How to Dress Up Rockabilly: 13 Steps (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Rockabilly was originally a 1950s music genre that mixed rock'n'roll and so-called hillbilly, or country, music. Different styles are incorporated under the name of rockabilly: Greaser, Swinger and Western. Whether you want to embrace this kind of music and culture or just experiment with this look for a weekend, read on to find out all there is to know about it.

Steps

Method 1 of 2: Male Rockabilly Style

Step 1. Get your wardrobe essentials

It is not necessary to have a lot of clothes or a lot of money to create a rockabilly style wardrobe. The look is very typical of the American working class, with some hints of the chic swing style.

• Inspired by the style of Dickies, a clothing brand well representative of rockabilly. This clothing line offers basic pieces that reflect the aesthetic of the style. The classic rockabilly trousers, black and work, are the model called Dickies Original 874.
• Don't forget the denim. Dark cigarette jeans (not skinny) are equally inevitable in the wardrobe. Make sure you buy them a few inches longer than necessary so that you can make the cuff.
• Buy some t-shirts. Always be on the safe side when wearing a light white T-shirt with rolled up sleeves and tucked hem in pants. It's essential for a Greaser-style rockabilly look. Shop for work tops and cowboy shirts to add to your wardrobe.

Step 2. Get at least one men's suit

For the most elegant occasions, choose one to show off the rockabilly style with class. Make sure the jacket has a thin collar, at least two buttons and a high waist. A shark skin suit is sure to attract attention due to the shiny effect, but a good quality one won't be very cheap. Search thrift and vintage stores to find a classic one - if it's in good condition, it looks good on you or you can easily modify it, don't miss it. Cowboy suits are equally good for adding variety to your wardrobe, and are readily available online and in specialty stores.

Step 3. Complete the look with a jacket

There are various types, and all of them contribute to perfecting and making a rockabilly look more authentic. Each jacket sends a slightly different style message, so think about it and decide which look is right for you.

• Jacket with a side letter. Remember that scene from Grease where Danny gives his jacket to Sandy? For a slightly preppy rockabilly look, choose this type of jacket. You can find it around: flea markets, vintage or second-hand shops. It suggests the classic style of a student going to college.
• Leather biker jacket: another undisputed classic, indispensable for creating a Greaser look. Buy a new one, or take a tour of second-hand shops to find a used, lived-in but solid one.

Step 4. Try to wear tweed jackets

Thanks to this piece of clothing, you will have a casual air. Go for those with knitted cuffs, collar and bottom hem. Search thrift and vintage stores to find one at a reasonable price.

• Work jacket. Wear it to work on your sports car, or to give the idea that this is your main hobby. Dark blue, black, gray and olive green are classic colors, but they are not the only ones. If you really want to have an old school look, find a jacket that has a name patch or add it yourself.
• Cowboy jacket. This type of garment gives a touch of sparkle to the look. It has a slightly fitted cut, with a decorated chest, mother-of-pearl buttons and decorative stitching.

Step 5. Refine the look with shoes and accessories

They are very important pieces to actually complement this style, making it clear and solid.

• You can't not have a pair of boots. Work or motorcycle ones are great for this look. If you have decided to go for a Swinger style, choose dress shoes or Oxford. Do you love being trendy? Buy a couple of Creepers. These high, thick soled shoes are described as bulky and chic as a brick. They have origins that date back to the punk music scene, but fit well in a rockabilly wardrobe, especially those featuring tartan, polka dot or flame print. You shouldn't have any problems finding them: for a few years now, they have been quite fashionable.
• Add the right accessories to complete the look. Wear a thin tie decorated with a tie clip or tie rod when putting on a suit, and consider a pair of cufflinks (such as those in the shape of dice, sports car, or playing cards). Buddy Holly-style glasses (buy those with non-prescription lenses if you have perfect eyesight) can give a more interesting touch to the look, and nothing enriches a plain t-shirt more than a pack of cigarettes tucked into a rolled up sleeve.

Step 6. Comb your hair the right way

Perhaps the most popular men's hairdo in the 1950s was the Pompadour one, and today it is certainly good for the rockabilly style. When this hairstyle became popular, men used grease to fix their hair and achieve a wet look, which is why they were given the nickname "Greaser" (from grease, "grease").

• Create a pompadour hairstyle. GQ describes it as follows: “hair shaved to the side and back, while on the top of the head it is long enough to be styled and combed back. The final result? It must look like they've been lifted by a mighty gust of wind!.

  • To make the pompadour, make sure your hair is cut right: short sideways and back. The hair on the top of the head is shorter in the back, and lengthens towards the front of the head.
  • Rub a dab of gel or wax between your hands to warm the product, and grease the sides and back of the hair. Comb the side areas backwards and the back area downwards. Make sure that the hair is as close to the scalp as possible.
  • Heat another knob of wax and apply it to the top of the hair. Make a side parting by combing this section diagonally: start from the back and work towards the front. Turn this area back and lift it up to gain some height.

  Method 2 of 2: Feminine Rockabilly Style

  

  Step 1. Get your wardrobe essentials

  Rockabilly girls have a sexy but sweet look. They mix purely feminine pieces with clothes that seem to have been borrowed from their boyfriend's closet.

