Historical Hairstyles

The Pre-Raphaelite Trend

2012-02-10T11:36:00.000-06:00

Recently I've been seeing references to Pre-Raphaelite waves, and I'm really liking it! Especially since I've decided to grow my hair out…Waterhouse has always been one of my favorite artists, ever since I went through a Camelot craze when I was twelve. I think it's a great look, an easy everyday hairstyle. Here's an interesting article on hair from a Pre-Raphaelite enthusiast's blog.

Just look at the similarities between these next two pictures! Gorgeous!

And from Imitation's Spring 2012 Runway show…the long, wavy hair and flower wreath are pretty obvious, don't you think?

Some more inspiration via pinterest…

One last image, this one has also been circulating on Pinterest. Apparently if you section hair into 5-10 pieces and braid each loosely, run a flat iron over them, let them cool, spray with hairspray and undo the braids, the below is what you'll end up with. Haven't tried it yet, but I'm definitely going to! A 3-barrel waving iron is a quick and easy way to get a similar look. What do you think of Pre-Raphaelite inspired tresses? Will you be trying this look out?

Ceremonious Coifs from BHLDN

2011-11-15T14:04:00.000-06:00

BHLDN is a bridal boutique that is an offshoot of one of my favorite stores, Anthropologie. It's a really fun shop, with lots of vintage, eclectic products for brides.

Recently the folks at BHLDN had their favorite stylist, Moiz Alladina, create 10 different vintage inspired looks, from Boho Chic to Grace Kelly. These are a few of my favorites!

Here's a link to all the styles. If there's one that strikes your fancy, basic instructions are provided for each look on the BHLDN website.

Margaret Hale's Everyday Hair

2011-11-01T20:32:00.001-05:00

Well, life happened and I had to pretty much abandon this project for much longer than I wanted to! Forget excuses, there's too many to list! I'm happy to say that I'm back with a tutorial for Margaret Hale's everyday hairstyle!

Alright, most of Margaret's hairstyles are fundamentally the same - big bush of a bun in back, center part, twisted sides. sometimes she puts a decorative comb on top of the bun, but generally it's pretty uniform.

And here's my version…

First off, I'm going to part my hair - Margaret has a middle part that goes back halfway to her crown. For now, pin the front hair sections out of the way.

Once the front is all pinned up, part the back hair into three sections. This can be done roughly, what we're going for is two narrower side sections for braids, and a thicker middle section for the base of the bun. NOTE: I initially tried curling the front hair slightly differently, hence the pinned up curls in some of the pictures - don't be thrown off! :)

Put the middle section up out of the way and braid the two side sections.

Brush the middle back section smoothly, and secure with a ponytail holder. Curl the center back ponytail, roll the curls back up as you go, and pin them in a bun shape.

First, take a small section near the front and curl under to get that bang curl.

Curl the rest of the side-front sections upward to get that twisted look. Roll back up and pin in place as you go.

Next take one of the braids and wrap it around the the bun, going under with the first one and over with the second. Pin on top - it should only take 1-2 pins, and tuck the ends under. Curl any whispies, and spray all over with hairspray

You're done!! Let me know how this tutorial works for you!

Exciting Plans!

2011-04-29T11:26:00.001-05:00

Sooo, being busy with school and catching a cold/flu that lasted 4 weeks (I lost my voice and couldn't talk for almost a week!), I haven't had much time to do hair or makeup. I did, however do makeup for my very dear friend's wedding earlier this month…you can find the getting ready pictures here.

Also, some very exciting news…in four short weeks I will be leaving to work at a theater in the costume shop for a little over a month! I'm so very thrilled! A friend from school worked there last year and was promoted to costume shop manager this year. We're going to have sooo much fun!

Then I'll have barely one week at home.

And I'll leave for Colorado, where I'll spend the rest of my summer working at the Summit!

I'm not sure what that means for this blog. Hopefully I'll have some time to update every once in a while. It may depend on if I can find willing models to torture! Anyways, that's what I've been up to…anyone else have exciting things planned for the summer?!

