Vintage hairstyles - what to call that do.

I was recently dining with a friend in Mill Valley when the server arrived to take our order. She then complimented my "suicide roll".  I gave her a strange look and repeated back, "suicide roll?" I had never heard that term before, and I told her that that term was never in use in the 1930s or 40s.

My friend and I just laughed it off. But then I had to google the term to see how prevalent it is. What I noticed was that "suicide roll" is in wider use among the younger generation who dabble in RAB culture. As much as I love rockabilly music, it's quite disconcerting to see it blanketed over all genres of vintage culture. In fact, most who claim to be RAB are getting it all wrong.

Rockabilly music had its prevalence during the early to mid 1950s. It was the era of "New Look" fashion when the shoulders sloped, waists cinched, and skirts flared wider due to the end of WWII's rationing of materials. The hair was kept short and curled (producing more of a wave); most women rarely went outdoors without a hat. Gone were the more ornate, formal styles of the previous decades. In the 1950s, the following styles were prevalent: the artichoke cut, the short bouffant, the poodle cut, and short bangs of varying lengths.

More often than not, I generally see the above styles at many Rockabilly events. These ladies tend to be 30+ years old and more refined in their choices of vintage attire. The younger ones have adopted the hairstyles more prevalent during the 30s and 40s and have given some ungodly names to pass off as strictly rockabilly. There has never been a style called "Suicide Roll". Essentially it's just a roll but the varying styles will determine the name of the roll. The following are the most prevalent: The reverse roll, the side roll, the faux bangs, the Gibson roll, the continuous roll, and the classic victory rolls. When it comes to victory rolls, they can be set on any part of the head. I prefer the victory rolls off centered since it would otherwise make you look like Mickey Mouse. Not a flattering look.

As per my overall preferred style, I tend to do the reverse roll. Since I'm an advanced twirler, I usually go for three rolls; sometimes four for the more elegant affairs.

Of course the 1940s was not restricted to just rolls. Other popular styles consisted of the pageboy (my favorite), the peek-a-boo (another favorite), and pin curled waves.

The Victory Roll name was influenced by WWII. This generation was about supporting the war effort and true patriotism was at its peak. There were other hairstyles whose names were influenced by the war such as: Flight Command, Maneuver, Bombshell, and Rocket.

As you can see, there is a combination of different styles to create a specific updo. You can see the pompadour, pin curls, and side rolls.

So there you have it. The proper nomenclature of hairstyles from the 1940s and 1950s.

Source: 1940s Hairstyles by Daniela Turudich