Hair Affair: The Most Popular Styles of the Last Century

3. Waves, Waves, Waves

The tight, short waves of the 1920s gave way to a softer waved look in the 1930s. Fay Wray was one of the first actresses to popularize loose curls when she appeared in King Kong in 1933. Wray's messy, undone hair hit a note with women struggling to keep things together during the Great Depression. Soon, women were copying her style at home by letting their hair down and playing with its natural shape.

Actresses like Jean Harlow and Katherine Hepburn adopted the loose-and-wavy look throughout the 30s. Harlow's platinum blond hair served as inspiration for another twist on the style, which saw women bleaching their hair with hazardous household chemicals to achieve her glamorous look. Platinum was likely a popular color choice because of its bright appearance on black-and-white film.