{A Year and One Day}

2011-02-02T09:40:00.006-06:00

I has been officially way too long since I posted. A year and one day, to be exact.

I want to officially

apologize

to all my friends for the lengthy absence!

However, I do have some

really

good

excuses.

Last semester was a crazy one for me! I made a 5 piece careerwear collection, a leather jacket with fur collar, and filled a portfolio with fashion illustrations. Spring (before that) I designed, patterned, and stitched a 3 piece knitwear ensemble and a wool coat, as well as a wearable art piece. It's been a busy time, and I had to prioritize.

But I'm back now!!!

And I'm excited to tell you about a very exciting sort of job that I've fallen into!

Last year I had the privilege of doing hair and makeup for three of my friends' weddings! And I have another one booked for this April!

Pictures.

To make up for being gone so long.

First was my dear friend Elizabeth.

She and Jason were married waaayy back in May of last year.

She was going for a vintage feeling, sort of vintage-inspired. We went with a soft brown smoky eye, a soft hint of blush, bronzer for definition, and my new favorite product for weddings…lipstain!!! The color looks so natural, it stays put for hours, and best yet, it doesn't come off on the groom's face!!!

The photographers were two good friends of mine, Jessica Shae and Evangeline Renee. You can see more pictures of Elizabeth's wedding on Jessica's blog and Evy's blog.

Then in October, Kate married Josh.

Kate is Elizabeth's sister, and she married Jason's twin. How cute is that?!

For Kate we went with gold and bronze for the eyes, and used black powder eyeliner and a chisel brush for a softly defined look. Her naturally curly hair was pulled back into a low bun and accented with little crystals.

Once again, Jessica Shae and Evangeline Renee did an amazing job with the photography!

And then Evy herself got married.

Guess what…Jessica Shae got to be a bridesmaid! So Michaela was the photographer…you can see the rest of the pictures here and here.

Evy had a beach inspired wedding, so we did a soft, natural look. To define her gorgeous eyes, we used a liquid eyeliner pen and brushed black powder liner over it. Bronzer and a nude lip finished her look. Evy had another friend to her hair before the ceremony, but the day was damp and her curls faded during the pre-wedding shoot. So I re-did it for her. We curled the ends with a large barreled curling iron and tousled them gently for a beachy look. It was pulled half back and we pinned two orchids in.

So, my friends, that is what I've been up to! I have a full semester ahead of me, but I promise to update a little more frequently!

xoxo,

Amy

Margaret Hale: Style Profile

2010-02-01T08:00:00.001-06:00

Margaret Hale is a girl with a strong personality. Never shy of shirking her duty or saying what she thinks, she is at the same time very much a lady. Her cultured tastes come through in her clothing choices.

While her outfits are up to date and stylish, she is always practical and never showy. Soft, feminine colours and dainty florals suit her well, but she can also pull off deeper shades. Take her wine coloured coat and striped black suit for example.

Margaret mingles with the best society in Milton, though her family is in reduced circumstances. Yet she proves she can dress with poise no matter what.

Blouses from PiperLime.com

If you like to wear bits of lace, sheer blouses, and feminine florals, you might be a modern-day Margaret! Try wearing a sheer cotton floral blouse with a full, knee length skirt.

Scarves by Laura Ashley

Or a long white lace-embellished tunic with jeans. Add a fringed scarf and a pair of button earrings. And of course, you could always do your hair like Margaret’s!

Necklaces by Accessorize UK

The first necklace is a fun twist on your classic pearl necklace, and would suit the modern Margaret to perfection! Or if you prefer a simpler type of accessories, this small heart pendant would be a great touch to your outfit.

Do you dress like Margaret? Email me pictures of your Margaret Hale outfits, and I'll feature them on the blog at the end of the month!

Margaret's Hairstyles are coming soon! I'm quite busy with school right now, but I promise I will get some up as soon as possible! Thanks for your patience, and let me know what you thought of Margaret's Style Profile!!

