DIY Hair: Veronica Lake Hairstyle for Short Hair

Author:

I enjoy fashion and looking trendy on a budget. I also create art, take photos, and save money by doing things myself.

Even if you have short hair, you can pull off a 1940s vintage hairstyle.

Who Was Veronica Lake?

The gorgeous Veronica Lake is best known for her roles in 1940s Hollywood noir films, as well as her famous hairdo.

Veronica always wore a peek-a-boo hairstyle, with a deep part and soft, flowing waves. Many modern ladies of the red carpet have emulated this look, including Reese Witherspoon, Blake Lively, Kate Winslet, and Scarlett Johansson.

The hairstyle is commonly done on long hair, but this tutorial is for you short-haired girls out there who are looking to try something new! These beautiful vintage waves can be achieved in 20 minutes.

Reese Witherspoon rocking the "Lake Look."

What You'll Need

For this hairstyle, all you'll need is a curling brush, hairspray, and a butterfly clip! Grab a handheld mirror, too, so you can see the back of your head when you're done.

I use a Conair curling brush that's around $15 at Walmart, although I'm sure you could use a regular curling wand or iron. I like the brush because it helps give curls volume, and it leaves them looking more natural than a curling iron does.

Roll the first section forward to the half-way point down the hair shaft.

Then roll the last half of the hair shaft in the opposite direction.

How to Make Your Bangs Have the Perfect Wave

First, make sure you have a deep side part.
Begin with your bangs on the larger section of hair. Curl the top half of the section towards your face, at the roots. Leave the ends alone for now. You'll deal with them next.
Once you've got a nice wave going on, take the bottom half of that same section and curl it in the opposite direction, away from your face.
Continue this pattern on all of the top sections of hair—towards your face near the root, away from your face at the bottom.

How to Curl the Sides and Lower Layers

In the video below, I kind of skipped around, doing the top layer on one side, then the whole bottom, then the top of the other side. Sorry if it's a little confusing. Like I said, for the top layers, you follow the curling-towards-then-curling-away pattern.

Final Touches and Makeup

When you're finished, add a bit of hairspray and some beautiful, retro-inspired makeup. I went for cat-eye eyeliner and red lipstick. Now enjoy your fabulous hair!

Looking for more retro hairstyles? Check out my Vintage 1940s Victory Roll tutorial! If you want something that's more everyday and low maintenance, try out this vintage short curly hairstyle!