1920s Flapper Hairstyle Recreation: How to Make the Marcel Waves

One way to identify the 1920s flapper is through their hairstyle. There are many different types of hairstyles; the Straight Bob which was best known short haircut style in the 1920s, it was introduced when the ballroom dancer Irene Castle cut her hair short, and other women started bobbing their hair too. Another popular 1920s hairstyle is the Finger waves and Marcel waves. The difference between Marcel waves and finger waves is the method. Marcel waves was invented by a French hairdresser Francois Marcel Grateau. She used curling iron to create the waves while fingers waves is done just with the finger, it is best done when the hair is wet. Looking to recreate the 1920s flapper hairstyle, here’s how to make the Marcel Waves.

Whatever your hair length you can actually make marcel waves, although your hair length determines the number of waves to do. To create this hairstyle, you need a curling iron, hairspray, spray gel, bobby pins, and hair clips.

1. Make a side part on your hair, a little longer than you would normally do and be sure it’s straight. Cut around the part, two to three inches out and clip the hair up, that is the part you’ll use to make the finger waves. The rest of the hair should be packed into a pigtail. Use the curling iron to curl the pigtail.
2. Let the clip hair down, comb the larger side of the part forward, leave the other side of the part, the smaller side untouched for now. Comb your hair straight forward on the larger side, apply spray gel, then cut a section of the hair and curl anticlockwise, away from the face, then pin it. Repeat cutting the same section size and identical curl. For the other side, comb backwards away from the face, apply the spray gel and wave your hair anticlockwise, away from the face. Allow to cool, then take the bobby pin out and let the curls down.
3. Break the curls using your fingers, then brush the hair away from your face with a hair brush and the other part towards your face. Brush the back hair back.
4. Comb the larger side with the hair towards your face to smoothen it out, then start making a wave. Use your fingers to push the hair forward to create a small raised wave, then secure the hair beneath with a hair clip. Make more waves stopping close to the ears and repeat the same step for the other part, this time the wave curls away the face.
5. Brush the remaining hair and sweep it back to the pigtail, then make a loop and pin it at the back of the hair. Spray with hair spray to make sure the style is in place. After some minutes remove the pin.

You can rock this with the 1920s flapper makeup to complete the look.

To maintain your Marcel waves hairstyle, wear a silk sleep cap to bed, and occasionally spray to keep it in place.