The Elizabethan era is the theme for our hair design project. Similar to our makeup design aim we are to design, create and practice our own contemporary version of an Elizabethan inspired hairstyle. I feel that this project will be very interesting and allow me to learn new things about historical trends and style, whilst creating my own design with my understanding of one the most influential eras in history. Although I am excited to start such a interesting module, I feel a little anxious about working with hair as I have only practiced and experimented with hair styling on a previous course but it wasn't as advanced, hopefully with more practice I will become confident.
Whilst collecting some research on the history of Elizabethan hair there was a continuous pattern of wearing a certain hair colour, texture, style and piece so that a woman's status could be communicated through their beauty and appearance, similar to Elizabethan portraiture and hidden symbolism. A frizzy hair texture full of volume was one the preferred hairstyles worn by women in this era, similar to the texture of crimped hair. I looked at some portraits of elizabethan woman to get a better visual idea of how different women interpreted this preferred texture, and I found that wealthy woman usually wore their hair up in fluffy curls or a crimped style so their hair looked large, soft and textured. Young girls who wore their hair down and free would usually wear their hair in the same fluffy, frizzy texture as this symbolised virginity. Woman who wore their hair down would adorn their hair with beautiful fresh flowers and once married would begin wearing their hair up in a bun. Frizzed hair was popular and preferred by many woman as Queen Elizabeth apparently favoured this hair texture.
Ruffs and French hoods were just two of the popular hair accessories worn by many wealthy woman who wanted to symbolise their status, and compliment their hairstyle. In Elizabethan fashion, adornments in the hair became popular, because of this many woman began to wear hats, Cauls and Atifets in the hair which were also covered in glass jewels, feathers, pearls and other trinkets appealing to they eye. Also, some Elizabethan woman dyed their hair in attempt to keep up with Queen Elizabeths trends, mixing cumin seed, saffron, celandine and oil to create a yellow hair dye mimicking strawberry blonde. Periwigs, and hair pieces were also commonly used by Queen Elizabeth and wealthy women to achieve thick healthy looking hair.
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Queen Elizabeth I, The Kitchener Portrait c1580.
Sourced image from Luminarium.
http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/elizface2.htm
This portrait of Queen Elizabeth best describes the frizzy crimped hairstyle worn by her and many other Elizabethan women. This hairstyle was usually worn by Queen Elizabeth in an up-do and styled into a compact, dense and neat heart or rounded shape framing the top of the head. It appears that she is also wearing the traditional French hood with other adornments in the hair to symbolise her importance and wealth. I like the shaping of the crimped hair in this portrait as it appears to look like a small heart shape on the top of her head which makes her look more feminine and girly. Whenever I see contemporary versions of crimped hair formed into this style it always reminds me of Queen Elizabeth as she seemed to wear the same hairstyle a lot, just in different hair textures. I like the french hood that she appears to be wearing swell as it nicely matches her dress she is wearing, the pose and placement of the hood reminds me of 'St Mary', a religious figure who like Queen Elizabeth was admired, influential and powerful. |
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The Armada Portrait By George Gower, c155.
Sourced image from Google.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Elizabeth_I_(Armada_Portrait).jpg/603px-Elizabeth_I_(Armada_Portrait).jpg
This portrait of Queen Elizabeth best describes the tight curls worn by Queen Elizabeth and other Elizabethan women in the era. In this portrait the hair appears to be styled in very tight pin curls and then formed into a up-do hairstyle mimicking a heart shape. The hair appears very dense, thick, neat and compact finished with numerous trinkets adorned in the hair to symbolise how wealthy and important Queen Elizabeth is. I love the pearls and crown like adornment in Queen Elizabeth's hair, the compliment her dress and porcelain skin tone well. The featuring of these small pearls and crown help symbolise how wealthy and powerful her status is, as everything appears a little over the top and in your face.
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Queen Elizabeth I By unknown English artist, circa 1600.
This portrait is also know as the 'Coronation portrait'.
Image sourced from the National Portrait gallery website.
http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw02070/Queen-Elizabeth-I
This portrait of Queen Elizabeth best describes the hairstyle many young girls wore when their hair was styled down and free flowing. In the portrait Queen Elizabeth's hair appears to be a blonde yellow colour which is what most Elizabethan woman attempted to achieve by dying their hair with different ingredients. Although her hair is down and free flowing it appears to have a fluffy, frizzy texture which is again how young girls wore their hair down. This shows how much influence Queen Elizabeth had on many woman and also her diverse development of many hairstyles she was known to wear. I feel that Queen Elizabeth appears very youthful and beautiful in this portrait, her yellow hair colour compliments her dress and robe well and makes her appear more pale. I also like the texture of her hair in this portrait because, although it is out and free flowing it doesn't appear dull but thick and and full of volume. |
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The Rainbow Portrait, Queen Elizabeth, c.1600-02 Attributed to Marcus Gheeraerts.
