1910 Updo in 2 minutes??

[Gwendolene]

For the show I'm in this month, they want me to take my hair from half up/half down to a Victorian/Edwardian updo during the 2 minute break I have between scenes.

I am at a complete loss as to what to do with it. (Aproximately 28" --2" from my waist.) I know lots of period updos but none of them are doable in that time frame. I don't want to be tearing it out when I take down the first style, either...

Suggestions?

[Beets]

Hmmm. This probably isn't technically period, but it might look period from the audience. I just tried it real quick in front of the mirror, with thick 34" hair, and could do it believably in 30 seconds.

Pull the front half of your hair back and then push it forward a bit, making it kind of puff and slouch in the front. Fasten it with a barrette that more or less matches your hair color, or even a good, strong, small claw. Then, put all of the hair up in a cinnabun more or less on top of the barrette. Hold with a few good pins and maybe a hair accessory that would work for the rest of your costume.

[misstwist]

My current default hairdo looks like a Gibson Girl bun.

I bend forward and brush all of my hair into a loose pony in my hand at my forehead or as near to as to make no difference. Stand up with the hair still held in a loose pony. Move it all forward as if you are making a poof, then coil the rest into a soft bun between the crown and forehead. I don't even twist this bun. I'm currently securing it with two roller pins (the big bobby pins) and it doesn't go anywhere. When I'm finished with the bun I take a fine tooth comb and arrange the wave around the face.

[skay]

Seriously, if you hadn't thought about it, I'd consider doing what those in the entertainment business do:

Find a wig with a similar hair color to yours to work with. :)

[Gwendolene]

Seriously, if you hadn't thought about it, I'd consider doing what those in the entertainment business do:

Find a wig with a similar hair color to yours to work with. :)

I am in the industry. My hair is too long to wig.

[deviantkitten]

I am in the industry. My hair is too long to wig.

I can definitely relate. having nearly TB length hair, quick changes and wigs are NOT my friend. Will you have dressers in the wings with you? I had to do a quick change by myself a while ago. I had to wear my hair down while on stage, then in the wings I had to change costumes and change my hair to an up style. My hair got caught in the buttons, and well, it nearly had me to tears, to put it nicely.
What kind of half up will you have your hair in?
If it is a loose bun with a little "pouf" in the front, you may be able just to gather the rest of your hair loosly and coil it into a bun around your previous bun, thus creating a Gibson style bun- loose bun on top of head with the hair gathered into the bun also being a little loose, creating a "pouf"

[SimplyViki]

I am in the industry. My hair is too long to wig.
You sure? Here's an article (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=51) on how to get long hair under a wig.

[deviantkitten]

You sure? Here's an article (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/vbjournal.php?do=article&articleid=51) on how to get long hair under a wig.

I have tried that method myself, and it really depends on the type of wig. In most wigs, lumps and bumps of hair are SO obvious, and especially if you are on stage moving around, the wig is very unstable because of all the hair under it

[Flynn]

I do it with flat braids all over my head. The effect is just that my head is bigger... not weird and lumpy.

[papillion]

I'm having similar problems for a show I'm in over the summer. I'm in four scenes, though only two in each half, so I suspect I have rather more time to do my hair than you.

I start with a half up too, then simply take out the clips and put my hair up into a lazy wrap bun. Okay, so it's probably not accurate for the time period, but I'm working on the theory that as long as my hair looks vaguely old-fashioned, nobody in the audience is going to care.

Only those of us obsessed with hair or history, or both, are going to know it's not accurate for the period. I'm still searching for an easy and quick style that is accurate, but it'll do for now.

[Peggy E.]

Seriously, if you hadn't thought about it, I'd consider doing what those in the entertainment business do:

Find a wig with a similar hair color to yours to work with. :)


This was what my suggestion was going to be, as well. You can have it ready to go in the allotted time allowed and not have to worry about redoing your hair along with a costume change (assuming different hair = different time period, different clothing....)

Break a leg! ;o)