How to Do Victory Rolls & Gibson Rolls For a Classic Vintage Updo

7 Materials
$10
30 Minutes
Easy

Do you love vintage hairstyles as much as I do? If you answered yes, then follow along to learn how to make a victory and Gibson roll updo yourself. This is such a classic vintage look. Let’s begin!

Tools and materials:

  • Teasing brush
  • Hair elastic
  • Hairspray
  • Chignon or roll form
  • Bobby pins
  • Pomade or hair wax
  • Nourishing cream or hair oil
Brushing hair with nourishing cream or oil

1. Tame your hair

Start by brushing out your hair well.


If you have frizzy hair, which is especially common if you color your hair, then this is a good time to nourish it by applying a good nourishing cream. If you don’t have nourishing cream, you can use Moroccan oil or argan oil instead.


Start applying it at the ends of your hair and then work your way up, just using the leftover on your hands to smooth over the top of your hair. 

Taking a U-shaped section of hair at the front

2. Make victory rolls

Section off a U-shaped section of hair from the top front of your head. 

Pinning the section of hair out of the way

Twist and pin that section to keep it out of the way.

How to start a victory roll hairstyle

Start your first victory roll on the side of your head opposite where the really big roll will be. Section the hair off on that side from the front of your ear to the back of your part.

Teasing the section of hair

Then, one section at a time in that section, tease your hair from about three-quarters of the way down the strand up to the top head. Always tease in one direction only. Going back and forth will damage your hair.

Spritzing the teased hair with hairspray

Once the whole section has been teased, spritz it with hairspray to give it some hold.

Smoothing the section with a teasing brush

Then use your teasing brush to smooth out the section.

Smoothing pomade or wax onto hair

Apply some pomade or hair wax by rubbing it between your hands and then smoothing it onto your hair.

How to do victory rolls

Make your first roll by holding the section out from your head at an angle and then wrapping the end of your hair section around two fingers.


Then, use your fingers on the other hand to roll it all the way down to the base of your hair. Keep the ends tucked inside the roll.

Cupping and pinning the victory roll

Cup the roll with one hand while you pin it to your head at the base of the curl with your other hand. If the roll seems to be coming away from your head, use another pin a bit farther up the roll.

Victory roll

When you are done you should be able to see into the roll from the front, but not see all the way through and out the back.

Smoothing the victory roll with a hand

Apply hairspray to the roll and smooth it over with your hands.

Creating a second victory roll in the middle section

Repeat the same process with the top middle section of hair so that the open front of both rolls almost touch.

Creating a fake victory rolls on the other side

Make another roll on the other side of your head, but this time, you can fake the roll. Instead of actually rolling up your hair you can just lay it in place behind the top roll to look like it’s rolled. Try to mimic the size and shape of the first roll you made.


Finally, while holding onto the pins in that fake roll, brush the ends into the rest of your hair at the back of your head so it’s integrated.

Lifting the roots with a teasing brush

Spray the front one again and smooth the top. If you need a bit more volume, use the end of your teasing brush to gently lift the rolls.

Securing hair with a hair elastic

3. Make the Gibson roll

Gather your hair at the back of your head and secure it with a hair elastic at the bottom.

Creating the Gibson roll

For rolling, you can use either a chignon or a special roll form. A chignon will work better if you have thin hair, but mine is thick so I’m using the roll form.


Bring the end of your hair through the hole in the roll form.

How to do a Gibson roll

Roll up your hair and the form to the base of your hair.

Gibson roll hairstyle

Mold the roll form to the curve of your head. Then adjust the hair on the roll to cover the form completely and pin the roll, on the form, to your head.

Pinning the back roll sticking out

If you notice any of the back roll sticking out in the front view, just pin it back out of view with a bobby pin.

Victory rolls at the front


Gibson roll at the back

Victory & Gibson rolls tutorial

I added one big flower at one end of the back roll, but you could also choose to line the whole back roll with flowers!


Did you know that this hairstyle made a bit of a resurgence in the 21st century? That means you don’t actually have to wait for a 40s-themed party to wear it.


Leave a comment to let me know how your victory and Gibson rolls turned out.

Suggested materials:
  • Teasing brush
  • Hair elastic
  • Hairspray
See all materials

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