How To Create 1940s Pompadour Or Similar Hairline Hair Bump

Hairstyles follow fashion and Tracy Reese's 2010 Runway Show displayed a messy, new-age version of a 1940s classic pompadour sure to show up on Red Carpets and fashion shoots in 2010.  The pompadour label has long been replaced by the 2009 hair bump tag.

(Image from 2009 Tracy Reese Fashion Runway Show - Hairstyle by Jeanie Siphu - All Rights Reserved).

Key hair stylist for the show, Jeanie Siphu told the fashion media she created the big hair masterpiece by laying a series of three different ponytails from the front of the hairline towards the back of head.

Although the front of the hair was airy and beautifully backcombed, from the crown down the hair was worn sleek and chic.  The bottom of the hairdo was finished off in a coiled knot or twist.  Although the new-age hair bump was a take-off of the 1940s pompadour the hairdo was messy.

In fact, in the October 19th episode (Episode 905) of 2009 Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) Lacey Schwimmer had a similar pompadour hairstyle similar to the hair bump shown off in the Tracey Reese show.

How To Copy The 2009 Messy Pompadour

This hairstyle is best re-created on medium to thick hair that is naturally straight or slightly wavy.

(Image of Lacey Schwimme with her dark brunette hair worn down and Mark Dacascos from Dancing With The Stars - ABC.com - All Rights Reserved)

If you prefer not to backcomb your hair you can clip-in one or two bangs which you have pre-teased and use them for the front bump.  Or you can pin the bangs under a layer of top hair.

Another option includes using a hair ratt.

Whether you call it a hair bump or a pompadour this hairstyle is best recreated on day old hair.  Why?  Squeaky clean hair is harder to control because it's too soft and hard to manage.

If you want to start with clean hair you will need to dress your tresses with either dry hair shampoo or other appropriate styling products to create workable texture.

Starting With Day Old Hair

1.  Prep hair by carefully detangling hair completely from the ends up to the roots.

2.  Brush hair up and back from the forehead.

3.  Apply dry shampoo and/or your favorite styling products to give hair texture and grip.  Distribute well.

(Image of Lacey Schwimmer and Mark Dacascos from Dancing With The Stars - ABC.com - All Rights Reserved)

4.  Create two equal sized parts extending from the hairline to the crown of the head on either side of the end of your eyebrows.  This should give you a chunk of hair in the middle between the two parts extending from the hairline back towards the crown.

5.  Brush the side hair on either side of the head underneath the newly created parts tightly back towards the back of the head.  Alternatively you can separate the side hair into three small sections on each side and create a tight three strand braid extending back to the crown.  This will "frame" the top pompadour hair and help create contrast.

Note: Use hairspray or styling cream to hold hair firmly against the sides of the head. If you wish to have a fringe, be sure to separate out a section for your fringe.

6.  Take the ends of the two side sections and either pull into a tight pony centered in the middle of the back of the head of pin.

Note: If hair is not long enough to extend all the way to the back of the head just make sure hair is tightly secured against the side.  Hold in place with little combs or bobby pins the same color as your natural hair.

7. Separate center hair between two side parts into three equal 2-3" wide vertical sections of hair which extend from part to part across the top of the head starting adjacent to the hairline near the forehead.

8. Starting with the last or third section of the three sections take a teasing comb or brush and tease the section as big and full as you desire.  When the section is backcombed to the height you desire spray well with firm holding volumizing hairspray.

(Image of Lacey Schwimmer and Mark Dacascos from Dancing With The Stars - ABC.com - All Rights Reserved)

9.  Use fingers to lightly smooth.  Repeat on the next two sections. 

10.  For supreme height, tuck a hair ratt in the same color as your hair at the base of the first, second and/or third teased sections.  Use fingers to smooth hair over the ratts back towards the crown and to push the teased sections up as high as possible. Carefully pin the ends down.  Of if you prefer, allow them to fly free like Lacey's hair in the images above.

11.  Spray well with firm holding hairspray.

12.  Wrap the remaining hair into a simple low nape twist, knot or bun.  If you prefer, you can pull the remaining hair up into a ponytail with a base positioned at the crown.  Wrap one strand of hair around the base.  Or let the hair fly free like Lacey Schwimmer.

13.  Use fingers to carefully shape the top bump or pompadour into the desired shape.  You might try a rounded shape or for a messier edge, pull a few strands up to give a more tousled look.

14.  Experiment with adding colored bobby pins or combs along the sides of the hairstyle go create an edgier look.

Alternative options: Use a thin elastic headband in the same color of the hair and position it behind the "hair bump" or pompadour area.  Use the headband to push the bump or teased hair up.  The headband will act as an anchor.

Instead of a hair ratt use clean rolled up tissues, paper towel holders or a pair of clean pantyhose in the same color as your hair, if possible, and place behind the teased hair sections. This will make the hair bump more prominent. Depending on how large you want the bump add more or less ratts, tissues, paper towel rolls or other inserts. If you wish this hairstyle with newly cleansed hair.

Starting With Clean Hair

1. Shampoo, dilute cleanse or Condition Only (CO) wash your tresses with products appropriate for your hair type, texture, length and current condition.

2. If appropriate, apply rinse out conditioner to strands focusing on dry or damaged strands.

3. Rinse well and finish with a cool/cold water rinse.

4. Towel blot hair to remove moisture.

5. Apply your normal mixture of leave-in styling cocktail including conditioners.

(Image of Lacey Schwimmer and Mark Dacascos from Dancing With The Stars - ABC.com - All Rights Reserved)

6. Detangle strands slowly from the ends of the hair to the roots. Work through one section at a time.

7. Apply a heat protectant spray and blow dry hair in 2-4" sections using a 100% boar bristle round brush and a diffuser attached to the blow dryer. Carefully wrap each section of hair around the brush and direct air flow up from the ends to the roots to blow up volume on the tresses and create an overall rounded shape.

8. Once hair is completely dry, dust lightly with a dry shampoo or spritz with volumizing hairspray, especially throughout the area where you will back comb or spritz with hairspray. This will give hair texture and make it easier to back comb.  9.  Complete Step 4 through Step 14 above to complete the pompadour/bump hairstyle.

More Information

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