20 Gorgeous Flapper Hairstyles to Reminisce the 1920s (2024)

Of all of the decades that helped to define the 20th century, the 1920s or Roaring ’20s probably held the most sway.

Well, there was one other thing associated with the 1920s: hairstyles.

The look of the 1920s was distinct and very different from today, and flapper hairstyles were a big part of that—draping hair down around your face and covering your ears with headbands was all the rage.

Love them or hate them, these vintage hairstyles are making a comeback.

Who were the flappers?

In the 1920s, a new generation of women called “flappers” emerged.

These women were young and free-spirited, and they rejected the traditional norms of society. They wore short skirts, listened to jazz music, and smoked cigarettes.

The flapper used her sexuality to attract men, who quickly fell for her charms. The flapper was known as the “glamorous suffragette” because she used her sexuality to separate herself from the older generation and from men in general.

Flappers were often criticized by older generations, but they paved the way for later generations of women who would challenge traditional gender roles.

Flappers also liked to wear excessive makeup and always stood out from the crowd. They were iconic in the roaring twenties, and they served as a very new change after World War I.

In addition to their irreverent behavior, they were seen sporting youthful and boyish looks. They liked to maintain a slender and skinny figure. They usually kept short hair, flattened breasts, and a straight waist, accentuating their flapper look.

People at this time were still trying to cope with this new intervention in society. However, most people were getting used to this burlesque feminine flirtatiousness. They started to appear as fashion icons despite their scandalous behavior. They brought with them a new touch of modernity and destroyed the old conventional norms.

Flapper dresses were usually straight and loose, which left their arms bare, and the waistline was usually dropping to the hips. They usually selected silk and rayon fabrics for their dresses. Their hair was short, and they liked to accessorize it with hats or any other jewelry. They also liked to apply heavy makeup because they felt it made them sexy.

The flapper style went quite vogue during the 1920s, and women started to adopt this style quite often.

These fashions are even popular in the 21^st century, and the following are some of the flapper hairstyles that you can relive in today’s fashionable style:

Flowy Curls

Flowy curls are super feminine and, if you like, reminiscent of Romany gypsy fashion. This look would be excellent for a night out with a date or for a party. The 1920s fad for this hairstyle was something that originated in Paris and among Parisian society, but it quickly made its way around the world.

The hairstyle can be done with just some curling tongs, but can also be done with the use of rollers. The flip side to this hairstyle is it can also be cut into a bob to create a more 1920s look.

Inward Bob with Curls

The inward bob with curls has been a staple for women sporting a bob hairstyle for decades. It can represent a youthful outlook, along with poise, maturity, and class—particularly when compared to a blunt cut.

Curling the hair with a curling iron and then creating inward folding hair spirals in the shape of a stylish bob is a great look. This look was popular in the 1920s and is popular even now.

Ear Length Bob

The bob cut became popular in the 1920s as many women took the bold step of cutting their long hair. As the name suggests, ear-length bobs are shorter bobs that end just under the ear. The ear-length bob is usually matched with a thick fringe.

The flapper style is an intricate look that brides have been pulling off for decades. This sleek hairstyle marries elegance with subtlety, and can also work for proms and other more formal events. If you want to emulate the flapper look, you’ll have to master the bob haircut.

“This short to medium-length style is generally cut straight all-around to maintain the same length and has become one of the most popular and stylish haircuts for women who want a low-maintenance look,” explains Carmen Moore, the head stylist at TheHairstyleReview.

Classic Sophisticated Curls

Long, lustrous locks were all the rage during the twenties, and with that came the classic “curl.”

Curls are a stylish and sophisticated fashion worn by homemakers and celebrities in the 1920s. The look was easy-to-wear and perfect for a day or nighttime hairstyle

This style involved soft inward spiraling curls tucked into the hairstyle, creating a quick and sophisticated look. Even beginners can ace this hairstyle.

The Daisy Buchanan

Daisy Buchanan was one of those characters all teenage girls wanted to be. The flapper hairstyles popped up in fashion in the early 1920s, and Daisy’s infamous hairstyle in The Great Gatsby was the go-to style of the era.