Sourced image from Google.
http://www.andrewgrahamdixon.com/article_images/Eliza07Rainbow.jpg
In the portrait above is Queen Elizabeth I in one of her famous symbolic portraits, The Rainbow portrait. I chose to use this portrait as Queen Elizabeth wears a top hat in it which was popular and worn by many wealthy Elizabethan women in the era as Queen Elizabeth favoured them. The top that she is wearing appears very similar to the shape of Atifet that women wore but larger, sitting on the crown of her head. Similar to other hair accessories worn in the era, the hat is covered in trinkets and accessories that allow wealthy women to symbolise their wealth and social status, but as Queen Elizabeth is wearing it this hat appears extra large and fancy. I really enjoy the hairstyle Queen Elizabeth is wearing in this portrait as her hair is free flowing and also in an up do making the image more interesting. I feel that whenever her hair is free flowing in a portrait she appears more youthful. Her rich red hair colour stands out a lot in the portrait and it looks really beautiful and bold against her porcelain skin. There is a mix of loose and tight curls in her hair which adds a lot of texture, finished with a large jewel incrusted top hat, Queen Elizabeth appears very powerful. |
Sourced image from Google.
http://usercontent1.hubimg.com/4557424_f260.jpg |
This is an image of possibly an Elizabethan woman wearing a flat hat, which many Elizabethan women wore. Queen Elizabeth favoured this hair adornment just like other hair accessories in her portraiture, because of this women did the same. Similar to other hair pieces this flat hat can be decorated in jewels, pearls and trinkets to compliment any hairstyle or outfit which for women symbolised their wealth and social status. Like the Atifet, I discovered that there many online step by step tutorials which explain how to make your own flat hat from lots of different materials. Although the image above appears to be an Elizabethan portrait of a woman, I'm unsure of the sitter and the artist. I don't mind the style and shaping of the flat hat, but I feel that it appears much more masculine compared to the other head pieces worn by women. Because of this I prefer the other hats but I do appreciate the small shape and fit of the hat as it sits just on top of the head, similar to a fascinator. |
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Sourced image from Etsy.com and Google.
https://img0.etsystatic.com/038/0/5643452/il_570xN.552144194_r0jv.jpg
In this image the woman is wearing a traditional Elizabethan Attifet. The Attifet was also worn in the hair as a hat accessory, it has a very similar style to a French hood although the Attifet has a heart shape on top. Like other hats worn in the hair, wealthy Elizabethan women wore Attifet's in rich colours and covered in trinkets that would compliment their hairstyle and outfit. The attifet is my favourite head piece that I have found whilst researching. I think the love heart shape of the headpiece is very feminine, bold and pretty as it frames the face nicely. |
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Anne Boleyn, By unknown artist, late 16th century (1533-1536)
Sourced image from National Portrait Gallery Online.
http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw00142/Anne-Boleyn?LinkID=mp00109&role=sit&rNo=0
In this portrait Anne Boleyn wears the popular French Hood that Elizabethan woman wore, the hood was usually worn with the hair in a straight texture and a clean middle parting. The French Hood was worn in many different colours and was normally covered in the desired accessories and trinkets, to compliment woman's hairstyle or outfit. I like the French hood as I feel it makes women appear classy and very feminine. Dark coloured French hoods are my favourite and I find the cut and shape of the hood interesting. The hood strangely reminds me of a nuns outfit and hood.
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Glenda Jackson, Elizabeth R.
Sourced image from google.
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/3b/da/a3/3bdaa39ddd82889c95ac2b22b770feb7.jpg
This image is a screenshot of the back of Glenda Jackson in the series Elizabeth R, I watched this series when researching the historical influence of different interpretations of the traditional makeup style through the years. Glenda Jackson is wearing a Caul in her hair in this image, which was a popular adornment worn in the hair by many wealthy Elizabethan women to compliment their hairstyle and clothing. Whilst researching i found out that you could easily make your own Caul as there are many online step by step tutorials which allow you to make your own. Cauls were normally made from silks, stain, velvet and other desired materials and detailed with small jewels, pearls and trinkets. The Caul for me is very pretty and petite, similar to a fascinator worn at a wedding, although I find it pretty I feel that It should be worn for more mature woman as it covers the hair instead of enhancing it.
Bibliography
Elizabethan Hair, Hats and adornments - http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/elizabethan-hair-styles.htm
Elizabethan Caul Tutorial - http://www.elizabethancostume.net/headwear/caulmake.html
Queen Elizabeth I portraiture and art - http://www.luminarium.org/renlit/elizface2.htm
Queen Elizabeth history, art and portraits -http://www.npg.org.uk
Elizabeth R - Glenda Jackson series - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_R
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