Comparing Elizabethan and Contemporary hairstyles.

Sourced Image from Google.
http://www.brushstroke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/brushstroke-media-make-up-and-hair-024.jpg
I found this image whilst searching for a contemporary example to discuss alongside the image of Queen Elizabeth below. In this image the models hair is styled into a heart shape bun on top of the head decorated with a line of pearls. Similar to Queen Elizabeth's hair in the portrait below she has a slightly richer red tone in her hair and also pearl decorations, I am not sure if the hair is crimped as well as curled but the hair appears to have lots of volume full of tight curls. I feel this hair style holds an Elizabethan theme and is quite subtle compared to the portrait of Queen Elizabeth below.
 

The Armada Portrait Queen Elizabeth c1558 By unknown artist.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Elizabeth_I_(Armada_Portrait).jpg
This is the Armada Portrait, attributed to George Gower. This portrait is one of my favourite paintings of Queen Elizabeth, because of her beautiful dress and how youthful she looks in this portrait compared to others. In this portrait her hair is styled into the popular heart shape she was known to wear, adorned with pearls and diamonds. I feel that the matching ruff in this image compliments the extravagant accessories in her hair making her appear as very wealthy and important. Her hair appears to be in a crimped texture, although as the image is so small it could be in tight curls instead. I feel that whenever she wears her hair up in portraits she appears more like a traditional Queen compared to when she wears her hair done, her hair up makes her look much more mature and serious.

 

Sourced image from Google.
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=70626996
I have chosen to discuss this contemporary image alongside the portrait of Queen Elizabeth below to compare both of the similar hairstyles. Whilst looking for images of contemporary Elizabethan hair, I found this image which I thought was really similar to Queen Elizabeth's hair in the portrait below. I like the way the crimped hair is formed into different shapes around the top of the head and also hanging free around her face. The shaping of the hair on top of the models head slightly imitates the shaping of the extravagant hat Queen Elizabeth is wearing in her portrait, it also reminds me of coral from the sea. Although the hair in this image is crimped and not curled like in the portrait it still has an Elizabethan theme to the hair.
 

The Rainbow Portrait, circa 1600 By Issac Oliver.
Sourced image from Grand Ladies.com.
http://www.gogmsite.net/the_late_farthingale_era_fr/minialbum_queen_elizabeth_o/ca_1600_rainbow_portrait_by.html
 In this portrait Queen Elizabeth wears her hair in tight and loose curls, styled into a half up half down hairstyle. The tight compact pin curls wear commonly worn by Elizabethan women in this era as, Queen Elizabeth favoured them. I enjoy that the hair has two different styles but they compliment each other as one. The dress she is wearing in the image also brings out the red tones in her hair which I also enjoy. To finish off the hairstyle her hair is full of adornments and a top hat, emphasising her social status and wealth.





Bibliography
Rainbow Portrait Queen Elizabeth - http://www.gogmsite.net
http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/img-thing?.out=jpg&size=l&tid=70626996
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/Elizabeth_I_(Armada_Portrait).jpg
http://www.brushstroke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/brushstroke-media-make-up-and-hair-024.jpg