Early Victorian Hair, Helens Studio session - Notes.

Queen Victoria on her wedding day.
Google sourced image.
http://thedreamstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Queen_Victoria.jpg

Queen Victoria on her wedding day- In this portrait Queen Victoria appears to have very sleek hair, low plaited buns, immaculate and neat sectioning, no curls, detailing in the hair is framed around the face.

During the 1840's women hairstyles changed and the hair became much more softer, lower, still had the same neat sectioning, women still wore buns and also when the hair was sectioned there began to be a occurring trend where the hair was sectioned neatly as usual but more into a 'V shape'.

Early Hairstyles -

Early Victorian Women usually wore their hair in an 'Apollo Knot'.

The image above is a portrait (artist unknown) of a traditional early Victorian woman, with her hair styled into a 'Apollo Knot'.
Image sourced from google.
http://www.behindballet.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/apollobun_blog.jpg

The hair in this image is styled into a Apollo Knot, normally worn by many Victorian women . This hairstyle appears very structured, compact, tight, It has immaculate parting in the scalp sectioning the tight barrel curls created and also a tight bun on top of the head formed from plaits. In the Pre Victorian times, hats were a elaborate part to a Victorian women's and men's outfit, Victorians were very particular about the little details and took a lot of pride in their appearance. At the beginning of Victorian years, women hats became Bonnets instead. Bonnets were usually very detailed and tailor made and framed and emphasised the shaping of the face. Ringlets, plaits, buns, curls and interact hairstyles all tended to fit perfectly under bonnets and even mens Headwear.


Throughout time, the traditional Victorian hairstyle for women is still sectioned immaculately and neat but looser in curls, framing and hanging softly around the face.
The first photographs were taken around the 1820's, Victorians adored photography and felt it captured their culture, development and history for future Victorians to see.
Tong heaters and moustache curlers were used to style the hair into curls etc, these were usually warmed up with hot stones and fire, these heated hair tools became more popular towards the late Victorian century.
Victorians were moralistic, obscure and religious. Make-up was unheard of and women were preferred to have a 'Pale and interesting' look instead of done up with make-up, cosmetics were only associated with performers and prostitutes.
Helen advised us to consider time and also situation of our character when creating Victorian Hairstyles, this was helpful as I began to think of the condition and age of which I want my character to portray.

Mens Hairstyles-
Side burns, parted sectioned and long, curly, fluffy hair was commonly worn by many Victorian men, similar to the same styles as Women. Many men wore there hair messy on occasion but as long as they had an immaculate parting and some neat formation of the hair, it would look as if it was styled. Compared to modern hairstyles for men today, there is not much difference as many young men have begun growing long hair and beards to style into buns and other styles.




I found this information, provided my Helen very informative and helpful when considering the terms, and reasonings of particular hairstyles for Victorian men and women. In response to this session I plan to complete the set homework but also further my research I have collected, looking more at the hair products, changes in hairstyling and origins of trends.