There’s something effortlessly elegant about a well-crafted braid—this timeless hairstyle is both practical and stylish, with none more refined than the 1930s braid.
A glance at 1930s photographs reveals a treasure trove of braided inspiration—particularly the Coronet or Crown Braid, a stunning style that’s perfect for winter (or any season, really!).
In this post, we’ll explore some of the most beautiful vintage images showcasing this classic 1930s braid. Let’s dive in!
Why this topic? The term Winter Hair Braid has been trending on Pinterest, which inspired me to take a deep dive into vintage 1930s braided hairstyles.
The Coronet / Crown Braid
According to Perc and Ern Westmore – Max Factor Studio Makeup Experts:
“Braids and cluster curls are the two most important features of the latest 1930s hairstyles. They give you that irresistible quality called “chic.” Bette Davis claims that the detachable braid, is “the greatest invention since the lipstick!”(Source).
Source: Glamourdaze.com
Coronet Braid
A “coronet braid” is essentially a crown braid, meaning it’s a braid that is woven around the head like a crown, sitting close to the hairline, often achieved using a Dutch braid technique to create a raised, prominent look; it’s a hairstyle where the braid wraps around the head like a crown, keeping hair off the face and neck. It could be detachable as seen above or using your own hair (if long enough).
The 1940s carried on this trend with rope braids—also known by that name—which proved especially practical for wartime work. Today’s post is all about the 1930s look though (that post will be coming in the future).
1930s Hairstyles-Coronet Braids (detachable) advertisement. “The latest vogue in hairdressing. Made of the finest quality hair and workmanship”.
Source: Pinterest
Vintage hairstyle inspiration as seen in yearbooks & others sources from the 1930s
Why vintage yearbooks? They seemed to have the best collection of inspiration. Maybe it was because this trend really look off with the younger crowd of women, instead of older? Not sure but here are the fantastic photos.
Liz note: Thru my research, I have discovered that it looks like braids did not make an appearance in popularity until 1934, I saw no signs of of this hairstyle in any of the yearbook photos I looked at. Can any vintage hairstyle historians confirm this?
1934 Saint Mary’s School, Stagecoach yearbook of Mary Denison Hope, “Polly”. She was a senior who’s yearbook photo said, “Poetry – white cloudlets – Dresden china – pale green“.
Further Reading: ‘The Stagecoach – 1930’. A Vintage Yearbook, The Likes Of Which Has Never Been Seen Before
Source: digitalnc.org
A coronet braid worn by college freshman Sara Kelly Lillard in 1936, as featured in the Coronet yearbook from Queens University of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Source: digitalnc.org
Another yearbook photo from the Coronet yearbook of 1936 this time featuring a pretty Sophomore with glasses and her lovely headband braid.
Source: digitalnc.org
Dorothy Lamour 1936 with a beautiful wave at the front of her braided hair. Stunning!
Knitting pattern booklet from Worth’s, dated 1936. The patterns are designed in collaboration with Mary Widdecke and throughout the booklet, are modeled by screen stars Virginia Bruce, Maureen O’Sullivan, Cecilia Parker, Virginia Grey, Lorna Lowe, Claire Myers, and Wanda Perry.
Our pretty brunette is wearing a coronet braid with a chignon at the back of the head (does anyone know who the actress is?).
Avail in PDF format on Etsy HERE.
Source: Etsy-TangledSundries
Disclosure: Some of the links on my blog from Etsy , eBay are Affiliate Links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Meet Katherine Nooe Knox, a Spanish, French, and Latin teacher at Mitchell Community College in Statesville, NC (as seen in the 1938 Circle yearbook). She studied at the Sorbonne University in France—what an elegant photo, complete with a coronet braid to match!
Source: digitalnc.org
1939 Yearbook, ‘The Teacoan’ from East Carolina University. Junior yearbook photo of Dorothy Reed Miller sporting a tight crown braid.
Source: digitalnc.org
In this 1939 Teacoan yearbook, I saw several young women wearing the below braid style. It appears to be a small double row braid right at the top of the head towards the front with low curls. A mini coronet braid.
Source: digitalnc.org
Style your braid with a pretty hair pin like we see on this young 1930s woman.
Would you like a coronet braid tutorial? I found an easy one on TikTok that you can try out (I really like this creator).
Lastly, Gingers Rogers in 1935’s Top Hat has a stunning hairstyle that looks like a coronet braid but is actually a crown twist. I wanted to share it in this post, because you could easily achieve this same look as a braid as seen above.
Shopping: Looking for a detachable braid to try out this hairstyle? Amazon has lots on their website and they come in all colours and sizes.
I hope you enjoyed this fun post that maybe inspired you for your own look this winter or any season you chose. Please share any thoughts you have on this topic in the comments section below. I love hearing from my readers.
Further Reading: Vintage Hairstyles 1920s-1960s (Archived blog posts)
Thanks for dropping by!
Liz
