As with any up-do, day-old hair is best (that is, hair that you washed the day before, but not today). That’s because the natural oils in your hair give it more grip so it won’t slip out of your hairclips. Unfortunately, this hairdo will not work if you do not have very long hair (at least halfway down your back). You can modify it a bit for slightly shorter hair.
Smooth your hair with a brush on the top and bottom.
Smooth it by pulling gently on the hair from mid shaft to the ends, but don’t smooth the hair right around your scalp or you will lose some of the volume. [2] X Research source
The farther away from the scalp you secure it, the higher your poof will be, so choose where you’d like to place it based on how much size and volume you’d like in the final look.
You can use a hairbrush to ensure that the back section is smooth, and add volumizing spray, hair spray, or texturizing spray to this section for added volume.
It is important to hold the rest of your hair in place while twisting the bun, to maintain the poofiness of the hair style. Otherwise your bun will pull all the poof out of the surrounding hair. Twist the length of your hair into a small, tight bun, and press the whole thing down onto your scalp. [5] X Research source
You may need lots of pins, depending on the thickness of your hair. It is always better to use more pins than you need than not enough, or your hair style will fall out.
If you like, you can carefully pull out a few small tendrils or curls around your face or ears. For added Victorian elegance, take a small-barreled curling iron and give these pieces extra curl. Spray generously with your favorite hairspray to hold the style all day.
A volumizing shampoo and conditioner is a great option for fine hair, but you can also try a clarifying shampoo (which removes all the product buildup on your hair) and no conditioner. That will help ensure your hair is less slippery from product while giving it more natural volume. If you have naturally straight hair, add a texturizing spray or mousse to your hair while it is damp, distributing it evenly. For naturally wavy or curly hair, apply a volumizing mousse or spray to damp hair, then blow dry using a diffuser with your head upside down until it is completely dry.
After applying a volumizing mousse, let your hair dry naturally or put it into curlers and let it dry overnight. If you didn’t put it in curlers, once it is dry curl it using a medium barrel curling iron, and a small amount of medium hold hair spray after each curl. After your hair is curled all over, brush it out all over using your fingers or a wide-toothed comb. You should have very poofy hair at this point, perfect for starting your Gibson Girl style. If you do have curly hair, brush your curls to make them fluffy and frizzy, giving more volume all over.
You can purchase hair pieces at most beauty supply stores, or get a cheap wig from a big box store in your hair color. Roll it up and stick it on the top of your head when you part your hair down the middle. [7] X Research source
Curl your hair using rag curlers for an authentic experience! You don’t need any special equipment except for an old t-shirt or other cotton material.
Hair pins are not the same as bobby pins, and while you may have trouble finding vintage hair pins, you can purchase similar items at most beauty supply stores. They are often very ornate on one end and very sharp on the other.
If you want to be truly authentic, save the hair from your hairbrush and tangle it together to create a “rat” of hair. This natural hair is placed inside your hair poof or bun to give it more volume, in a shade and texture that exactly matches your hair. The more you save, the more volume you will build! Victorian and Edwardian-era women saved their hair rats for years to create their iconic voluminous styles. [8] X Research source
