Named for the looping stunts performed by fighter pilots, VIctory Rolls have become synonymous with 1940s glamour – and with the modern pin-up girl look that has its roots in the era.
Victory Rolls became popular during World War II because they served a practical purpose as well as looking chic. The war in Europe saw women engaged in manual labour in unprecedented numbers as they took up roles in factories, engine rooms and other traditionally male-dominated industries. The Victory Roll provided a glamorous way for them to keep their long hair and wear it practically and safely – even when paired with a headscarf or hat.
Cementing the notion of hair as a real wartime concern, even one of the era’s most glamorous icons, Veronica Lake, was forced to switch her trademark long wavy hair for the Victory Roll. She was recruited by the US Government to appear in a LIFE magazine feature demonstrating how she was now wearing her hair for the sake of safety, and encouraging other women in the workforce to do the same.