Comments on: Technique and Art of Marcel Waving — Creating 1920s Hair Waving Styles in Six Steps http://www.offerswelcome.com/2009/08/technique-and-art-of-marcel-waving-creating-1920s-hair-waving-styles-in-six-steps/ Favorite Celeb and Trendy Styles Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:07:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Falala http://www.offerswelcome.com/2009/08/technique-and-art-of-marcel-waving-creating-1920s-hair-waving-styles-in-six-steps/comment-page-1/#comment-760 Falala Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:19:30 +0000 http://www.offerswelcome.com/2009/08/technique-and-art-of-marcel-waving-creating-1920s-hair-waving-styles-in-six-steps/#comment-760 </div> "Technique & Art of Marcel Waving" by William F. Zentler was originally published in 1923 to aid hairdressing students in mastering the skill of Marcel waving. The Marcel wave iron was invented by French hairstylist Francois Marcel (aka Marcel Grateau) in 1872 to create a side-to-side waving of the hair. Originally intended for longer, Victorian-era hair that would be pulled up, by the 1920s Marcel waving had become the height of fashion for bobbed and short hairstyles. This book has 4 chapters (74 pages) of history, instructions, and illustrations. The hairstyles are generally for hair that is just below the jaw line in length. It would be not be possible to do most of these styles on yourself, as you could only wave the sides of your own hair. <br/><br/>The first chapter offers a brief history of curly hair fashion up until the "modern" method of creating Marcel waves. The beginner might have more control using the old finger method to guide the hair instead of a comb, but you do risk burning your fingers. Chapter 2 introduces the implements you will need and how to handle them. You need a Marcel wave iron and a fine-tooth comb. Thankfully, we no longer have to "temper" the iron or heat it on a stove. A traditional curling iron might work, but I found that the barrel on mine was too short, and it didn't get hot enough. A Marcel iron resembles a spring curling iron, but it clamps straight down (no spring), the handle can rotate, and it has no cool tip (watch out!). Like all professional curling irons, it has adjustable heat. Whichever iron you choose, the waves are supposed to be about the size of a silver half-dollar, which requires a 3/4-inch barrel. <br/><br/>Chapter 3 explains the waving technique in 6 easy steps. Maybe not so easy. It takes a lot of practice. Creating the ridges is easy enough, but getting the wave to look nice is the hard part. You use the curling/wave iron with the barrel on top, clamp on bottom, because you're trying to create a ridge, not a smooth wave. Between the ridges, you want the hair to undulate to the left and then the right, then left, then right, etc. The comb (or fingers) guide the hair in the correct direction. You're supposed to do this with sections of hair that are 1-2 inches wide. This requires a barrel that is fairly long. Then you have to match the wave to the next section of hair. Instructions are for a right-handed person, so reverse if you are left-handed. <br/><br/>The last and longest chapter tells you how to apply the technique to creating a coiffure, once you have mastered it. Fifteen hairstyles are explained. They are all slight variations on a head full of waves but differ in where you part the hair, bangs, bobs, and some for evening wear. For each style, illustrations show you where to divide the hair in sections for waving, what direction the waves should go, and how to pull the style together. These styles are for hair no longer than just below the jaw, but you can also wave only the top and sides and pull the hair into an updo. There is one step in the technique that I still don't understand the purpose of, but the mystery of how to create Marcel waves has been cleared up for me. “Technique & Art of Marcel Waving” by William F. Zentler was originally published in 1923 to aid hairdressing students in mastering the skill of Marcel waving. The Marcel wave iron was invented by French hairstylist Francois Marcel (aka Marcel Grateau) in 1872 to create a side-to-side waving of the hair. Originally intended for longer, Victorian-era hair that would be pulled up, by the 1920s Marcel waving had become the height of fashion for bobbed and short hairstyles. This book has 4 chapters (74 pages) of history, instructions, and illustrations. The hairstyles are generally for hair that is just below the jaw line in length. It would be not be possible to do most of these styles on yourself, as you could only wave the sides of your own hair.

The first chapter offers a brief history of curly hair fashion up until the “modern” method of creating Marcel waves. The beginner might have more control using the old finger method to guide the hair instead of a comb, but you do risk burning your fingers. Chapter 2 introduces the implements you will need and how to handle them. You need a Marcel wave iron and a fine-tooth comb. Thankfully, we no longer have to “temper” the iron or heat it on a stove. A traditional curling iron might work, but I found that the barrel on mine was too short, and it didn’t get hot enough. A Marcel iron resembles a spring curling iron, but it clamps straight down (no spring), the handle can rotate, and it has no cool tip (watch out!). Like all professional curling irons, it has adjustable heat. Whichever iron you choose, the waves are supposed to be about the size of a silver half-dollar, which requires a 3/4-inch barrel.

Chapter 3 explains the waving technique in 6 easy steps. Maybe not so easy. It takes a lot of practice. Creating the ridges is easy enough, but getting the wave to look nice is the hard part. You use the curling/wave iron with the barrel on top, clamp on bottom, because you’re trying to create a ridge, not a smooth wave. Between the ridges, you want the hair to undulate to the left and then the right, then left, then right, etc. The comb (or fingers) guide the hair in the correct direction. You’re supposed to do this with sections of hair that are 1-2 inches wide. This requires a barrel that is fairly long. Then you have to match the wave to the next section of hair. Instructions are for a right-handed person, so reverse if you are left-handed.

The last and longest chapter tells you how to apply the technique to creating a coiffure, once you have mastered it. Fifteen hairstyles are explained. They are all slight variations on a head full of waves but differ in where you part the hair, bangs, bobs, and some for evening wear. For each style, illustrations show you where to divide the hair in sections for waving, what direction the waves should go, and how to pull the style together. These styles are for hair no longer than just below the jaw, but you can also wave only the top and sides and pull the hair into an updo. There is one step in the technique that I still don’t understand the purpose of, but the mystery of how to create Marcel waves has been cleared up for me.

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