I wear jeans and a black blazer almost every day, but I’m obsessed with 1950s style. Growing up, I lived next door to an elderly neighbour, Mrs Jones. Mrs Jones was the best at everything. She wore exquisite 1950s curls on the crown of her head, her home was filled with beautiful antique furnishings, she said things like "strewth, this is a heavy basket!" and she called me ‘darling’. Her style became my personal benchmark.
Now, when I pull together Stylist.co.uk’s daily Red Carpet Round-up, I stare at the Old Hollywood curls on Jessica Chastain and Amy Adams for a little too long. Inside I scream, “I WANT THEM,” but every morning I straighten my hair and stick on skinny jeans like a 21st century gal.
Scarlett Johansson as Janet Leigh and Jessica Biel as Vera Miles in the film Hitchcock
So when I was offered the opportunity for a vintage makeover, I had a sudden pang of nervousness and glee. This is it. I get to look like Grace Kelly... An Indian Grace Kelly.
To me, the most beautiful hairstyles look best on lighter locks – after all, Hitchcock was obsessed with blonde heroines – so I was hesitant. But strewth, I was so wrong…
How to create 1950s hair
Alison Dace, Creative Director at Saks Academy, gave me a step-by-step guide to creating my long awaited 1950s waves:
Step 1: The parting
Make a side parting. Then divide the front hair from the back hair.
Step 2: The curls
Spray L'Oréal Professionnel Tecni Art Air Fix Spray on the section you're about to curl.
Use a medium tong to curl the hair, twisting the strand a little each time. This helps to set it in as a wave, instead of a curl. Continue to do this in the exact same direction on the front hair on both sides.
Curl the back hair in the same direction, this time from half-way down the strand, bending the ends inwards.
Note: The effect will become tighter or looser if you use a smaller or larger tong respectively.
Step 3: The shape
Move the back hair to the front and begin connecting the curls together with your fingers so that it moves as one. Give it a quick spritz of hairspray.
Step 4: The finish
Apply a tiny squirt of L’Oréal Professionnel Mythic Oil for shine. Then gently brush the hair out using a bristle brush like ghd’s Dressing Out Brush.
To preserve the waves, use Pin Curl Clips on the areas where the wave folds in.
When you're ready to go, remove the clips and arrange the curls one last time with your fingers.
We left the locals wondering what year it was.
Hitchcock is out on Blu-ray and DVD now from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.
Vintage dress from Rokit.
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