Photo Credits: PiperLime.com, LauraAshley.com, Accessorize.co.uk

Update:Margaret Hale

2010-01-24T12:13:00.000-06:00

Thanks so much for the awesome response to my Historical Heroines poll! It's been fun watching the numbers. Our winner, Margaret Hale, has been leading from the start. She finished with 58 votes, 45% of participants wishing to see her featured.

The runner's up were as follows:

Lizzie Bennet (2005) - 29 votes, 22%

Jo March - 22 votes, 17%

and

Emma Woodhouse (2009) - 19 votes, 14%

As for what's in store, I'm planning on beginning my series on Margaret in February. If you have any particular hairstyles of Margaret's that you are dying to have instructions for, email me at HistoricalHairstyles @ yahoo.com, or leave me a comment.

P.S. I'm not planning on discarding our other Historical Heroines……Look for them some other month!

Modern Hair Trend Report:Braids

2010-01-23T13:00:00.000-06:00

This is so exciting, only 20-odd hours until the voting is over for the Historical Heroines poll! Thanks to everyone for the awesome response! Meanwhile, I thought I'd give you a glimpse of what's up and coming in modern hairstyle trends. This Spring, it's all about braids, and the longer the better. If you have long hair, leave the hair on top soft with lots of volume, and do a simple braid hanging to one side.

For medium length hair, a loose braid with a smoother crown looks nice. Leave it hanging down the back, and try fastening with a tiny, clear band. Or experiment with bobby pins to try and make the fastening invisible.

The Herringbone braid is a fun choice - tie the ends with a ribbon or fabric scrap. If you've never done a fishtail or Herringbone braid, it's fairly easy to find instructions and video tutorials. Unfortunately, my favorite braiding website seems to be down right now, but I can work on finding some instructions if you're having trouble.

And last but not least, crown braids. With or without a bun in the back, this classic can be casual or red carpet worthy. Try weaving in colorful ribbons or fabric for a fun, updated twist.

These are some great looks that will carry you all the way into Summer. I hope you all enjoyed a little modern moment, I'm planning on doing a Trend Report every so often. Let me know what you think!

Photo Credits: www.hairstyleslibrary.com, chic-fashion-victim.blogspot.com, www.elle.com, www.style.com, beautygirlmusings.blogspot.com

Time to vote!

2010-01-17T10:40:00.000-06:00

The nomination period is officially over, and it's time to vote for your favorite Heroine!! I'm featuring four different girls, and I really want your input. Just for fun, I thought I'd do little profiles for each of them to make the choice easier. When you've made your choice, vote on the sidebar!

~Amy

Margaret Hale

From the film North and South, based on the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell. A strong-willed and opinionated girl who moves from the quiet countryside of Southern England to the bustling industrial town of Milton in the North.

Eventually she finds out the the North is not as bad as it first seemed, and that some mill owners do have souls.

Jo March

From the beloved classic Little Women, Jo is the tomboy of the family.

With a talent for getting into scrapes, and a passion for writing, Jo becomes more gentle and sensitive as she grows up. At the end of the day, she finds true love!

Emma Woodhouse

From the latest adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma, a witty and charming young lady who has a dangerous love of matchmaking.

She eventually discovers that trying to arrange the affairs of others often creates more problems than good, and heartache for herself as well. Her good intentions and heart always shine through, and in she learns her lesson well.

Lizzie Bennet

From the 2005 version of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Lizzy Bennet is the second daughter in a family of five girls.

Her silly younger sisters and incorrigible mother threaten to ruin the reputation of the whole family. But help comes from an unexpected quarter, and a hero saves the day!

Nominate your favorite Historical Heroine!

2010-01-11T11:18:00.000-06:00

In February, I'm featuring a historical character and plan to make tutorials of her best hair and makeup styles. I really need input from my readers, because I want to tailor the featured Heroines to your preferences! Please send up to three nominations to:

HistoricalHairstyles @ yahoo.com

The nomination period will end a week from today, on Sunday the 17th. I'll have profiles of four Heroines, and open up the polls so you can vote for the girl you want to see featured in the month of February!

