How to Feather Your Hair

Co-authored by Ashley Adams

Last Updated: March 5, 2023

Feathered hair was a popular style in the 70s and early 80s, especially among women with long hair. This style has lots of body and volume, but is relatively easy to achieve and can be done with or without layers. All you will need to create this look is a curling iron and some hairspray!

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Prepping Your Hair

1
Learn what feathering is. A feathered hairstyle is a look that is created with layered hair, with smooth layers that flip out and back looking almost like the overlapping feathers on a bird. The hair is usually parted down the middle and then curled back away from the face. It requires a finely-textured layered hairstyle and can be created from short and smooth hair or long and curly. However, if you feather curly hair, the feathers will only be visible when you straighten your hair.^{[1]
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- Feathered hair has a somewhat retro-look, similar to the big, flowy hair styles from the 70's. Farrah Fawcett is the perfect example of feathered hair or the original Charlie's Angels.
2
Have your hair cut. In order to achieve the best feathering look you'll need layers in your hair, and you probably want to go to a professional to have this done. You can layer your hair yourself if you are good at cutting your hair. But, if you don't have much experience cutting your hair, ask a professional to give you the feathered look. They should know what you mean and be able to give you that look.
- You may want to figure out what type of feathered look you want before you get your hair cut. You can have long hair with feathered layers, or you can go very short. Before you go into a salon, decide if you want that long or short look. Try looking at pictures online of feathered hair to help you decide.
- Feathered hair from the 70s usually had bangs that were parted down the middle, so if you really want to go for feathered look, have bangs cut in your hair.
- You can do this look without layered hair, but layered hair does help create the more feathery look around your face. If you don't want to get your hair cut just to style it, then don't worry about adding layers.
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3
Wash and part your hair. Before you style your hair, you'll want to wash it so that you can add volume to it and create a part. For a true feathered look, part your hair down the middle, separating your bangs in the middle and parting them to the sides. If that is too much for you, you can part your hair as usual, such as on the right or left side.
4
Dry your hair and apply product as needed. If your hair is naturally wavy or curly, blow dry it with a diffuser after you wash it. This will help to stretch out your waves or curls and make the feathered look more obvious. If your hair lacks body, apply volumizing mousse or spray. Before you dry it. If your hair is naturally straight, apply some curling mousse and volumizing mousse to add body and wave to your hair.
- Make sure as you blow dry your hair that you are maintaining the middle or side part you have created. To achieve the best volume and prepare your hair for the feathered look, use a round brush and pull the hair your surrounding your face through the brush. Have the brush pull your hair away from your face, so that the hair around your face is curled or smoothed backwards.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Styling Your Hair

