To the woman who desires a really attractive, well-dressed head, waving is indispensable. By that I do not mean to lay down a hard and fast rule that every woman, without exception, should always appear with her hair waved. By no means. There are certain types of beauty and mouldings of feature and figure that demand straight hair for the perfection of the tout ensemble. The statuesque, rather cold beauty that can stand a coiffure a la Vierge, or a severe Grecian dressing, looks grotesque with fluffy, waved tresses, or with a lot of curls and puffs. It needs coils and smooth brushing.
Waving, in addition to other matters, needs discrimination. And the woman with classical features and heavy, dark hair, who tries to fluff it and wave it, instead of letting it follow its own simple and severe lines, is worse than foolish.
Waving is for the woman who wants to look smart, or the woman who wants to look dainty and fluffy, but not for the woman who makes a cult of the statuesque. Waving adapts itself equally well to the smart, brushed-up coiffure of the woman who is chic, or to the careless, fascinating fluffiness of the girl with simple frocks and dimples. It can lend a head that indescribable air of "chicness" that is so enviable in a certain type of woman; or it can add charm to the negligee lines and curves affected by an ingenue. If a classical, statuesque woman possesses heavy, smooth hair, let her leave it as Nature intended it to look, and she will achieve perfection. But if a woman of the more ordinary, everyday type is the possessor of straight, lifeless hair, let her do all in her power to give it that waved fluffiness which will transform her appearance from mediocrity to charm.
Waving is not all of the Marcel type; indeed, it is practically impossible for a woman to Marcel wave her own hair. But there are other ways of securing an excellent wave on the front and side hair; a wave which looks pretty and natural, and gives the hair just that support and substance which makes waving such a help in hair dressing. Every woman can wave her hair, if she wants to, on pins. These pins are of two kinds - the ordinary straight hairpin, rather long; and the tortoiseshell or horn pins, manufactured for this purpose, which can be bought quite inexpensively at any good hairdresser's. [Ed: These are not modern bobby pins being indicated. The nearest modern pins commonly available are these for "ordinary straight pins" and these for "horn pins" -- but both of which are nowadays made significantly more curved than the old fashioned style being here requested. Using a large, flat bobby pin pried wide open might actually be the best bet for simulating the techniques that follow.]
The method of waving differs slightly on the different pins. First, let us suppose an ordinary hairpin is to be used. Divide the front hair into moderate strands (the more hair in each strand, the wider the wave). Take one strand, and place the hairpin, with the prongs well divided, at the roots of the strand of hair, with the loop of the pin nearest the scalp, and the hair between the prongs. Hold the pin firmly with the left hand, and take the strand in the right. Twist it over each prong in turn, taking particular care to twist it towards the face the first time. If this is not done, the wave goes the wrong way. Continue twisting over and over each prong until the strand covers the pin in a sort of plait. When all the hair has been used up take the two ends of the pin, and bend the left one towards the right, and the right towards the left. This crossing of the ends prevents the hair on the pin from loosening or escaping.
This method produces a flatter wave than that done on a horn or shell pin, but either of these waves are more crinkly than a Marcel wave. If the hair is left on the pin all night, or some hours, no heat is necessary; and when the pin is removed the wave will appear. But if the hair is to be dressed immediately, some flat pincher-shaped irons - as used for curls en papillote - should be thoroughly heated, and the hair pressed firmly between them. The pin can then be removed, and the wave is equally good.
To wave on horn or steel pins divide the hair as before, and place the pin, with the hair between its prongs, and the loop nearest the head. The hair is then taken in the right hand, and wound round and round the prongs. Again, care must be taken to twist it, the first time, towards the face. If this is done, it will be found that, as it is wound round the pin, the hair twists itself. But if it is turned away, it remains flat. When the hair is covering the pin, in smooth rings, an elastic band fixed at the end of one prong is slipped across, and keeps the hair in position. This wave may also be left in all night, or pinched with hot irons, when it will be ready for use in under five minutes.
These two methods of waving the hair are both quick and effective. They only mean ten minutes' work overnight, or the same extra time spent on the coiffure in the morning. And the result is a prettily waved head, which takes half the time to dress, and,besides looking softer and more attractive, remains in position and shape considerably longer than straight, flabby hair. Four pins should serve to wave the front and sides, and the back can be done in the same way if desired. I do not want ladies to think that this process - which needs no helper or maid - will give them the same appearance as a Marcel wave. It will not. But it will wave their hair.
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