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

What hairstyle do you think of if I say “Picture an early 1960s hairstyle”?

The answer can be different for everyone.

There are 2 different sides to hairstyles in the early 60s. One side is the teased-within-an-inch-of-its-life bouffant and the other is the cut-well-with-layers-but-decidedly-unhairsprayed coiffure.

But don’t let this effortless look fool you. These hairstyles all still needed one key ingredient… the right haircut. Without the haircut, none of these styles look like this.

Hairstylist Victor Vito wrote in his book, Top Secrets of Hair Styling, differentiating these two types of hairstyles as static hairstyles vs. mobile hairstyles.

He wrote, “The hairdos I have introduced which I call ‘mobiles’…Women have learned the difference between mobile and static hairdos. Mobiles are young, practical, and becoming to a wide variety of faces and hair types. Static hairdos are those that cannot move, that must lie still and be perfectly groomed to look their best.. Mobiles can bounce around, be blown by the wind or by physical activity, yet fall back into their original lines and contours, retaining their attractiveness at all times.”

In all of the images in this blog post, I’m spotlighting famous young women who embody, what I think of as, early-60s cool; heavily influenced by the ease of Beatnik style mixed with feminine fashion. You’ll notice that most of these hairstyles represent this idea of the mobile hairstyle. The images are all taken circa 1960, 1961, and 1962 (Maybe a 1959 as well).

• My 1961 Experience (I wasn’t born yet)
• Short Styles circa 1961
• Pinning up Beatnik Hair
• Medium Hair Length
• Long Beatnik Locks

My inspiration for 1961

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.

Astrid Kirchnerr: Boyish Pixie

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.

Kim Novak: Windblown Curls

For me, Kim Novak was the ideal blonde beauty. In movies and in publicity shots, she was usually very well brushed and hairsprayed, but in candid life shots there was a version of her like this photo. Yes… Her hair had been rollered (that’s not a word), but the curls are loose unkempt.

You might also like: Both Vintage and Contemporary… This Perfect 1960s Haircut

Before we get into medium and long hairstyles, I wanted to show you some pinned back hairstyles. These can all be done on both medium and long hair. Many of them have the signature height we have come to expect from a 1960s hairstyle.

Diahann Carroll: Simple Pouf

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

You might also like: Bouffant Shape & Style Hair Padding Kit in tons of hair colors

Jean Shrimpton: Better than a Top Knot

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.

Sandra Dee: Swept Back Curls

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

Jane Fonda: Windblown Pouf

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

Monica Vitti: Choppy Layered Bob

Usually Monica Viti appears as a blonde, but for this movie she wore a dark wig. As a French actress though, her hairstyle was never overdone looking.

Rita Moreno: Halo of Curls

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

You might also like: Winged Eyeliner – Two-toned for Fun

Natalie Wood: Layered Flip

The way Natalie Wood’s hair moves in the wind in this photo 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.

You might also like: A perfect bob haircut and style can offer many looks for you when you are styling your hair vintage. 

Sophia Loren: Face Layers and Curls

This look on Sophia Loren has lots of layers around the face and light curling from large rollers. This shift from heavily curled layers to layers with movement was a gradual shift that started in the mid-1950s.

Brigitte Bardot: Sauerkraut Height

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.

Barbra Streisand: Easy layers

Barbra Streisand is a style icon to me in her early 1960s looks. Her hair was always so chic.

I have to also just give Barbra Streisand extra props for her makeup. Her eyeshadow and eyeliner style she wore around this time is one of my favorite 1960s makeup looks. The exaggerated lines of the wing liner and the graphic eyeshadow are superb.

Ursula Andress: Long and curled

Made famous by her bond girl appearance in Dr. No, Ursula Andress always looked like she never tried, but the little flip at the ends of her hair say something different. And I love the high placement of her barrette. Here’s some like it on Amazon.

Disclosure: Bear in mind that some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I may earn a commission.