Happy New Year!!

2009-12-30T09:17:00.000-06:00

This past year I've slowly been adding to my collection of hairstyle tutorials, which has been so much fun! I would have loved to done more, but I've been very busy with school and just life in general. Thanks so much to all my followers for your support and suggestions! I thought I'd list some of my goals for the coming year:

1. Create a show-and-tell album where I can display your results

2. Post at least 1 hair tutorial a month

3. Create makeup profiles of historical movie characters

4. Incorporate more reader input - I want to know what you want to see!

I'm planning on focusing primarily on movie hairstyles this year, but in the future I'd love to interpret hairstyles from famous paintings! And with one of my dear friends getting married in May, I'll have to post at least one modern wedding style!

Have a very Happy New Year!

Marian's Long Loose Waves

2009-12-30T08:50:00.000-06:00

Note: I started out this hairstyle with wavy hair. We used a waving iron with 3 barrels for the curls. You can also braid your hair when it’s damp and let it dry that way to achieve a similar look. French braiding works the best.

Step 1: Create foundation

Pull sections back and fasten with bobby pins to create a half-pony tail. You’re aiming for a nice, soft look, so be a little loose.

Step 2: Cover the base

Using your tails, wrap gently around to create a soft, flat bun that blends nicely into your style. Noting fancy, just wrap it gently around and secure with pins.

That’s it!! A beautiful and easy Maid Marian hairstyle just for you!!!

Update

2009-12-01T16:42:00.000-06:00

Welcome back!

I've finally gotten back to work on some more tutorials. Check out the BBC's Robin Hood page, where you'll find some tutorials on how to get Marian's look! Over Christmas break I'm planning on working on some more eras, and I'd love your input. Just leave a comment or shoot me an email and let me know what you're looking for.

Thanks so much!

Amy

Gallery Directory

2009-12-01T16:38:00.000-06:00

Movie Gallery Page

New Maid Marian hairstyle tutorials from BBC's Robin Hood!!

Historical Gallery

Ancient

Coming Soon:

Civil War

Victorian

Teens

Twenties and Thirties

Forties

Fifties

Marian's Hair-stick Bun

2009-12-01T16:32:00.000-06:00

Note: This hairstyle was done with “leftover curls” from the Marian’s Braided Headband tutorial. Follow step 1 to get the same effect. Also, the model has longer hair than Lucy Griffith’s did on the show (and super full hair on top of that!), so her finished bun is somewhat fuller than Marian’s.

Step 1: Part your hair

You’re going to section your hair into 3 roughly equal parts, going from ear to ear, so to speak.

Clip the top two out of the way for now.

Step 2: Twist

Pull the hair straight up, and smooth with a brush or comb, then twist the hair as shown.

Roll it around once and pin into place, leaving a tail poking out of your bun. Leave the tail for now.

Step 3: Second layer

Take down the second section, and divide roughly in half.

Slightly twist one section as you pull it across to the opposite side and secure it right above the bun with a couple pins.

Repeat with the other side.

Next, take your tails and shape them into curls, securing around bun as shown.

Your finished step 3 should look something like this.

Step 4: Top layer and finishing

Create a side part way far over to one side.

Back comb the base of the smaller section to give it volume, pull it across and twist it as before.

Secure with pins.

Repeat with other side, and arrange the tails from both sides into curls.

Mist with hairspray, and stick in a decorative hair stick or two. Or a dagger. But be careful, you don't want to cut your hair off on accident.

We put in a brown one, which you can just barely see in the picture below. My model wasn't too keen on the idea of a dagger in her hair.

Just gorgeous!!!!

More Maid Marian Hairstyles

Marian's Braided Headband

2009-12-01T14:12:00.000-06:00

Shown here with more of a middle part

And here with more of a side part, which I liked better

Step 1: Curl your hair

Here’s how I did it. Portion off a section of hair at the base of the head, and clip the rest out of the way.

For this style we’re curling the hair up and out, as shown.