  • It also shows a few more inches of skin. Wear a classic halter-neck top or dress (avoid those that have thin straps) - these garments tie at the nape of the neck. Those with double straps, sweetheart necklines or with ruffles on the bust also work well. You can find vintage versions in thrift stores. Those you see in classic shops have a more jaunty touch: they have tropical prints, or with cherries or skulls. They are great for showing off and softening the look of tattooed skin at the same time.
  • Prefer the high waist. Pencil skirts and high-waisted ankle-length pants have a retro, rockabilly feel, especially when paired with a sleek, masculine-style shirt with sleeves rolled up and tied at the belly.
  • Add a bon ton touch to the look. A romantic full skirt offers a hint of versatility to a rockabilly wardrobe. The 1950s-style wrap dress is a must-have for dancing: the skirt will flow with every step and turn, creating a splendid scenographic effect. To appeal to a rockabilly guy, opt for a sweetheart neckline dress that has a nice full skirt, a fitted, belted waist, and slightly puffy sleeves that reach to the elbow. However, you need to be careful: avoid skirts with a poodle print, otherwise it will seem that you have put on a costume, not that you are embracing an alternative style.

  

  Step 2. Complete the look with shoes and accessories

  Stay on the same style line, but add a personal touch to the look with these pieces. The timeless ones will come in handy, so it will be easy to find them and you will have a lot of choice.

  

  Step 3. Choose the right shoes

  Shiny black or red Mary Jane shoes, both low and high heels, go well with almost any feminine rockabilly look. For a more preppy or casual style, go for loafers, saddle shoes (with or without knee socks) or a pair of Converse.

  

  Step 4. Define the look in detail

  Consider tattoo-effect necklaces, leopard or houndstooth bags, discreet and classic hair bands and earrings. You can enhance this sexy but sweet looking look by adding a flower in your hair - go for a red rose or a large, colorful flower, paired with the rest of the outfit.

  

  Step 5. Choose the right hairstyle

  If you decide to create a classic rockabilly hairstyle, you have two options: strictly stick to the classic look or slightly modernize it; in the latter case, you will follow the style, but you will soften it and use lighter styling products.

  • Try the feminine version of the Pompadour. While this hairstyle is usually associated with men, don't forget that it was named in honor of a woman: Madame de Pompadour. If you have longer hair, pull it into a high ponytail and twist it around a wide-wanded curling iron for about 30 seconds to create a spiral. Then, back the front tuft. Secure the ends with a bobby pin near the ponytail elastic to add height to the hair. You can also make the hairstyle by styling only the front tuft and decorating with a flower-shaped hair clip to complete the look. If you have short hair, you can create a masculine pompadour (read the instructions in the section dedicated to men), or make curls that resemble those of Rizzo, in Grease.
  • Try a forties style. Among rockabilly lovers, the hairstyles of those years are more widespread than those of the 1950s. Betty Page's curly victory rolls are seen everywhere at concerts and rockabilly events.

  

  Step 6. Put on makeup to perfect the look

  The rockabilly style is characterized by different types of make-up, so applying it in the right way is essential for an authentic look.

  

  Step 7. Create a clean base

  Use a liquid or cream foundation to even out the complexion, and apply a thin layer of powder to set it. Spread the blush sparingly on the cheekbones, not the cheeks.

  • Create cat eye makeup. This look defines a rockabilly girl's make-up. The process of doing this seems a bit difficult at first, and the steps are different, but with practice you will get better and faster. Alternatively, you could shorten the process for a modified version of the look.

    • Gently pull the eyelid upwards and outline the inner rim of the eye with a water-resistant black pencil. Make more than one pass in both the upper and lower inner lines. Next, create a line at the lashline as well. Blend the color with an angled brush.
    • With a black pen eyeliner, make four lines evenly spaced along the line of the pencil at the junction of the upper lashes; join them.
    • Close your eye and use your finger to blend the product up to the outer crease, going further. When you touch the eye bone, mark this area with a dot of liquid eyeliner. Place the tip of the pen eyeliner on the dot and drag it towards the outer corner of the eye, thickening the line as you go. In this way, you create the typical cat makeup tail.
    • Once the eyeliner has dried, dab a cream or liquid tinted eyeshadow on the eyelid. Use a metallic one on the area that is exactly above the line and the inner corner. This product makes the look more modern, and its formulation resists heat well.
    • Finish with two coats of black mascara or a pair of false lashes.
  • Become the lady in red. Contour the lips using a red pencil. To avoid making the makeup look unmodern, use the pencil only to define the Cupid's bow and the central part of the lower lip. Apply a bright red lipstick with a (cool) blue undertone and a matte finish.

  Advice

  • Shop at second hand and thrift stores, flea markets and vintage auctions. It's the best way to find real rockabilly goodies.
  • Talk to someone who has experienced rockabilly firsthand, perhaps in the United States. Pop into the library to find books on the era, and browse specialized websites. Try to get a general idea of the look. Pay attention to how the clothes were worn and the hair styled.
  • Here are some male icons of this style: Elvis Presley, James Dean, Chris Isaak, Lyle Lovett, Stray Cats. There are others too.

  • If you have the opportunity to speak in English, make rockabilly slang yours too. Here are some suggestions, followed by their translations:

    • Cat - a fashionable person.
    • Ginchiest: the coolest.
    • Long green: money.
    • Dolly: beautiful girl.
    • Radioactive: cool.
    • Threads: clothes.
    • Peepers: glasses.
  • If you can, go to concerts and other such events to learn more about the style, and visit the vintage clothing stalls. These are all useful ways to inspire you to create looks.
  • Here are some female style icons: Rosie the Riveter, Rizzo and Cha Cha Di Gregorio, in Grease, Heather Graham in Swingers, Kat Von D, Gwen Stefani, Amy Winehouse. There are many others.
  • You can find handmade and vintage accessories online. Try sites like Etsy, which has shops like Bustling Blossoms - it features hair bands with flowers, clips, bobby pins, and other unique hair accessories.
  • Listen to rock'n'roll (rockabilly) music: Buddy Holly, Elvis, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Gene Vincent, Charlie Feathers and Jumpin 'Gene Simmons.