain a retro hairstyle full of volume and charisma.
You just need to have some patience while curling all of your locks, separating them into medium-sized sections to tone down the curls.
27. 50s Hairstyles for Medium Length Hair

Medium hair possibly represents the best length for vintage hairstyles in general. You can curl your way to retro perfection, all while avoiding the notable length associated with most contemporary hairstyles.
Pins, hairspray, and curls are all you need.
28. Gibson Roll Hairstyles

Another formal hairstyle that has a gorgeous vintage touch is the Gibson roll. The Downton Abbey era trend involves rolling and tucking your hair at the back of your neck, making it suitable for straight, wavy, or curly hair.
29. Hippie Hairstyles

Channel your inner flower power girl with a vintage hippy hairstyle. Out of all our retro looks, this is one that comes closest to our times.
In most situations, all you’ll need is a hippie headband to place around your forehead.
30. Vintage Hairstyles with Big Accessories

Retro fashion was all about making a bold statement with every appearance, whether through intricately curled hairstyles or striking accessories.
A large flower, for example, will help you obtain an eye-catching hairstyle.
31. Vintage 60s Hairstyles

In the 1960s, Brigitte Bardot was one of the most attractive women in the industry. An authentic sex symbol of her time, the French beauty was also known for her half-up, teased, bouffant updos with curtain bangs.
32. Vintage Hairstyles with Hairpiece

In retro times, hair accessories were just as definitive as jewelry for women. In this regard, you should know that you can give any wavy or curly hairstyle a vintage vibe just by adding an elaborate hairpiece or pin.
33. Vintage Contour Curls

If you’re looking for more of a Jessica Rabbit kind of vintage hairstyle, contour curls are just what you need.
Allow most of your hair to be straight and create large and loose waves only around your face and at the tips of your hair.
34. Vintage Hairstyles with Ponytails

Ponytails have been around for ages, and will most likely remain stylish for years to come. They’re a pretty and practical choice for comfortable hairstyles, regardless of the occasion.
To make yours a vintage-looking one, create a side part and then put your ponytail in place.
35. Old Hollywood Hairstyles

You can probably ask anyone and they’ll agree that old Hollywood glamour is a clear sign of femininity. The secret to getting the glam is to mold your locks into thick, wide, and soft curls that have a wavy aspect.
36. Vintage Ombre Hair

Even though ombre hair is obviously a contemporary look, you can combine it with a vintage hairstyle to get the best of the past and present.
Owing to the curls that come with most retro hairstyles, the two colors in your hair will be effectively accentuated.
37. Vintage 50s Hairstyles Updos

Whenever you have a fancy event coming up, you can always rely on updo hairstyles for looking the part. The larger and more sweeping your updo is, the better the vintage effect will be. As always, hairspray is your friend.
38. Double Victory Rolls Vintage Hairstyles

What we love about victory rolls is that they don’t limit you to a single hairstyle. You can rock one or two victory rolls, depending on your personal tastes. For double victory rolls, we recommend starting with a side part.
39. Beehive Hairstyles

Another hairstyle that will make you look and feel like Brigitte Bardot herself is the beehive. Yes, it’s not a hairstyle that will be done in five minutes, but we guarantee that it will look spectacular after all the teasing.
40. Vintage Hairstyles with Chignon

Some vintage hairstyles can be mixed to get an extra marvelous effect. This is the case for pin curls and chignons: two retro hairstyles that go hand in hand.
Use the bottom half of your hair for the chignon and the upper part for swirled pin curls.
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41. Marilyn Monroe Hairstyles

It’s impossible for us to overlook Marilyn Monroe when talking about iconic vintage hairstyles.
The emblematic performer also went down in history for her signature hairstyle, featuring shoulder-length, platinum blonde curls.
42. Asymmetrical Vintage Hairstyles

We’re back to modern classic ideas with the short asymmetrical bob.
The vintage part of the hairstyle stands out through the super short bob haircut, popular in the early decades of the 20th century.
After that, the modern side kicks in with the choppy asymmetrical bangs.
43. Quiff Hairstyles for Women

If you have short hair, you can get acquainted with the cousin of the pompadour – the quiff.
The voluminous, edgy, and classy hairstyle displays short locks styled in the front and to the side. You don’t require any pins to get the look.
44. Vintage Hairstyles with Bows

As far as vintage hair accessories are in discussion, bows will always play an indisputable role.
From updos to half-up hairstyles and more, bows can boost the girly part of your vintage hairstyle. Don’t hesitate to use small and large bows alike.
45. Retro Short Blunt Bob Hairstyles for Women

In the first decades of the 1900s, blunt bobs were the ultimate hair trend, especially when cut short.
To get the results you desire, make sure your hair is no longer than the area of your chin. Generally, ear-length bobs are the best for achieving the look.
46. Vintage Pixie Cuts for Women

Just like Brigitte Bardot or Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn remains a true icon of her times.
In a decade when short hairstyles were considered to be boyish, Hepburn went against all odds with her famous pixie haircut.
47. Side Bun Vintage Hairstyles

If you have longer locks, you can think about making your chignon or low updo a side-swept hairstyle. To give the look even more of a vintage feel, add a bold accessory to the opposing part of the side-swept bun.
48. Pastel Vintage Hairstyles for Women

We talked about electric shades for modern – vintage hairstyles, but what about pastels?
Rest assured that you will be making an excellent choice by styling your pastel locks through a vintage example. Be open-minded when it comes to accessories too!
49. Vintage Braids

It seems as if braids began gaining popularity after the 50s. Be that as it may, you can always make your braids have retro shine by adding vintage accessories.
For instance, you can use a silk ribbon for tying a bow at the end of your braid.
50. Retro Wavy Updo Hairstyles for Women

Last but not least, a wavy updo can be the perfect idea for displaying your vintage style preferences.
Don’t restrict yourself to a chignon or specific silhouette, but use your imagination to get a unique updo with wavy locks on top.

So, What Is Your Hair Motivation?
To sum up, vintage hairstyles will never narrow your options to just a handful of ideas.
Quite the contrary; you can select any iconic hairstyle from the last century for a fabulously vintage look.
When picking yours, consider the length of your hair and see if you’ll have to straighten or curl it.
Which vintage hairstyle will you slay with?
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Lorene Kendall is a professional hairdresser who has been around in the industry for quite some time. She has traveled to different countries and cities because of her undeniable passion for styling. Her creativity and eyes for fashion are what make her stand out the most. With her talent, she provides service that will beautifully translate what her clients want into actual art.