After I started curling, I decided to set the curls like in my Elizabeth Swann tutorial – when you’ve finished with the iron, roll the curl back up and secure with a bobby pin. This helps the curl to keep it’s shape later on.

Finish that layer, then repeat until you have a full head of curls.

Spray all your curls with hairspray. When they’ve all cooled, remove the bobby pins. It should look like this:

{Before you take bobby pins out}

{After you take bobby pins out}

Step 2: Part for your front section

The front section underneath Marion’s braid is combed smoothly back, and she has a side part behind the braid. To achieve this, we need to part across the top of the head first, and then create a side part with the rest of your hair.

Pull your front section to the side and clip out of the way for now.

Step 3: The Braid

Taking hair from the side (this should be the side with more hair), section off enough hair to make a good sized braid. You don’t want it to be too fat or too skinny. Make sure you take it on a slight angle, and that the hair above it will cover the base of the braid when you’re finished.

As you braid, pull the hair across your head, so that there won’t be any bumps when you finish. Secure with a small rubber band or ponytail holder.

Step 4: Securing the braid

Now we’re going to pull the front hair straight up and back, and secure with a clip as pictured.

Position the braid across the top of the head, and secure with two criss-crossed bobby pins. You may need to arrange the hair to cover up the end of the braid, using bobby pins if necessary.

Here’s the finished look without combing out the curls:

And here’s how it looks if you gently comb out the curls with a wide toothed comb:

You can also do this hairstyle by replacing the braid with a leather headband:

Tada!!!!! Beautiful, my dear!

More Maid Marian Styles

BBC's Robin Hood

2009-12-01T13:45:00.000-06:00

The BBC series Robin Hood gets mixed responses from a lot of people. Whatever you think of the series, you have to admit Marian has some great costumes and hairstyles. While I personally dislike some of her costumes, others are so fun and innovative that I can’t help but love them. The costuming in season 3 was my favorite, and I really wish we had been able to see Lucy Griffiths work with the new costumes. Anyways, I was going to prepare several Maid Marian tutorials for the Medieval Maid Marian event at AmandaBeth Online, but didn’t realize how full my weekend was going to be. So without further ado, some Maid Marian tutorials just for you! Enjoy!

Marian's Hair sticks Bun

*NEW!* Marian's Long Loose Waves

Marian's Braided Headband

Elizabeth Swann Tutorial - The Instructions

2009-06-17T09:39:00.001-05:00

The hairstyles in period dramas can be amazingly inspirational, and there's no better accessory for a historical ensemble than the perfect hairstyle. I hope these instructions will be helpful!

Alright, to get started, part your hair from ear to ear, curving up towards the middle.

Next you're going to part the back into 3 sections and secure them.

We're going to curl the front first - this adds volume and helps hold the 'pouf'. Curl the first section rolling towards the back of the head, holding the hair straight out on the sides, and straight up along the top.

After releasing the curl, roll it back up…

…and pin it close to the scalp.

Repeat for the second section, curling hair towards the front.

Voila! Leaving the curls pinned while they cool (also known as 'setting') will help the hair to hold the body and volume.

Now we're going to curl each back section the same way.

Make sure you're always rolling the curls upward.

On the las section on the left side, keep out a strand of hair for the ringlet, and curl as shown. Pin like you did with the rest of the hair.

There you go!

A head full of curls.

Now unpin the front section - see how the curls hold their shape?

Tease the hair with a fine-tooth comb, letting the hair slip through your fingers as you back comb.

Here's what it should look like. Spray after you're done.

Continue around the sides, until the whole front section is teased.

Bunch and roll the top back section, leaving plenty of hair in the front.

Roll it like this, and pin in place - you only need a few pins, don't over do it!

Now smooth the middle front section and pull gently over the pinned pouf.

Front view.

Repeat until the whole front is pinned smoothly. You can spray and smooth it now, but we'll do a touch up later.

Now we're going to unpin the back hair.

First we'll curl the short ends leftover from the pouf. Curl towards the back and pin.

Grab a section from the right side and curl under, pinning in place to set.

