How To Create 1940s Faux Bangs [With A Tutorial!]

Every so often, we all have the urge to take the plunge and cut our hair into bangs.

How To Create 1940s Faux Bangs [With A Tutorial!]

Whether we are thinking about the style of bangs that are currently on trend or a more vintage and classic look, actually cutting them requires a long-term commitment.

However, if you want to have some stunning 1940s bangs for a certain look or to try them out, this is the ultimate tutorial on how to create this stunning, vintage look in only a few minutes.  

Things You Need

There are only a few things that you need to help you create this look.

Most of them you will already have at home, but there are one or two that you might need to get especially.  

To create this beautiful look, you will need some bobby pins to help you keep your hair secured throughout the day.

You will also need a brush to detangle your hair as well as a rat tail comb to help you section off your hair.

Hairspray is always a must with hairstyles like these faux bangs to help keep everything in place.

Finally, a head scarf will help to complete this look and hide the fact that your bangs are fake. 

The one piece of equipment that you need for this look that you may not already have is a hair rat (Also check out How To Create 40s Hair With Hot Sticks).

A traditional hair rat is made from your own hair that you have pulled from your hair brush.

The hair would be stuffed inside a hair net or even an old stocking and shaped into a sausage.

However, this can take a long time and also can be a little bit gross for some people.

Alternatively, you can purchase a cheap bun ring and cut it to make it straight.

You will need to sew the ends shut to avoid the stuffing coming out.  

Step One: Prep Your Hair

The first step for any hairstyle is to prep your hair.

Your hair should not be dirty, but if you are straight out of the shower, you might need to add some additional products to help your hair hold the style better.  

For these bangs, simply brush your hair so that it is free from tangles and ensure that it isn’t overly greasy.  

Step Two: Section Your Hair

Now that you removed any tangles from your hair, it is time to begin sectioning your hair.

Using the rat tail comb, draw a semi-circle shape from above one eyebrow to the other.

The section should start around the arch of your eyebrow to make it wide enough.

It should also reach all the way back to the crown of your head.

Brush this section through and spray a small amount of hair spray to help keep any flyaways and frizz at bay.  

Step Three:  Roll Your Hair Around The Rat

Once you have sectioned your hair and prepped it for the style, it is time to begin shaping the faux bangs.

Take the hair rat and begin rolling the hair you have sectioned around it.

Start from the very bottom of the hair and make sure that you are wrapping it tightly around the hair rat.

How To Create 1940s Faux Bangs [With A Tutorial!]

As you roll the hair up, keep making sure that all of your ends are wrapped properly around the rat.  

Stop rolling the hair at some point on your forehead.

Some people like to roll their faux bangs all the way up to create very short bangs, whereas others prefer to have the faux bangs sitting just above their eyebrows.

Just work out what works best for you and your face shape.  

Step Four: Secure The Hair Rat

Once you are happy with the placement of your faux bangs, it is time to secure the rat in place.

Carefully bend the hair rat into a shape that curves back toward the back of your head.

Take a couple of bobby pins for each end of the rat and secure it to your head.

Depending on how thick your hair is, you might need more bobby pins to keep it in place but make sure that it is secure in the curved position.  

Step Five:  Position The Faux Bangs

Once you have secured the hair rat in place, it is time to finish positioning the faux bangs.

You should gently start spreading the hair that is wrapped around the hair rat so that it covers the full length of the rat. 

Using your fingers, gently move your hair from the center of the rat until it is completely covered.

It is at this step that it is important that your hair rat matches your hair color as closely as possible.  

Once you have spread the hair so that it covers the hair rat fully, you will need to secure the ends of your hair to make sure it doesn’t slip off the end of the rat.

You may also need to use a couple of extra bobby pins to fix the placement of some hairs.

Once you are happy with the placement of your hair, give it a good spray with your hairspray to keep it all in place. 

Step Six: Add Your Head Scarf

To complete the look and hide the fact that these bangs are fake a hair scarf is the perfect finishing touch.

Any scarf will do but chiffon or silk will be best for your hair.

Fold your scarf in half to make a triangle, then fold a couple more times to make a hair band shape.

Tie the scarf around your head and form a bow just behind the hair rat (see also ‘How To Tie A Scarf On Your Head‘).

You can secure the scarf with some bobby pins to keep it in place. 

Final Thoughts

These 1940s faux bangs are the perfect addition to any vintage look for a special occasion or costume party (for more 1940s fashion, see our post on 1940s Wedding Dresses).

They are also a great way to try out bangs without the commitment of cutting your hair, and best of all, this look is completely windproof. 

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