Depending on how short your hair is you have several options for rollers or curlers to curl your hair. Rollers are foam sponge or plastic curlers that are pinned to hair while it's wet. Hair is then dried to achieve a curled look. You can also use small electric hot rollers to curl your hair, but you may not want heat on very short hair. Long hair protects your scalp from the heat, but with short hair it may lead to scalp discomfort.
Wash or wet your hair and make sure your rollers are within reach. You'll need a mirror to see your work and you may want to practice winding your hair around a curler and securing it with a hair pin. Foam rollers sometimes slip off short hair, so you may want to experiment with the best way to secure them.
Begin at the front of your hair and work with small sections at a time. You want just enough hair to wind around the middle of the curler, so work with about 1-inch sections. Retro fashion website The Fifties Web suggests rolling your hair in the front from right to left across your head. If you want your hair to fall in the other direction, work from left to right.
Set the rollers at your crown next. Start at the top and move down each side of your head. If your hair is mid-neck length or longer, roll the bottom layer of hair in a horizontal row starting at the back of the head and moving toward the ears.
Blow dry your hair with the rollers in. You can also let your hair air-dry. Make sure the hair is completely dry before you remove the rollers. Your hair will be curled and ready to style.