Rockabilly and 1950s Hairstyles: Victory Rolls, Pompadour and Bandana

In photos, a retro hairstyle often looks so elaborate that many people never even try it. Yet almost all the classic looks of the 1940s and 1950s are based on the same three moves: volume above the forehead, a rolled curl and a scarf that holds everything together. Master these three and you will get very far.

This article explains the most important hairstyles of the era and how they are created. It shows what victory rolls are and where they come from, how a pompadour is built, how to tie a bandana properly and which variation suits which hair length. Make-up is left out here; we cover that in the article What is pin-up?

Which hairstyles belong to the rockabilly and 1950s style?

The style includes victory rolls, the pompadour, the tied bandana, soft rolled curls, the high ponytail and the short straight fringe. What they have in common is that the face stays free and the volume sits on top, not at the sides.

That is no coincidence. The hairstyles come from a time when women with long loose hair worked at machines or were considered unkempt in public. Hair was pinned up, rolled or tied, and this gave rise to its own set of shapes. Where the matching clothing style comes from is explained in our article What is rockabilly?

Strictly speaking, the hairstyles are older than the scene that wears them today. Victory rolls and the pompadour are 1940s, the ponytail and the fringe are 1950s, and the high-backcombed beehive is already 1960s. In the rockabilly scene, they all exist side by side.

What are victory rolls?

Victory rolls are two upward-rolled sections of hair that sit to the left and right above the forehead. They are the best-known hairstyle of the 1940s and to this day the clearest hallmark of a retro look.

Where victory rolls come from

The hairstyle is clearly documented in the war years, but the origin of the name is not. It is most often traced back to aviation: a victory roll was the rolling manoeuvre that fighter pilots flew over their own airfield after a successful mission. Equally plausible, however, are a link to the V for Victory campaign or simply the V shape that the two rolls form together. There is no contemporary source confirming any of the three explanations. More about the time in which the hairstyle emerged can be found in the article on 1940s fashion.

How to set victory rolls

The rolls need grip, which is why they work worst on freshly washed hair. Dry shampoo or second-day hair is a better base. The top hair is parted in the middle, a section is taken, combed upwards, lightly backcombed at the root and then rolled inwards around two fingers or a comb. The finished roll is secured with crossed hair grips at the root, not in the roll itself, otherwise it gets pressed flat. Then repeat the same on the other side and finish with hairspray.

To be realistic: the first attempts will sit crooked, and that is normal. The roll is held by the backcombed root, not by the grips. Once you have understood that, it takes about ten minutes after a few rounds of practice.

What is a pompadour?

A pompadour is a section of top hair that is combed upwards above the forehead, filled with volume and pinned back. It is the simplest retro hairstyle of all and can be combined with any other.

The name goes back to Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of Louis XV. She herself did not actually wear the hairstyle like this; the term only came about much later. In the 1940s and 1950s the shape returned in a flatter version, for women as a soft wave above the forehead, for men as a steeply raised quiff, with Elvis Presley as the best-known example.

In practice it works like this: take a section of top hair, backcomb it at the root, fold it forward over the forehead, comb the surface smooth, roll it back and pin it in place. If you want more height, place a small hair roll underneath before pinning. The rest of the hair stays loose, is tied into a ponytail or tucked away under a scarf.

How do I tie a bandana in rockabilly style?

For the classic version, a square scarf is folded diagonally into a triangle, laid over the head from behind with the long edge and tied into a knot above the forehead, so that the two ends stand up as a bow.

The classic scarf over the head

This style comes from factory work in the war years. Women tied scarves around their heads so that their hair would not get caught in machines, and the image of this later became a symbol for a whole generation. This is how it is worn: fold the scarf into a triangle, place the long edge at the nape of the neck with the point lying on the back of the head, bring the two ends forward and knot them above the forehead. The point is tucked away underneath. For the typical rockabilly look, a pompadour goes in front of the scarf so that a section of hair stays visible above the forehead.

The narrow hairband as an alternative

If you prefer something less complicated, take a long narrow scarf or a wire hairband, slide it under your hair and tie it into a bow on top. It takes half a minute, keeps the hair out of your face and still looks unmistakably retro. For everyday wear this is the most practical version, because it also works with loose hair.

Which rockabilly hairstyle is quick?

The quickest is the high ponytail with a pompadour and a scarf. It needs no rolls, no curlers and is forgiving of unwashed hair.

For this, the top hair is backcombed forward and pinned as described above, the rest is tied high at the back of the head and a narrow scarf is wrapped around it as a bow. In the 1950s this was exactly the everyday hairstyle of teenagers, while the elaborate rolls were more for going out. If you also roll the ends overnight, you get the typical swing the next morning.

Which 1950s hairstyles work with long hair?

Long hair is suited to soft rolled curls, the high ponytail, victory rolls with loose top hair and the rolled ends that point inwards below the chin.

