A 1940s Aesthetic Guide

By Frankie Lopez
GBACG President

The following links are my personal recommendations to achieve The 40s Aesthetic. Here are some resources and techniques to achieve this quintessential look.

Hair

Lotta Body Setting Lotion

I typically dilute this in a spray bottle, and use it for my wet sets. This brand has been around since the 1970s and it is a great setting lotion. They have a host of other products that are great for curly/kinky hair.
https://lottabody.com/professionals/

Curls Blueberry Bliss Control Jelly

Very similar to Lotta Body Setting Lotion, this is a Black-owned company. I recommend diluting gel/jellies in your hand with water, while setting your hair.
https://www.curls.biz/Blueberry-Bliss-CURL-Control-Jelly-retail.html

Suavecita

Pomade is a wonderful thing! It tames fly-aways and can cement a style. A Latina-owned business with a host of other products, and a page dedicated to their dogs. (I hyperlinked to the dogs… just FYI)
https://www.suavecito.com/pages/dogs-of-suavecito

Makeup

Bésame

This is one of my favorite makeup brands. A Latina-owned business here in California; this brand focuses on recreating colors, scents and accessories from the 1920s-1960s.
https://besamecosmetics.com/pages/about-us

Underthings

What Katie Did

My go-to place for all my vintage underthings! And before anyone says it, during the war there were nylon rations and women would “paint” on stockings if they no longer had any. There were even riots after the war ended and nylon stockings went back on the shelves. However, I love glamour so I wear stockings whenever I can.
https://us.whatkatiedid.com

Bonus Links:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/stocking-series-part-1-wartime-rationing-and-nylon-riots-25391066
https://www.thevintagenews.com/2016/12/25/fashion-on-the-ration-how-wwii-and-the-rationing-of-clothes-affected-fashion-and-street-style/

Setting your 40s Hairdo

Wet Set is Queen:

You can still great look with hot curlers, or curling iron, but wet set is the best.

If I am using Whole Lotta Body, I put mine in a spray bottle mixed in with water. Play with it to find the right ratio prior, otherwise it can weigh your hair down and it won’t curl correctly. 

If I am using Blueberry Bliss I’ll put some in my hand and work it in through, paying special attention to the ends.

I like to apply it to practically dry hair. Because of the way the hair is curled in a wet set, it takes 10-12 hours to dry if you apply it to very wet hair. 

I have used everything for a wet set:

Duck bill clips, foam curlers, satin wrapped curlers, rod curlers. It all depends on YOUR hair; mine prefers bobby pins and duck bills clips. Take time to do an experiment prior to the event and see if your hair has a preference as well.

Wrap your hair and go to sleep, or do this first thing in the morning, and blow dry your hair to speed up the process.

Once you’re sure your curls are completely dry, I spray it with hair spray and lightly blow dry it, until the hairspray (and curls) are dry to the touch.  I cheat sometimes because I have a diffuser, I will hairspray, unpin my mostly dry curl, and blow dry each curl individually. Do NOT unpin all your curls as once. This is an arduous process, but do each one individually.

Gently brush/comb hair out:
Thin hair/curly hair = brush
Thick/naturally curly hair = comb

As you brush/comb your hair, use your hand to shape it, and remain open to how it’s shaping. No matter how many times I do this, my hair will ultimately tell me what we’re doing that day. AND THAT’S OKAY.  

Once you have gently brush/combed your curls out, lightly hair spray it, and use a diffuser on your hair dryer to set the curls.

Pin/style as you want.

MORE HAIRSPRAY.

PSA: if anyone ever tells you that “Your hair looks more 50s,” you tell them where to go. And if you catch yourself wanting to tell someone that, take a moment to think, is what I’m about to say kind, and is it accomplishing anything other than showing what a jerk I am.