The “Daisy Buchanan” hairstyle is a flapper hairstyle with short straight hair, bangs, and a stylish headband that is now popular even today.

The hairstyle was tied to flapper culture, which emphasized freedom and danced the night away. Lucky for us, the flapper hairstyle has remained a popular style for the past 80 years, and it’s incredibly easy to recreate.

Pin Curls

For women, the quick and easy hairstyle was a way to stay beautiful from head to toe, like dresses, skirts were very long and intricate.

While women commonly wore pin curls on their own hair, they also made great updos for formal and informal occasions.

The pin curls technique does not involve using a curling iron. Pin curls are made using hair balm, bobby pins, and simply twisting the hair in circles and keeping them in place to set using the bobby pins.

Updo with a Headband

Thanks to flapper hairstyles like the updo with a headband, women rushed to leave their long, straight hair behind and opt for a more striking look with bobbed hair, teased hair, and long, wavy hair.

A simple messy updo with a regular or side bun is an easy hairstyle to do. Just adding a stylish or bejeweled headband to the equation makes it a very celebratory flapper style hairstyle for long hair.

The look is so popular it’s even showing up on the runways this year. The hairstyle is seriously retro, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do it today.

Chin length bob

The Chin-length bob, also known as the flapper bob, is effortless, sexy, and a great way to experiment with your style, especially if your hair is shoulder length or longer.

The chin-length bob cut is a stylish haircut that accentuates your facial features and looks great on any face shape.

This lovely style is back in vogue once again, and it’s a perfect way to show off a side part, which has been a go-to hair trend for the past few seasons.

Vintage Faux Bob

The hairstyle gives any girl the same gorgeous 1920s vibe, without the cost or time commitment that is always associated with historical hairstyles.

The flapper hairstyle was updated in 1927 with the “faux boblet,” which allowed waves at the sides to fall over into a choppy bob.

The flapper hairstyle is so perfect for summer, and we’re all for it. The style is relaxed, feminine, and loose—and that’s exactly how you want to feel while the sun’s shining!

Finger Waves Hairstyle

Feathered bangs, finger waves, or bobs, are some of the most popular 1920s hairstyles for women.

Finger waves, also known as finger coil, are a popular hairstyle for spring and summer. It was named after early silent film actress Clara Bow, who used it in her 20s. The style was also popular during the 1920s.

But finger waves from the ’20s weren’t at all simple, and it can take a bit of practice to get something that looks even halfway decent

Finger waves are done using fingers and curlers to create a wave in alternating directions and are also becoming more popular in today’s times. Flappers loved to experiment with their hair, and many ladies decked out their finger wave hairstyle with feathers, beads, and other decorative accessories. This is one of the best flapper hairstyles for short hair.

Straight Bob

With so many hairstyles to choose from, it can sometimes be hard to know which is the right one for you. For women who love anything in the 1920s and ’30s, the straight bob might be the perfect option for you.

Because a lot of women use words like “floppy” or “frizzy” to describe their hair, we want to show you just how fantastic a “straight bob” can be!

The straight bob, sometimes called a straight bob haircut, is a timeless look. It’s formal enough for the office and casual enough to wear to brunch.

Curly Updo

Remember when the flappers of the 20s wore their hair up, rather than down?

The look of the flappers’ hair was, as expected, a departure from the more restrained styles of the past. The flappers continued to wear their hair in updos, or as they liked to call their styles, “do’s.”

The look was common for almost all flappers, but the most popular flapper hairstyle was the “loopy curls,” also known as the “clipped curls.”

The long hair can be curled using a curling iron and then set up in a fabulous classic, sophisticated updos.

The Barrette Trend

Barrettes are back, and they’re not just for little girls anymore!

Women wore their hair long, flowing, and poufy. The look was popularized by the silent film star Clara Bow, and then later by the young Jean Harlow. But, not all women liked this look, and for them, barrettes were the perfect solution.

