Doing an Authentic Cut ~ 1940s The Middy Plus

The other day I went to my hairdresser to get a trim.  Initially I was planning to get my usual cut done, but at the last minute I found a diagram of the Middy Plus cut and popped it on my phone, just in case. 

I have been thinking about getting that cut for a while, but when I asked my old hairdresser{whom I love, but she went to the coast to set up a new salon}, she pretty much said that she didn’t want to do the cut like that because she thought I wouldn’t like my hair being that short.  All well and good, but I sort of wanted to try it anyway!

So when I went back to the salon to have my first haircut with my new hairdresser I bit the bullet and rather haltingly asked her if she would do this “retro 1940s haircut for me because I sort of like to wearing vintage-y style outfits and I know it’s kind of random, but it’s fun and….”  Yeah.  I was embarrassed ~ particularly after last time! But she was super sweet and loved that I had brought in an actual hairdresser’s diagram to show her.  {I took page number 3}

 

 

I won’t lie; when she made the first cut into my hair, I died a little inside….  I hadn’t realized just how short 41/2 inches at the back is!!  Still, I reasoned with myself that my hair does tend to grow quickly to a certain length{and then it just stops… : P } so if I really hated it, it would grow out.  Anyway this is the finished result:

I didn’t use any pin curls or rollers; just my natural curl with a bit of wax combed through it while it’s wet to control the frizz.  Overall I am happy with the cut, but there are some downsides to getting the authentic cut.   Here’s my list of pros and cons.

~  Deciding on a Vintage Authentic Cut  ~

Pros:    

1. It’s very easy to look vintage with your hair out.
2. It’s super quick to do a pin curl set, or rollers.  And a lot easier!
3. It’s cute and it’s different.
4. It helps to keep era-ambiguous outfits period correct.  What I mean by that is that even though back in the 1940-50’s there would have been fashion cross-over, you can look a bit ‘muddled’ if you don’t try to stick fairly close to one era when you dress vintage now a days.  Fleur de Guerre once commented that vintage styled victory rolls was her best accessory for looking vintage and I agree.  Get your hair right and the rest follows ~ little things like correct make up, shoes, etc, don’t tend to matter as much then. 

Cons:

1. You most likely will need to learn specific techniques for updo styles. I don’t know how to style my hair, besides wearing it out.  I think I need to see if I can find some instructions on 1940’s short hair updos.  The Middy Plus is supposed to be “a convenient length for updos” but I really haven’t found that yet!!
2. It’s short.  As in really short.  I can’t pull it into a ponytail which is a bit frustrating.  I have heard that a way around that is to ask the hairdresser to add length to the cut, so for instance, if the Long Length Femme Fatale cut is still too short, ask them to do the cut but add 4” all around, making 6” at the back 10” long and the 3” at the side 7” and so on. 
3. If you don’t want to look vintage, it’s a bit hard.  An authentic cut will vintage-ize any outfit.
4. Sometimes you think you look like a grandma….  And in an old way, not the good way.

So that’s my experience so far ~ I am writing this two weeks after my trip to the salon and I think I like the cut a bit more now that it’s grown out a touch.  Still, I am not sure if I want to let my hair grow out completely and then try a Long Length cut.  For now, the Middy Plus is working for me most of the time and I do like it….  I guess if I can figure out how to put it up then I will be totally happy with it.  : )  We’ll see.

xox,

bonita