The Middy Thread

[MissLaurieMarie]

When I took the diagram to my stylist, she had no clue as well. But when I showed her a photo of Retro Chick's middy after the cut when it was straight, she was able to do it no problem. So perhaps arm yourself with the diagram, photos of it styled and of it straight and let the pictures do the talking!

 

[FraeuleinBerlin]

I was wondering about that, but the problem is that my hair is definitely NOT straight, so I'm not sure how much it would help?? I could take it anyway, what do you think?

 

[C-dot]

I was wondering about that, but the problem is that my hair is definitely NOT straight, so I'm not sure how much it would help?? I could take it anyway, what do you think?

With a straight style, it helps the stylist to see what the layering looks like - Kind of like a blank slate. I would definitely take it along.

 

[ginfizz]

C-dot I understand it too, I just keep hearing people say how any stylist can follow the diagram which I just know isn't true.

FraeuleinBerlin-I would def. take a picture of a straight middy. No matter what your hair is it's just easier for stylists to see and understand the layers you're talking about.

 

[ginfizz]

Also don't forget the two tutorials on here if you just want to do it yourself. I personally would be nervous about trying to get such a particular cut from a hairdresser I didn't know.
There's the one C-dot did that you can do to yourself and then there's the one I did that you can have a friend do to you. You have curly hair so if there are some mistakes in there it'll be hard to notice to be honest.

 

[FraeuleinBerlin]

Hair. Appointment. Tomorrow.

 

[Tatum]

Yay Fraeulein!

I'm on for Tuesday. Mine's getting too darn long to set well, and it's taking forever to dry. I'm probably going to go for my usual long middy though, since we're going into winter.

 

[C-dot]

Mine is getting long and heavy too, but gosh darn it, I'm not gonna cut it. I'm going to have long Dita princess hair if I hafta die tryin'.

 

[HarrietVane]

Hullo, I'm new here. I've been drooling over 40's dos for ages, specifically the classic Bacall locks from The Big Sleep. What I'm wondering is, is it permitted to have a middy with no bangs? Or can you get away with very very long bangs? When I had bangs, my hair tended to sproing into big curls in the middle and wings on the sides, and I really don't want to wrestle with that again.

 

[C-dot]

Hullo, I'm new here. I've been drooling over 40's dos for ages, specifically the classic Bacall locks from The Big Sleep. What I'm wondering is, is it permitted to have a middy with no bangs? Or can you get away with very very long bangs? When I had bangs, my hair tended to sproing into big curls in the middle and wings on the sides, and I really don't want to wrestle with that again.

Sure it's permitted! Turudich's 1940's Hairstyles (aka The Middy Bible) even does a page on that style. I'll pull the page and post it in a few.

ETA: Here it is. She still has the top section of hair cut exactly as in the diagram, but its much longer. She also has slightly less layering.

 

[rue]

^ That's exactly what I want my hair to do! Thanks C-dot

 

[C-dot]

^ That's exactly what I want my hair to do! Thanks C-dot

Anytime! I can get a shorter-top hair-more-layers version of that look with those instructions.

 

[HarrietVane]

Perfect. Thank you so much, that's just what I wanted.

So by top hair I'm assuming they mean the top layers that aren't directly framing the face, yes? And then the back is just done loosely. Sorry, I'm trying to draw a mental curling diagram in my head.

 

[rue]

Anytime! I can get a shorter-top hair-more-layers version of that look with those instructions.

I have the hardest time with the short layers, so I was thinking this might help. We shall see....

 

[C-dot]

Perfect. Thank you so much, that's just what I wanted.

So by top hair I'm assuming they mean the top layers that aren't directly framing the face, yes? And then the back is just done loosely. Sorry, I'm trying to draw a mental curling diagram in my head.

Not a problem. By top hair, she means the section directly on top of your head that extends backward from the arches of your eyebrows to the back of the head. Check out my tutorial or Turudich's diagram to get a visual.

I have the hardest time with the short layers, so I was thinking this might help. We shall see....

I hope so! With the real short layers, I cop out and use the flatiron

 

[rue]

Oh for shame! lol

 

[Danielle C]

Tomorrow i'm braving it and getting a middy and a perm, both in the same day! Does anyone know which type of perm i should get that wouldn't be too curly and allow me to still style the middy in my sponge rollers? (which i do now.) i want it really just to help hold the curl. Does anyone have a middy and perm?

 

[C-dot]

Tomorrow i'm braving it and getting a middy and a perm, both in the same day! Does anyone know which type of perm i should get that wouldn't be too curly and allow me to still style the middy in my sponge rollers? (which i do now.) i want it really just to help hold the curl. Does anyone have a middy and perm?

I had a tight permanent done about 6 years ago to help hold a curl, and it was fine with large rollers to create big curls. The only problem was that I absolutely had to set it, or it would look and feel terrible, and once it hit the humidity, it frizzed right up.

My suggestion: go for either a loose permanent, or more ideally, a body wave. That way it will give your hair just enough elasticity to hold your sets, but it won't look awful if you can't set it or the weather kills it.

 

[Danielle C]

I think I'll ask for a body wave, bearing in mind it's my first perm and it's just to help hold my set really. Thankyou for the advice, you know your stuff

 

[zombi]

AH! That picture + instructions of Bacall's hair is perfect! This is exactly the style I love most and wish to achieve for myself. I'll keep trying and I'll use these instructions next time! Thanks so much for posting it.