Barrettes have been around for a long time, and thanks to their versatility, they continue to be a popular choice for women. Jeweled barrettes are a great choice with updos as well as buns look festive and stylish.

Curled Bun

Not everyone loves a bun. Sure, it’s cute, but it’s basic, right?

When you want something a little more eye-catching, try a curled bun. This style is fun, flirty, and will make you stand out. And just like that, you’re ready for a night out on the town.

This can be a regular low bun or a side bun with stylish pins.

The Classic Low Bun

In 1924, a fashion magazine declared “low buns” the “new look” for flappers.

The bun was usually worn low on the crown of the head, often with bangs peeking out on the side, and was especially popular with flappers.

The look was favored by young women who wanted to style their hair in a way that made them look as modern as their dresses, which were shorter and tighter than dresses of the past.

The hairstyles were time-consuming since it took more than one trip to the beauty salon to get the low bun just right, but it was worth it since women were able to change their look with the flick of their fingers

Now, you can re-create the fashionable look of the 20s with a modern twist by wearing your hair in a low bun today.

The Head-Wrap

Headbands were a practical hairstyle accessory in the 1920s, when women wore their hair in long styles, but wanted to keep it out of the way when working, walking, and even driving.

The flapper hairstyle is making a comeback, and no one is doing it better than Dakota Johnson. The actress and singer wore a head-wrap flapper hairstyle to the 2018 Met Gala.

The hairstyle is a modernized version of the 1920s flapper hair, which was popular in films and magazines at the time. The style is achieved by wrapping hair around the head and securing it with pins.

Even today, this is a top hairstyle, and wearing headscarves like skull caps is very popular. Moreover, it’s a cute hairstyle for summer.

Rolled In Curls

Called a drop curl, this timeless and iconic style was popularized in the 1920s.

Roller curls can also add a retro touch to daily wear, adding volume and length to straight hair.

Roller curls are easy to do and don’t require any fancy tools, making them great for everyday wear. The look is sexy and fun and goes well with both casual and formal clothing.

In the 1920s, women used rollers and curling irons to roll spiraling curls inwards for a classic and stylish look. Rolled inward curls can be done for short and long hairstyles.

Classic Curls that are Sculpted

Are you itching to relive the 1920s?

Today, you can channel your inner flapper with sculpted curls as a flapper hairstyle. That’s thanks to Pinterest, where you’ll find hundreds of photos of vintage ladies sporting the look.

The look is most closely associated with actress Mae West, who was often seen rocking the hairstyle in the films of the 1930s and 1940s.

This hairstyle is generally done where the upper hair on the head is straight, and the ends of the hair are styled in gorgeous sculpted curls.

Headband Hairstyles

Hair accessories are so much more than they used to be.

No longer just holding hair back, headbands are redefining themselves as statement pieces. Unique and creative, headbands can come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.

Depending on your mood, occasion, and personal style, you can pull your hair back with a headband in a whole variety of ways.

The headband can be secured with a headband pin, a headband pin-tuck, a headband bow, or a headband bow-tuck. Bejeweled headbands, pearly headbands, headbands with features, and tiara-style headbands are even popular today.

Feathered Hairstyle

Women’s fashion in the 1920s focused heavily on feminine silhouettes, including hourglass figures and slender waists. This trend led to more women sporting short, feathered hairstyles.

The style was short, light, and long enough to show plenty of skin, but short enough that it did not overwhelm a woman’s face. Combine that with the flapper’s love of short skirts and the look was an instantly appealing one.

This haircut is worn by women for its feminine, romantic, and whimsical qualities. Feathered haircut styles have been popular since the 1920s. This flapper style is seen in weddings and special horse races like the Derby.

Bottom line

The flapper hairstyle was first popular in the 1920s, and it’s stylish for women of all ages today. A flapper hairstyle has a wild style, with bangs on the forehead and the hair cascading down the back.

It is clear to see why flapper hairstyles are so popular. They are easy, sassy, and feminine. The changes certainly do add something to a classic look, and these hairstyles will continue to be popular for years to come.