Now unpin the ringlet section, and secure.

Continue around the head, rolling bottom curls upwards. Roll left side curl inward.

Now we're going to unpin the curls again, smooth them with a bristle brush, and pin them in position, starting with the short ends from the pouf. We want this curls to cover the pins that are holding the pouf in place.

Clip the upper part of the back section up out of the way, and tease the back hair a little, spraying when finished.

Now gather all the bottom section together, and twist towards the right side, like a french twist.

Secure with a few pins. Now rearrange the short ends left over from the twist, and pin in place.

Finishing touches: Tweak all the curls to your liking, re-curl your ringlet, and use a tiny curling iron to tame all those wispys!

Lovely, my dear!

A view from the top……

……and you're done!*

*White shades optional

Eighteenth Century

2009-06-16T18:57:00.000-05:00

Generalities of the Period

NEW! Check out the Elizabeth Swann Tutorial!

Both men and women powdered their hair, often using wheat meal. Hairdressing in the 18th century established itself as a legitimate profession. Men and women of all classes wore wigs. Towards the mid-late 18th century, there was a craze for towering artificial hairstyles. They had fanciful names, and were decorated in themes corresponding to the name. The pouf au sentiment featured birds, butterflies, cupids, tree branches, and vegetables, all arranged in a towering wig – it was a court favorite.

The height of these styles made traveling difficult – often women would kneel on the floor of their carriages. Scratching sticks were also carried, as the hairstyles were havens for lice and vermin. Eventually these concoctions fell out of favor, and the taste for all things natural after the Revolution did away with powdered hair. Women wore their hair arranged in a variety of loose, natural hairstyles.

For ease of navigation I've divided this century into smaller segments

Please click on the links for each separate gallery

Elizabeth Swann Tutorial

Hats……

2009-06-12T18:13:00.000-05:00

……from the class.

And from my etsy shop……

Movie Hairstyles

2009-06-03T09:08:00.002-05:00

From your favorite historical films……

I'm pleased to present the Movie Hairstyles page! We've created step-by-step photo instructions for each hairstyle featured. Please come back for more!

Elizabeth Swann

from Pirates of the Caribbean 1

Maid Marian

from BBC's Robin Hood

Margaret Hale
from BBC's North and South

Romantic

2009-04-20T11:47:00.000-05:00

Singer Isabella Colbran by Waldmüller or a follower, c 1830

Maria Dorothea Eleonora Heicke by Friedrich T. Georgi, 1835

Windsor Castle in Modern Times by Landseer, 1841

Florence Nightingale and Her Sister by William White

Regency

2009-04-20T11:37:00.000-05:00

The Buck Family by Adam Buck

Lady with Fan by Goya

Madame Recamier by Jacques Louis David, 1800

Louise von Preußen by Vigée-Lebrun

Joséphine Bonaparte by Pierre-Paul Prud'hon, 1805

Madame Bonaparte by Vigée-Lebrun, 1807

Madame Henet by Vigée-Lebrun, 1809

La Vicomtesse de Senonnes by Ingres, 1816

Eliza Ridgely by Sully, 1818

Eighteenth Century ~ 1780-1799

2009-04-19T20:01:00.000-05:00

Mrs Mary "Perdita" Robinson by Gainsborough, 1781-82

Elisabeth Vigée-Lebrun by herself, 1782

Sir Christopher Sykes and His Wife by George Romney, 1786

Les Lavoisiers by Jacques Louis David, 1788

Madame Dubarry by Vigée-Lebrun, 1781

Mme Seriziat by David, 1795

Baroque

2009-04-19T19:55:00.000-05:00

Generalities of the Period

For once blond hair went out of fashion, and black or brown hair was preferred. Women, during the time of Louis XIII, often wore their hair in tight, neat plaits. A popular hairstyle was launched by Mademoiselle de Fontanges, a favorite of Louis XIV. On a hunt with the king, she appeared with a glorious coiffure adorned with ribbons and feathers. On horseback, her hair became tousled, so she simply tied it up with a silk garter. From that moment on, women tied up their curls, which had fallen on the shoulders until then, and the style became known as a Fontanges.

