Victorian Beauty Ideals - Hair

Hair 

Having long curly hair was seen as Godly in the Victorian era which is why women rarely cut their hair. There was also use of false hair as long hair was the ideal for them. Since the use of make up was disgorged women focused on hair and and a lot of attention was given to creating the ideal hairstyles. The scalp had to be clean as it was a part of the hygiene and also the canvas of creating a good hairstyle and also dirt could stop the healthy growth of the hair. Hair was shampooed once a month and groomed properly. Hairstyles were adjusted for different shapes of the face. 'The Newport knot' was a popular hairstyle. Fringes were worn on the sides of the face or upon the forehead depending on the shape of the face.  

Hair accessories were very much in fashion such as combs, jewels, feathers, chains, diadems, flowers, pearls. Topknots were becoming more popular and hairstyles including them were in fashion.  For the evening wear women used more jewels and detail in their hair, alongside with different materials such as ribbons and for daytime wear the hair was more toned down with different curls, but less jewels. 

The parting of the hair was also played an important part to the hair as it varied depending on the shape of the face and also age of the person. Different types of parting included the hair fully scraped back out of the face, a V parting with hair coming down in a V shape from both sides. For children the hair could be parted from the side and the coiffure, 'the braid could be let down and allowed to hang free from the crown with a ribbon bow at the end.'

Hair also showed status which is why the hairstyle of servants were different to the hairstyles of wealth ladies. Although the same shape and idea that the wealthier women had was followed by servants it was not done carefully and neatly which suggested social status. 

'As Leonardo da Vinci once said, “Hair is essential to a face as a frame is to a picture.”  Hairstyles have evolved from a display of power and wealth to an expression of self and individuality.  Hair has been used as a medium to make political statements, rebel against social norms, and to tell one’s story.  Through the years hair has been braided, coloured, teased, and adorned to reflect not only the fashions of the day, but also the values of the era.'

Queen Victoria was a fashion icon, in the earlier days her hairstyle consisted of a plain plaits attached to the top of the head to create loops. The hairstyles started of being very neat and perfected but then evolved to more of a natural look with buns with curled hair on the sides of the head. 

Around 1837, the coiffures could be worn low or raised up and the hair in front could be worn in bands or ringlets falling on each side of the face. A lot of women adapted the two large twists which are called ' à la Clothilde' which fell down halfway on the cheeks and then carried up towards the top of the coiffure.  

À la Chinoise, front hair in bands with ringlet

By the 1850s women wore hairstyles incorporating hairpieces  purchased from the new department stores.  Towards the end of the 19th century, the Marcell Wave invented by Marcel Grateau’s “curling iron,” became a popular hairstyle which enabled to create a more natural looking wave as opposed to a curl. Victorians associated hair with life and love, therefore, it was traditional for women to incorporate lockets of hair into mourning  jewellery after the passing of a loved one.

By 1856 there was various of new designs for coiffures which could have flowers, feathers pearls. By 1862 the new style for hair

. 

The Newport knot.

'http://www.vintagevictorian.com/images/del94dec-p683-figBb.jpg'

'http://www.vintagevictorian.com/images/del94dec-p683hair-a.jpg'

 Richard Corson (1965). Fashions In Hair The First Five Thousand Years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdnIY5aXSGA

Hairstyles which the women wore in the Victorian era. The hairstyles in the early 1800's were mostly middle parted and simple and as time went on the hairstyles became more detailed and fancy as fashion developed. Some of the hairstyles included buns, plaits, frizzing, curling, padding, pin curls, french twists etc. 
There was also a massive use of accessories in the hair such as ribbons, flowers, pearls, headbands.