In the world of Film Noir Bombshells, few of them make as big a physical impact as Ava Gardner in 'The Killers'. The film was one of her biggest hits and her sock-you-in-the-jaw beauty was undeniable. Though Rita Hayworth's signature waterfall waves in 'Gilda' remain my single most requested hairstyle of all time, Ava's natural curls, harnessed and worn long, definitely have their share of requests. I've been getting this request since I first started the D & D series but have shied away from it because of the difference in our hair texture. Ava's hair was probably styled in pin curls but her own natural curl takes the final look to a whole other level. My hair is stick straight and quite fine. It was a challenge but I decided to finally take a stab at it.
I started with towel dried hair (which turned out to be too wet) parted deeply on one side. Hair that is too wet will more than likely not be dry by morning, even if you're planning to sleep in your set of foam rollers. Longer hair makes this even more of an issue so it's best to start w/ dry hair and simply spray it damp w/ a water/setting lotion solution.
Next I rolled my growing bangs away from my face, using the smallest foam roller I could find. Then I rolled the two topmost sections on the heavy side of the part upwards, similar to the technique in my 'Rita Hayworth Inspired' tutorials. The rest of the hair was rolled tightly under, using medium sized rollers, leaving the crown flat.
The next morning as I unrolled,(and which was carefully edited out of the attached video) I realized that a large section of the curls had not dried. I therefore sprayed the ringlets that 'took' with a good hairspray and pinned up the damp section to 'fix'. I dried this section on my dryer's low setting and then rolled it in my smallest Hot Sticks, which lend a very similar curl to foam rollers (though not quite as sturdy). It worked perfectly, thank goodness, and I could continue w/ the style.
In order to keep the curls looking as natural as possible, it is important that the curls are not brushed too much.
Most of the time, brushing excessively is important to these vintage styles, but in this case I knew that more brushing would bring back my natural texture. Therefore I fluffed the texture as much as possible while brushing it out. I finalized the style by smoothing individual sections into waves but leaving the rest of the curls intact. A little hairspray was used for hold.
Video Tutorial:
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Film Synopsis: 'The Killers' (1946)
Starring: Burt Lancaster and Ava Gardner
Directed By: Robert Siodmak
When ex prizefighter 'Swede' Anderson is found murdered in his hotel room, investigator John Reardon is determined to get to the bottom of the case. Through a series of interviews, and in spite of his superior's opposition to the investigation, Reardon discovers that Anderson had picked up a lot of baggage recently. Not only does he have ties to an unsolved robbery but he also had criminal acquaintances through his gorgeous girlfriend, Kitty Collins. With the help of Lieutenant Lubinsky, an old friend of the Swede's, Reardon uncovers the treacherous trail that led to his death...a trail that continually seems to lead to Kitty herself.
Based on a story by Ernest Hemingway.