1
Spray your hair with heat protectant. After you have dried your hair, you'll want to spray it with a heat protectant, because the majority of this hair style is based on using a curling iron. Spray the heat protectant throughout your hair, coating it evenly. This will keep your hair from being damaged by the heat from the curling iron.
2
Separate your hair in sections. Divide your hair into four sections, separating it down the middle, and then making two sections out of the parted sections. Usually you would separate your hair by layers, but because the curls at the front of your head will be bigger than those at the back, it's best to separate hair by the type of curl you are going to create.
- Basically, draw a part down the middle of your hair, from the top of your forehead to the hairline on your neck. Separate those two sections, pushing your hair in front of your shoulders so that it doesn't accidentally overlap. Then, divide each section in half, and use a clip to pin each back section. After you have clipped back your hair, you should just have your two front sections of hair down by your face. After you have finished each front section, unclip the back sections of hair and let them fall behind your shoulders. Try to keep your front sections that are already curled in front of your shoulders so that you don't accidentally grab some of those curls and try to curl them again.
- You can separate your hair by layers if you want, but it isn't necessary. Separating it into 4 sections may be easier, and it will keep you from having Shirley Temple curls. You want to avoid these because you don't want tight ringlets -- you want loose waves.
3
Begin curling the front section of your hair. Using a 1 inch (2.5 cm) curling iron, start at the front of your hair, and curl 0.5 to 1 inch (1.3 to 2.5 cm) sections of hair. Make sure you clip back the top layers of your hair and so you can start working with the bottom layer. Curl your hair 2 inches (5.1 cm) or so away from your head so that you end up with loose curls towards the end of your hair.
4
Pull the hair away from your face as you curl. With the feathered look, you want the most volume around your face. So, when you curl your hair, don't wrap your hair in the curling iron towards your face. Take the curling iron and start by wrapping your hair away from your face, towards the rest of your hair.
- Basically, take a strand of hair, and put the curling iron behind it. When you look in the mirror your hair should be in front of the curling iron. Then, wrap your hair over the top of the curling iron. This will be wrapping your hair away from your face, which will help create that feathered, voluminous look.
- You don't want these curls to be ringlets, but you do want them to last a while, so if you need to hold the curling iron on your hair for more than a few seconds, you can do so. You will brush out the curls later so it is okay if they are bouncy.
- If you have short hair you may have to start farther up with your curls, only 1 inch (2.5 cm) or so away from your head.
5
Move onto the back of your hair. Once you curl the front sections of your hair, move on to curl the back sections. These sections will have bigger looser waves, so take 1 inch (2.5 cm) sections or more of your hair and curl them, starting again at the bottom layer. The back of your hair shouldn't be very curly -- you'll want to end up with loose waves once you are done curling your hair.
6
Curl your bangs. You don't want your bangs to be ringlets, so take a large chunk of your hair (2 inches (5.1 cm) or so) and curl upwards, wrapping your bangs over the top of the curling iron. You can curl them before they are separated or you can curl them after they have been parted.
- With your bangs, you will want to start near your hairline since your hair is shorter. However, make sure you are curling your hair away from your face. If you wrap your hair in the wrong direction around your curling iron, your hair will loose that feathered look and will just look like ringlets around your face.
7
Spray hairspray in your finished curls. Once you have curled all of your hair, spritz hairspray throughout your hair. You don't want to spray too much, as this will make the curls hard and give them a crunchy feel, but you want to spray enough so that your hairstyle is maintained throughout the day.
8
Loosen up your curls. After you have sprayed your hair, flip your hair forward and run your fingers through the curls you have created. This is the step that will create the loose waves and volume in your hair. You can shake your head if you need to loosen some of the curls.^{[2]
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- Don't worry about brushing too many of the curls out. The feathered hair look doesn't rely on curls, except for those that frame your face. Curling your hair just helps to give it volume and texture.
9
Flip your hair back over and touch up your hair. Your hair might look a little crazy once you flip it back over, so you might need to touch it up. Use your hands to smooth out any fly aways in your hair. You can also reposition your curls by twisting them back with your finger. Make sure you separate your bangs so that you have bangs that frame both sides of your face. Then, admire your look!

Expert Q&A
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Question

How do I feather my short hair when it is shoulder length?

Ashley Adams
Professional Hair Stylist
Ashley Adams is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist in Illinois. She completed her Cosmetology education at John Amico School of Hair Design in 2016.

Ashley Adams

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Follow all of the steps in this article to feather your shoulder length hair. Start with clean hair, determine where you want your part at, section your hair, and began creating loose curls, focusing especially on the middle to ends so that your feathers are defined.
Question

How do I cut my long hair to feather it?

Ashley Adams
Professional Hair Stylist
Ashley Adams is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist in Illinois. She completed her Cosmetology education at John Amico School of Hair Design in 2016.

Ashley Adams

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

With long hair, you can choose to get long layers. With long layers, the feathers will be towards the ends of your hair. If you want your long hair layered from top to bottom, that’s an option an well, but with long hair it may not look as flattering.
Question

What should I do if I can't get my hair to look feathered?

Community Answer

Try cutting your hair with thinning shears or asking a professional stylist for help.