Young women wore their hair in soft, loose curls which fell about an inch below the ears. Towards the end of the period, wigs were gaining popularity.

For ease of navigation I've divided this century into smaller segments

Please click on the links for each separate gallery

Baroque ~ 1600-1627

2009-04-19T19:01:00.000-05:00

Unknown Lady by unknown artist

Unknown Lady by Isaac Oliver, 1605

Woman with a Lute by Orazio Gentileschi, 1610

Young Family by Anthonis van Dijck, 1621

Young Lady by Jacob Jordaens, 1615

Eighteenth Century ~ 1761-1779

2009-04-19T19:00:00.000-05:00

The Linley Sisters by Gainsborough, 1772

Marie Antoinette of France, artist unknown, 1780s

Lady in Blue by Gainsborough

Wilhelmine Encke Countess Lichtenau by Anna Dorothea Therbusch

Mme Freret-Déricour by Duplessis, 1769

Singer by Fragonard, 1769

photo credits ~

All historical paintings taken from La Coutouriere Parisienne

Eighteenth Century ~ 1742-1760

2009-04-19T18:59:00.000-05:00

Suzanna Beckford by Sir Joshua Reynolds, 1756

Breakfast by Jean-Etienne Liotard, c1753-56

Mme Bergeret

Mlle de Chateaurenaud by Jean-Marc Nattier

Eighteenth Century ~ 1730-1741

2009-04-19T18:58:00.000-05:00

Friederike Luise Markgräfin von Brandenburg-Ansbach by Pesne, 1734

Shepherd Party by Nicolas Lancret, 1735

The Artist's Niece by Liotard, 1746

Countess Anna Katharina Orzelska by Rosalba Carriera

Marie Madeleine Guimard by Fragonard

Baroque ~ 1628-1635

2009-04-19T16:08:00.000-05:00

Marie Louise de Tassis by van Dijck, 1629

Hélène Fourment in Wedding Dress by her husband Rubens, c1630

Mrs Rombouts & Her Daughter by Anthonis van Dijck, c1632

Susanna Pellicorne with Daughter by a student of Rembrandt, 1632/33

Lady in Black Dress by Jacques Dumonstier

Henrietta Maria by anonymous, c. 1635

Baroque ~ 1636-1664

2009-04-19T15:16:00.000-05:00

Anne Dalkeith Countess Morton and Anne Kirke, Ladies in Waiting to Queen Henriette by Anthonis van Dijck

Anne Countess of Clanbrassil by van Dijck, 1636

Mary Villiers by van Dijck, 1636

Needlewoman by Velazquez, 1640

Paternal Advice by Gerard ten Borch, 1655

Mrs Claypole by Michael Wright, 1658

Curiosity by Ter Borch, 1660

Baroque ~ 1665-1699

2009-04-18T11:28:00.000-05:00

Lady by Vermeer, 1665

Noble Couple by A. van den Tempel

The Harpsichord Lesson by Jan Steen

Dancing Party by Art des Gonzales Cocques

Lady at Harpsichord by Vermeer, 1670

Unknown Woman by A. van den Tepmel, 1670

Louise de Kérouale by Pierre Mignard, 1682

Renaissance

2009-02-20T11:39:00.000-06:00

The plucked brow and forehead was continued into the renaissance. It was popular for women to before marriage to wear their hair with loose and long with a center part. After marriage women covered their hair and continued to pluck their hairline and eyebrows. Women began experimenting with braids, and many intricate and individual styles developed. Check out Dream Weaver’s website for fascinating information and instruction on Renaissance braiding techniques. The hair during this period was also styled by using curling irons.

Elizabethan

1560-1600

Middle Ages

2009-02-20T11:37:00.000-06:00

New!

Check out Marian's hairstyles from BBC's Robin Hood!

