Late Beatnik Cool (and their hairstyles) of the early 1960s

What hairstyle do you think of if I say “Picture a 1960 hairstyle”?

I know that answer is giant.

In all of the images in this blog post, these famous young women embody, what I think of as, early-60s cool; heavily influenced by the ease of Beatnik style mixed with feminine fashion.

I have the early 1960s on the brain for many reasons. For one, a few years ago, my beau and I bought our dream home, a midcentury modern ranch built in 1961, trapezoid windows and all.

Then Better Homes and Gardens released a new printing of their interior design book of 1961. I have one and it sits proudly on my coffee table.

The final piece to my current 1961 vortex I seem to be existing in is this haircut booklet I picked up on Etsy, written in…you guessed it…1961.

I thought I would get everyone else’s brains thinking about the early 1960s by sharing some pictures of cool women taken circa 1960, 1961, and 1962 (Maybe a 1959 as well).

Jean Shrimpton

I really love the chic effortlessness that the women in all of these images exude. Their hair isn’t overdone. Their makeup isn’t overdone. They are stars, but they have styled themselves as if it is just any old day.

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Diahann Carroll

The pouf in this photograph of Diahann Carroll is an easy way to accomplish the decade’s look.

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Sophia Loren

Sandra Dee

The pinned back look of this hairstyle on Sandra Dee is simple and elegant and perfect for when you have no time.

Rita Moreno

Rita Moreno looks effortless in this image. Eyebrows, eyeliner, mascara, lipstick… done. That’s all the makeup you need.

Astrid Kirchnerr

You might be unfamiliar with photographer Astrid Kirchnerr. She is known most for her association with the Beatles. I would not call her hairstyles effortless, but definitely low effort. For her great looks, it’s all about the hair cut.

Brigitte Bardot

Is it the wind blown look that makes this so great? Brigitte Bardot always looked like she didn’t have time to give her hair a thorough brush and I can’t get enough of it.

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Jane Fonda

Another simple pin backed hairstyle from a young Jane Fonda… There is an airy feel to the style with its flyaways and full bangs.

Kim Novak

Barbra Streisand

Barbra Streisand is a style icon to me in her early 1960s looks. She always did such a beautiful job with her exaggerated eyeshadow and eyeliner. And her hair was always so chic.

Monica Vitti

Natalie Wood

I’ll end this blog post with this photo of Natalie Wood. The way her hair blows in the wind perfectly is a testament to the lack of hairspray she is wearing. The variety of hairstyles at the time were so vast. She again looks like there was no effort to this beauty, but the perfect flips of curls give the hairstyling work away.