Do the Hustle: 70s Style Revisited

Over the Christmas holidays, I was able to hit the theater to catch American Hustle, the story of con man Irving Rosenfeld  who became entangled in a world where mafia rule and political ambition intersect. Newly minted Golden Globe winner Amy Adams, who plays and Rosenfeld’s partner Sydney Prosser, has a vintage wardrobe that is nothing short of enviable, and it doesn’t stop there. Her locks embrace iconic 70s styling embracing everything from cascading pageant waves to tight curls, not to mention Jennifer Lawrence’s bouffant up-do (and that’s just the ladies–Christian Bale plays Rosenfeld, who’s insane comb-over has a story line all it’s own).

Costume designer Michael Wilkinson pulled slinky dresses with plunging necklines, original vintage Diane von Furstenberg wrap dresses, head-turning Halston blouses, Gucci bags and must-have oversized vintage Christian Dior sunglasses.

For Jennifer Lawrence’s character, Rosalyn, sports a memorable Retro Glam Updo as seen above. Here’s a how to from the team at Salon Capri on Newbury Street in Boston, where the majority of American Hustle was filmed (playing the part of Philadelphia)

1.          Apply a coat of  Kerastase Fibre Architect* to entire hair to start. Next, create a deep angled side part

2.          Curl entire head using a 1″ curling iron or flat iron, in 1″sections. Be sure to keep all curls tight and intact. Use hairspray to lock in the curls.

3.          Separate hair into 2 sections front to back. Spray another coat of hairspray for hold.

4.          Take a small portion of the front of the hair and apply another coat of Kerastase Fibre Architect* to smooth hair and minimize flyaways. This will create the swoop ‘bangs’ in the front.

5.          Take 2″ sections of hair and backcomb (tease) until desired volume. Take each section, twist & pin on the top of the head using bobby pins.

6.          Continue teasing, twisting and pinning each section until all hair is pinned up. Finish with another coat of hairspray for hold. (*Kerastase Fibre Architect is a strengthening serum conceals split ends and gives hair the sheen and softness. If you favor another similar product, go for it.)

Imitating some of these looks is absolutely doable as local consignment shops like Wish, Epoch and Closet Revival, plus those in Providence like Second Chance Around on Thayer. For example, I has spotted this amazing gold jumpsuit at Wish not too long ago that screamed “70s chic.” Half the fun is finding both authentic and vintage inspired pieces that you wouldn’t find anywhere else. Happy hunting~

photos: Annapurna Productions LLC/Columbia Pictures