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11 Glam Great Gatsby Hairstyles

Get inspired by the roaring '20s!

All Things Hair | October 3, 2019

Ever since The Great Gatsby film came out a few years ago, we’ve been obsessed with what we called the Great Gatsby Hairstyle or flapper hair.

So if you are still undecided on what to go as for Halloween, then why not give a nod to the roaring 1920s and dress up as a party-loving flapper girl? Halloween (or any themed party, in fact) is the perfect time of year to rock this fabulous vintage look!

So if, like us, you want to look uber stylish for your next celebrations, flick through our gallery above, or scroll down to be inspired by our favourite Great Gatsby hairstyles!

Flapper Girl Bob

Woman with 1920s Jordan Baker inspired short bob hair with a fascinator, wearing a red cap sleeved dress — Channel your inner Jordan Baker. Credit: Instagram.com/goodlookingobjects

When picking a 1920s inspired hairstyle, the flapper bob is probably the first look to spring to mind. Pay homage to the bobbed style of the day with a super short cut and blunt, full bangs. Credit: @goodlookingobjects

Finger Waves in Short Hair

Woman with vintage short bob finger waves, inspired by the 1920s — Never tried finger waves? Now’s your chance.

If there’s any hairstyle that screams The Great Gatsby, it has to be finger waves. Famous for being the ‘It’ hairstyle during the 1920s, this chic form of waves can be rather tricky to create, but once achieved, the final look is utterly stunning!

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Editor’s tip: Achieve this ’20s-inspired look by using a spritz of the VO5 Flexible Hold Hairspray before and after styling your waves to help create and define your style.

Glam Waves on Long Hair

Blonde model with flowing side parted 1920s finger waves wearing white — Amp up the glam factor with movie star waves.

Finger waves don’t just look good in short hair, you know: they’re also perfect for long, thick hair, too! In fact, if you have lusciously long locks, you can actually get away with your finger waves being a little looser and more touchable, seeing as you have plenty of length to play with.

Let’s be honest, nothing oozes retro glamour more than glamorous movie star waves!

Bouncy Waves and Glitzy Headpieces

Woman with 1920s wavy hair with a glitzy embellished headband against a black and gold sparkly background — No 1920s look would be complete without the signature headband.

For a truly iconic Halloween look, why not opt for bouncy, voluminous waves paired with an embellished, Gatsby-inspired headpiece? Even today headbands are a regular at fashion week, so this look makes for a super on-trend way to work this retro style.

And, when worked with a red lip and some dramatic smoky eyeshadow, you’ll look like the belle of the ball at any Halloween party!

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Editor’s tip: To get Daisy Buchanan’s iconic shiny hair, don’t forget to spritz some TIGI Bed Head Headrush Shine Hairspray into your tresses, for an added gloss boost!

Retro Blunt Bob

Woman with a short, straight bob hairstyle with retro hair accessories — Razor cut bobs were the look of the day.

For an ultra vintage-looking Halloween style, draw inspiration from another favourite 1920s look, and opt for a razor sharp bob. This may be quite a contrast to the softer finger wave looks shown above, but this look nonetheless epitomises the party-ready aesthetics of the era.

And, if you don’t want to commit to cutting off your hair for one night of partying, then don’t fret: there are plenty of short wigs on the market that will make you look just the part.

Pearl Hair Accessories

Brunette woman with her hair up in a black velvet headband embellished in pearls, wearing big pearl earrings and a champagne coloured sequin dress — Too much is never enough when it comes to pearls. Credit: Instagram.com/3fliss_okeefe

Any look that involves you dripping in pearls is a surefire winner. There are a million and one ways to incorporate pearls into your look, whether it’s with a headband or individual pearl hair slides. Just don’t forget the matching earrings! Credit: @3fliss_okeefe

Side-swept Finger Waves

Woman with blonde hair worn in twenties style sidewept curls — Side-swept waves look really stylish when smooth and sleek.

Want to keep your hair off your face while you party all night? Well, we’ve got the perfect Great Gatsby-inspired hairstyle for you: side-swept finger waves.

For a refined look that won’t let you down, we think this look works especially well when pinned into a stunning updo. Elegance, class and fun-factor? Check, check and check!

Flapper Headpiece

Brunette model with a 1920s short bob and finger waves with lace headpiece — Try rocking a lovely lace headpiece to complete your look.

Did you know that you can basically turn any wavy or curly hairstyle into a Great Gatsby hair masterpiece? Yes, it’s true! No flapper girl worth her salt would be seen without a headpiece wrapped around her ‘do.

We’d recommend opting for either lace, velvet, embellished, or feathered hair accessories, to really up the vintage hairstyle ante.

Faux Bob

Pink haired woman with a 1920s style faux curly bob wearing a green vintage dress — A faux bob updo is the perfect way to try out short hair for the night. Credit: Instagram.com/couleur_moon

Also appropriately known as the nervous bob, a faux bob is the perfect way to get in on the bob hair action without taking the scissors to your flowing locks.

Find out how to transform your long hair into a chic 1920s crop with our faux bob tutorial – we’d suggest wearing it wavy for the most convincing results. Credit: @couleur_moon

Beaded Caps

Close-up of a woman with dark brown hair in a low side ponytail, wearing a pearl embellished 1920s head piece — Beaded caps are an easy way to instantly take your look back in time. Credit: Instagram.com/amandacarolinecouture

Want a hairstyle that you haven’t seen before? Embellished beaded headpieces are the epitome of over the top Gatsby-esque style and will give your look a cool art deco feel.

But on a more practical level, they’re also one of the easiest Halloween hairstyles to take on, as with such a standout headpiece you can afford to keep the hair simple underneath. Credit: @amandacarolinecouture

Kiss Curls

Photo of a woman with dark brown almost black hair in a low bun with a 1920s inspired peacock feather headband, wearing vintage clothing — Sealed with a kiss curl. Credit: Verity Jane Smith

Add a frightfully vintage look to your Halloween party style with a single kiss curl on the side of your face in the style of the day. It’s an instantly recognisable flapper hairstyle, so there’ll be no doubting who you’ve come dressed as. Mwah!