Top Hairstyles Through the Decades You May Have Forgotten

As soft and ethereal as the early films this style was worn for, brushed out waves gave actresses, like Mary Pickford, a feminine silhouette.

A thin, sometimes jeweled, piece of fabric worn around the forehead, this style was dubbed the "headache band" — not exactly an appealing accessory nickname, but it looks so chic!

The total opposite of the era's fluffier looks, blunt bangs framed the face (and thin '20s brows) in the most literal way possible.

Sure, films were in black and white, but when the public heard that movie star Clara Bow dyed her hair red, henna sales skyrocketed.

One of the most famous wearers of the Eton crop, Josephine Baker rocked her stunning slicked-down style with a "kiss curl," a thin swirl of hair on her forehead intended to add a touch of femininity.

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A style that is still as stunning now as it was then, finger waves was a heavily styled look (shown here on actress Alice Day) that gave softness to sharp, crisp bob haircuts.

Here, Louise Brooks shows off her thin eyebrows, bee-stung lips, and chic angular bob cut with swooping ends that was so popular during the '20s and '30s.

Unlike the looser styles of the decade, many women, including Greta Garbo, preferred to pull their hair tight and low into a dramatic 'do.

A trend that has yet to go out of style, the deep side part was beloved by stars like Carole Lombard and millions of women alike.

Delicately shaped waves a la Marlene Dietrich took hold of trend lovers during the mid-1930s.

Similar to finger waves, the Marcel wave was a highly styled wave worn by the likes of Jean Harlow, among many other actresses. Hairdresser Marcel Grateau is often credited for inventing the technique, which involved using hot curling tongs to give hair deep, defined waves.

It may have taken wearers a long time to properly accomplish pin curls (each piece is literally twirled into a circle to set the curl), but wow, were they worth it.

Dorothy Lamour, among other actresses, touted a less curly style that had hair rolled into a neat silhouette.

Though she was known primarily for her iconic voice, Billie Holiday's stardom also popularized elegantly accenting hairstyles with flowers — specifically white gardenias.

Starring in her most famous role as Dorothy in 1939's wildly popular The Wizard of Oz, Judy Garland helped popularize the curly pigtail look.

Vivien Leigh's famous portrayal of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind featured a throwback Southern belle look with rolled-back hair.

Worn during World War II by women employed in factories, this headpiece, made of cloth or yarn, held women's hair away from their neck.

Not content to keep things basic, stars like Betty Grable brought pin curls and finger waves to the next level with bold blonde hair, red lipstick, and fun fashion.

With the femme fatale at the forefront of both fashion and cinema, stars like Veronica Lake ushered in sexy hairstyles that hid one eye for an air of mystery.

Delicate curls and waves brought softness to thick bangs and long bobs, like Barbara Stanwyck's.