General Information

The biggest change in women’s grooming habits in the Middle Ages involved eyebrows – women throughout Europe plucked them to appear thin, and in some cases shaved them entirely off. A center parting was common for women’s long hairstyles, but long hair was hard to manage, so women began to divide it into sections and lace it with ribbons. From this emerged the style most commonly associated with medieval women – braids or plaits.

Braiding her hair into plaits signified a girl’s passage into womanhood and marriage. In Britain, by the 12th century, braids could be coiled around the head and were sometimes put up in a chignon. In the 13th century, a common style was to wind the plaits at each side of the head above the ears. By the 14th century women began to alter their hairline by plucking it to give the illusion of a higher forehead.

For braiding instructions, check out Dreamweaver Braiding

Greece and Rome

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Girls let their hair fall freely and older women wore their hair long and let it fall loose over their shoulders. A low forehead was a mark of beauty, and hair was styled accordingly. Women also wore their hair parted in the middle, waved it with hot irons, and scraped it back to expose the ears. Sometimes spiral curls were sectioned from the rest of the hair and styled so they hung down over the forehead while the rest hung loosely down the back.

By the 7th and 6th centuries BC, the hair was bound by a band, ribbon, diadem, or string of pearls. By 5th century BC, another style had become more popular – women pulled up the back of their hair and looped it over a fillet. After Alexander, hairstyles seemed to become more sophisticated – knots and chignons were held in place with hairpins, and ringlets and corkscrew curls accented the chignons.

Roman women originally wore their hair parted in the center and gathered at the nape in a ponytail or bun.
During the Republic, variations began to appear as married women started to wear their hair coiled on the crown. By the time of the empire, the hair was still parted in the center, but now could be waved, curled, or worn in a loose roll that sat low on the neck. A fringe of curls was another popular look.
During the Flavian era women wore piles and cascades of curls. Emperor Titus’ wife Julia wore her curls high on her head, held in place with a tiara. Her back hair fell in a soft knot of braids. Neither men nor women wore hats.

Ancient Egypt

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Head-dresses and wigs of different types were often worn in Ancient Egypt, but we are going to focus on the hairstyles. Hair care was an intricate part of grooming in Egypt, and much time was devoted to styling it. Setting lotions were used, made of bee’s wax and resin. Women plaited or braided their hair, or wore it in ringlets. When hair was worn short, it was cut in the severe crop that is the epitome of Egyptian style. Artificial hair extensions were sometimes added to the natural hair.

Liz Taylor as Cleoptra

Married women wore their hair with shoulder-length locks framing the face, while the rest of the hair fell behind on the back. Another possibility for married women was the enveloping wig, where the hair fell evenly all around the head at the shoulders. Cleopatra often wore her hair in plaits, with a ribbon around her temples. Unmarried women and young servant girls sometimes wore a hairstyle that fell just below the shoulders, with ringlets to either side of the face.

An actual wig from an Egyptian mummy - braided with gold beads.

Intricately woven, crimped, and braided hairstyle.

Links!!

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Here are some amazing links with really good instructions.

Rita Sue's pin-curl tutorial

Rita Sue's finger wave tutorial

The Freelancer's Fashion Blog

Wonderful pictures and instruction for vintage hair

Dreamweaver Braiding

This has got to be the best braid site ever!!! If you need to brush up on your braiding skills, this is the website to check out.

The Costumer's Guide

This website has amazing research on film costuming - the pictures from some of the historical films are very inspiring and well organized. Check it out!!

I'll be adding more fun links soon! Also keep a lookout for the Gallery. . . coming soon!

Regency Gallery

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Here is the beginning of my Regency era gallery. I'm planning on adding more pictures of hairstyles, as well as instructions for creating your own Regency hairstyles soon. Enjoy!

Welcome!

2008-11-06T10:05:00.000-06:00

I am still in the process of collecting photographs and organizing my information, but I invite you to come back later. I am so excited about this site, and hope to have some hairstyles up soon. Do you have a favorite era, movie, or even specific style you would like to see? Comment or email me - your selection could be the first to debut on Historical Hairstyles!!

Best wishes,
Amy