The classic basis for this is pin curls. Damp strands of hair are wound flat into small coils, fixed to the head with clips and left to dry overnight. It is important that the hair is completely dry, otherwise the wave will drop out straight away. In the morning the coils are released and combed out with your fingers or a soft brush, which gives the typical calm wave instead of individual defined curls. If you do not want to invest a night, you can get a similar result with large curlers or a wide-barrel curling iron, but you should definitely brush the curls out afterwards. Brushing out is the difference between retro and prom night.

Which retro hairstyle suits short hair?

Short hair can carry the pompadour, small victory rolls above the forehead, soft short curls and the straight fringe. For bob lengths, the rolled hem also works, where the ends are turned inwards all the way round.

The short version of the 1950s is the poodle cut, a cap of short soft curls made famous above all by Lucille Ball. Anything that works with a scarf is also easy to do, because a scarf does not give away missing length. The short straight fringe that Bettie Page made her trademark is the most striking short hair variation of all and at the same time the easiest to look after, because it only needs to be trimmed regularly.

How do I wear loose hair in retro style?

Loose hair looks retro when there is volume on top and the ends have a clear shape. Without these two elements, it remains a modern hairstyle.

The simplest combination is a pompadour or a side parting with a backcombed root, plus rolled ends and a narrow hairband. If you only want to do one thing, go for the ends: ends rolled inwards immediately read as 1950s, while loose straight lengths stay neutral. An alternative is the half-up version, where only the top hair is pinned into two rolls and the rest falls loose.

Which hairstyle suits which decade?

This classification helps if the outfit is meant to follow a particular decade. As a rough rule: the higher and rounder the volume sits, the later the decade.

Decade	Typical hairstyles	Characteristic
1930s	finger waves, short set curls	lying flat against the head
1940s	victory rolls, pompadour, headscarf	volume above the forehead, length pinned up
1950s	soft curls, ponytail, poodle cut, straight fringe	rounder and softer, face free
1960s	beehive, backcombed updo, smooth fringe	volume moves up and back

In practice, this is rarely kept strictly separate. At a scene event, victory rolls stand next to ponytails next to scarves, and nobody is counting. Where you are most likely to see this is listed in our festival calendar.

What do I need for a retro hairstyle?

The basic kit is small: hair grips, a backcombing comb, strong-hold hairspray and a scarf. With these you can create the pompadour, victory rolls and all the tied variations.

Depending on the hairstyle, you may also need large curlers or clips for pin curls, a styling mousse for hair with more grip and, for very fine hair, a small hair roll that adds height under the top hair. A curling iron is optional and replaces the night in curlers, but it requires brushing out afterwards. What you do not need, on the other hand, is a hairdresser's appointment. All the hairstyles in this article are designed to be done yourself and were originally worn that way too.

Frequently asked questions about rockabilly and retro hairstyles

What are victory rolls?

Two upward-rolled sections of hair above the forehead, worn in the 1940s. Where the name comes from is not certain. Suggestions include the fighter pilots' rolling manoeuvre of the same name, the V for Victory campaign and the V shape of the two rolls.

Which rockabilly hairstyle is the easiest?

The high ponytail with backcombed top hair and a scarf tied as a bow. It needs neither rolls nor curlers and works on unwashed hair.

How do I make victory rolls hold?

Through the backcombed root, not through the grips. The hair grips are placed crossed at the root, not in the roll itself, otherwise it gets pressed flat.

Do retro hairstyles work with short hair?

Yes. The pompadour, small rolls above the forehead, soft short curls and the straight fringe need no length. Tied scarves also hide missing length.

How do I tie a bandana?

Fold a square scarf diagonally into a triangle, place the long edge at the nape of the neck, bring the ends forward and knot them into a bow above the forehead. The point is tucked away underneath.

What is a pompadour?

A section of top hair above the forehead that is combed upwards, filled with volume and pinned back. Named after Madame de Pompadour.

Which hairstyle suits a petticoat dress?

Anything that keeps the face free and has volume on top. A ponytail, pinned-up styles or victory rolls go better with a full skirt than loose straight lengths.

Do you need a hairdresser for retro hairstyles?

No. The hairstyles were originally done at home and only need grips, a comb and hairspray. Only the short straight fringe needs to be trimmed regularly.

Conclusion

Retro hairstyles look more complicated than they are. Almost all of them are built on the same principles: volume on top, face free, a clear shape at the ends. If you can do a pompadour and a scarf, you have covered half the scene, and after a few rounds of practice victory rolls are a matter of ten minutes.

For everyday wear, less is usually enough than you might think. A hairband and rolled ends already turn loose hair into a retro look without it looking like a costume. The elaborate versions are best kept for events where the effort pays off.

At Bright House Vintage you will find retro and vintage-inspired womenswear in the style of the 1930s to 1960s, newly produced and in regular sizes. Matching clothing is brought together in our rockabilly fashion collection. What exactly distinguishes vintage, retro and secondhand is explained in our article What is vintage?