A vintage up do at The Painted Lady, Shoreditch

A vintage updo is a sure-fire way to sweep away the gloom of January and the post festive blues that seem to be casting a shadow over London. Shoreditch is the place to go, with new shopping mall BOXFRESH up and running and plenty of quirky shops, cafes, exhibitions, and salons; it is heaven.

On Saturday morning I paid the east a visit. The Painted Lady on Redchurch Street was my destination, a vintage hairstyle makeover my objective. I went to see Belinda Hay who started the salon two years ago - it is flourishing. It is an adorable place with vintage décor and furniture, a little squashed but with tons of character and charm.

Belinda is a vintage goddess, her book ‘Style Me Vintage’ is a must for all retro wannabees, illustrating carefully how to create each of the typical vintage hairstyles for yourself at home. We decided on a forties/fifties style, ‘The Marilyn Set’ for me, Belinda thought it would work particularly well with my newly blonde short hair.

Belinda used authentic techniques to create my Marilyn hair… no electric curlers, good old-fashioned rollers were pinned into my wet hair, and then I sat beneath an antique looking dryer for thirty to forty minutes before having the curls brushed through and arranged in place. I absolutely loved my hair, so unique and glamorous. A vintage updo can change your entire look; I highly recommend it for a special night out.

I felt straight out of the musical Hairspray - I had to quickly arrange some evening plans so I could show off my new hairstyle!

Visit The Painted Lady website to book here.