Big hair. Truly massive, gravity-defying hair. When we talk about 1960s hairstyles for long hair, people usually think of Brigitte Bardot’s messy blonde waves or those stiff, architectural beehives that looked like they could survive a hurricane. It wasn't just about length; it was about structural engineering.
If you had long hair in 1964, you weren't just brushing it and walking out the door. You were teasing it. You were backcombing until your arms ached. You were using enough hairspray to theoretically punch a hole in the ozone layer decades before we knew that was a thing.
The decade started with a carryover from the late 50s—very polished, very controlled. Think Jackie Kennedy. But as the British Invasion hit and the youth culture exploded, things got weirder and much more interesting. Long hair became a canvas for rebellion. By the end of the sixties, the "Ironed Hair" look was everywhere because, honestly, the kids were tired of the hairspray. They wanted to look like they’d just spent three days at Woodstock, even if they were actually just hanging out in a suburban basement in Ohio.
The Tease: How 1960s hairstyles for long hair defied gravity
The "Bouffant" is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the era. To get the height, you had to master the art of the "rat." No, not the rodent. A rat was a clump of hair—sometimes your own saved from a hairbrush, sometimes synthetic—placed under your real hair to create volume.
You’d section off the top, backcomb the living daylights out of the under-layer, and then smooth the top layer over it like a silk sheet over a messy bed. It looked effortless from a distance. Up close? It was a fortress.
The Beehive and the Art of the Updo
Margaret Vinci Heldt is the woman we have to thank (or blame) for the beehive. She created it in 1960 for Modern Beauty Shop magazine. It became the ultimate 1960s hairstyle for long hair because it required serious length to wrap around the conical shape. Celebrities like The Ronettes took this to the extreme. Their hair was often taller than their faces.
It wasn't comfortable. Women would sleep with silk scarves wrapped around their heads or even on satin pillowcases to make the style last for a week. Sometimes they’d use actual frozen juice cans as rollers to get that specific, wide-diameter curl at the ends. Imagine sleeping on metal cans. That's dedication to an aesthetic.
👉 See also: Finding the University of Arizona Address: It Is Not as Simple as You Think
The Flip and the Girly-Girl Aesthetic
Not everyone wanted to look like a soul singer or a French film star. The "Flip" was the more "approachable" version of 1960s hairstyles for long hair. It was polished. It was suburban. It was Mary Tyler Moore.
Basically, you’d have smooth, often teased-up hair at the crown, but the ends wouldn't curl under. They’d flick outward. It gave the face a wider, more youthful look. You’ve probably seen this recently on every red carpet because it’s incredibly easy to replicate with a modern curling iron, whereas the original required hours in jumbo rollers under a hooded dryer that sounded like a jet engine.
Why the half-up, half-down look changed everything
Brigitte Bardot is the patron saint of this specific vibe. It’s often called the "Choucroute" (sauerkraut) because of the tangled, piled-high texture.
- The Volume: Always at the crown.
- The Texture: Matte, never shiny.
- The Fringe: Heavy, curtain-style bangs that hit the cheekbones.
- The Length: Often falling past the shoulders in loose, "I just woke up like this" waves.
This was the bridge between the stiff 50s and the free-flowing 70s. It was sexy because it looked unfinished. It was the first time "messy" was considered high fashion.
The Hippie Influence and the Death of the Hairdryer
By 1968, the vibe shifted. Hard. The Vietnam War, the civil rights movement, and the counterculture changed how people wanted to present themselves. 1960s hairstyles for long hair went from being highly engineered to being almost aggressively natural.
Cher is the icon here. Her hair was dead straight, parted down the middle, and reached her waist. Women were literally using clothes irons—yes, the things you use for shirts—to flatten their hair. They’d lay their head on an ironing board while a friend carefully pressed the waves out. It’s incredibly dangerous and definitely ruined a lot of hair, but the "Ironed Hair" look was the ultimate symbol of being "anti-establishment."
✨ Don't miss: The Recipe With Boiled Eggs That Actually Makes Breakfast Interesting Again
Natural Texture and the Afro
We can't talk about the 60s without mentioning the shift toward natural hair in the Black community. For much of the early decade, long hair was chemically straightened or pressed to fit Eurocentric beauty standards. But the "Black is Beautiful" movement changed the trajectory of 1960s hairstyles for long hair forever.
The Afro became a political statement. It was about reclaiming natural texture. While many people think of the Afro as a 70s staple, it gained its cultural power in the late 60s. Icons like Marsha Hunt showed that "long hair" didn't have to mean "straight hair." It could be a halo of volume that grew out instead of down.
How to get the 1960s look without the 1960s damage
If you want to try these styles today, please don't reach for the clothes iron or the juice cans. Modern technology makes 1960s hairstyles for long hair much more attainable and way less crunchy.
First, you need a high-quality volumizing mousse. The 60s were built on a foundation of product. Apply it to damp hair and blow-dry upside down. This gives you that "lift" at the root without needing to backcomb so hard you break the hair shaft.
The modern backcombing technique
Don't just saw at your hair with a fine-tooth comb.
- Use a teasing brush (boar bristles are better).
- Take a two-inch section at the crown.
- Push the hair down toward the scalp in three clean strokes.
- Spray with a light-hold hairspray.
- Smooth the top with the side of the brush.
You'll get the height of a 1960s bouffant but you'll actually be able to brush it out at the end of the night without crying.
🔗 Read more: Finding the Right Words: Quotes About Sons That Actually Mean Something
The Bardot Bangs
If you're not ready to commit to a full beehive, the "curtain bangs" are your best bet. This is the most enduring element of 1960s hairstyles for long hair. Ask your stylist for bangs that are shorter in the middle and taper down to the jawline. When you style them, blow-dry them away from the face using a round brush. It opens up the eyes and gives you that effortless Parisian cool that dominated 1966.
Actionable Steps for Your 60s Transformation
To actually pull off a 1960s hairstyle for long hair today, focus on one "vintage" element rather than trying to look like a costume.
Invest in a "Bumpit" or a foam hair donut. These tools allow you to get the volume of a 1960s updo without the massive amounts of teasing that cause breakage.
Switch to a matte texture spray. The 60s look was rarely "glossy." It was soft and touchable (or at least it looked that way). A sea salt spray or a dry texture spray will give you that Bardot grit.
Master the Velcro roller. For the "Flip" or the volume at the crown, jumbo Velcro rollers are your best friend. Put them in while your hair is still warm from the dryer, let them sit for 20 minutes while you do your makeup, and then drop them.
Don't forget the accessories. Headbands—especially wide, fabric ones—were the ultimate shortcut for 1960s hairstyles for long hair. They hide a messy hairline and instantly scream "mod."
The 1960s were a decade of contradiction. It was stiff, then it was wild. It was artificial, then it was natural. By picking the elements that suit your hair type—whether that's the height of the beehive or the simplicity of the center part—you're tapping into a decade that fundamentally redefined what "long hair" could actually do.