elizabethan hair

Elizabethan hair techniques

Using my techniques of creating a bun and plaiting hair from my previous practical hair lesson I began to start experimenting and developing ideas for my final elizabethan hairstyle.

This was my first attempt at an Elizabethan hairstyle I used the technique of a fish tail plait separating the hair in to two sections and the overlaying pieces of hair for  each section as I carried out this process I also began weaving ribbon through the plait in order to give it an elizabethan look once I finished plaiting the hair I then decided to twist the end of the plait under the hair in order to make the hair look like a low bun.

In this design I found it quite difficult to weave the ribbon through the fish tail plait. After speaking to Helen she explained the idea was nice but was generally quite difficult to accomplish without the ribbon being hidden.

This was my second attempt at a fish tail plait with ribbon weaved through it, overall I think my first attempt at this hairstyle was better than the second attempt.

Samriddhi. (13/03/13). hairstyle:how to. Available: http://www.glamcheck.com/fashion/2013/03/13/fishtail-plait-interlaced-with-ribbons/. Last accessed 30/11/14.

The image of a fish tail plait with blue ribbon incorporated into the plait was my inspiration for my first attempt at an Elizabethan technique. It is recognisable that the Elizabethans liked to incorparte materials such as ribbons and feathers into their hairstyles.

This was another attempt I had at an elizabethan hairstyle I achieved this look by doing a french plait on each side and the twisting the ends of the plait up into the hair.

After creating the design I felt it was a good idea but looking back on the design I feel it looks messy by incorporating a bun with the remaining peices of hair this may of helped to avoid the hairstyle looking untidy.

Melissa. (3/10/13). double dutch braided bun. Available: http://www.missysue.com/2013/10/double-dutch-braided-bun/. Last accessed 30/11/14.

The image of two braids pinned together gave me the inspiration for an Elizabethan hair technique. The Elizabethans were well known for having their hair pinned back with a variety of braiding techniques incorprated into their hair styles.

This was my second attempt at the two french plaits instead of twisting the ends of the plaits up into the hair I combined both the plaits at the bottom into a single plait.

 I felt this design looked better than my previous design

franny. (2008-2014). braids braids braids. Available: http://www.frannyslonghairstyles.com/braids.htm. Last accessed 30/11/14.

The image of two french plaits being plaited into one was the inspiration for another Elizabethan hair technique i decided to attempt. The Elizabethans were well known for their hairstyles incorporating a variety of different plaiting techniques similar to this style.

In my own time I created this Elizabethan hairstyle on real hair I achieved this look by beginning French plait on the right side of the head and then carrying on the plait around the head instead of straight .

I was happy with the outcome of the design i created in my own time as it looked generally quite neat and was also the first attempt i had at plaiting real hair rahter than synthetic hair on a dolls head.

 

anonymous. (2014). hair by mistresses. Available: http://www.celebwigs.com/fishtail-hair-band. Last accessed 30/11/14.

The contemporary image of a french plait being situated around the head is another inspiration for an Elizabethan hair technique. The Elizabethans were known to have there hair plaited and pinned back off their faces.

Curling and frizzing 

Another technique I learnt was how to curling hair using a geisha clip and a hair pin and then applying a brush slightly to make the hair more frizzy and add volume. I sectioned a small piece of hair and weaves the piece of hair in and out of the geisha pin in a figure of eight. Once i came to the end of the hair I secured the technique with a hair pin. I then applied the a hair straighteners to the weaved piece of hair . When the the top layer of hair had a slightly shiny surface I then removed the straighteners and waited for the hair to cool slightly. Finally I removed the hair pin and geisha pin and was left with a zig zag like curl. In order to add some frizz and volume I slightly brushed the curl.

  After my first attempt at a zig zag curl i was generally quite happy with the outcome and felt confident with the technique. I also have considered using this technique in my final design .

 Once I brushed out the zig zag curl it highlighted the amount of volume created by carrying this out. I also considered using this idea in my final Elizabethan design in order to create volume.

I brushed out the zig zag curls and pinned them backin order to portray volume .

References

Two different references one being modern and the other in the Elizabethan era both have hairstyles which are good examples or the zig zag curls and the frizzing technique and also good ideas to experiment, enter with in order to create my final Elizabethan hairstyle. 

Isaac Oliver. (c.1600). The rainbow portrait . Available: http://www.andrewgrahamdixon.com/archive/readArticle/245. Last accessed 30/11/14.

 The rainbow portrait painted by Isaac Oliver includes both of these techniques the frizzing effect which is created by the zig zag curls being slightly brushed out to create volume has been used and pinned back in order to create volume to the front of the hair and the loose pieces of hair have also been zig zag curled using a geisha pin.

anonymous. (02/04/2014). 02 announces exclusive priority partnership for beyonces uk leg ofthe mrs carter show world tour. Available: http://news.o2.co.uk/2013/02/04/o2-announces-exclusive-priority-partnership-for-beyonces-uk-leg-of-the-mrs-carter-show-world-tour/. Last accessed 14/10/14.

The modern Elizabethan style hair created for Beyonce s 2013 advert for the 02 also includes the technique of frizzing . It is noticeable that her hair has been zig zag curled and the brushed out to create volume .