Hairstyles from 1800's and older = <3?

[angelfell]

For some reason, I find myself absolutely fascinated and totally adoring the styles and etiquette of older eras. My favorite styles/eras are the "new age" Egyptian (longer hair) and Regency styles. Of course, I pictured the styles a lot differently than they really were when I looked them up.. but, I liked what they really were better :p. I always saw Egyptians in that time frame with long black hair with blunt bangs but, in reality, a lot of them wore a bob, and tiny braids, headdress, etc.. and it wasn't always black. Not only is it their hairstyles I adore, but their sense of fashion and their 'behavior' or lifestyle as well. I wish I could live back then for a day :(.

So I'm curious if anyone else is as infatuated with hairstyles or style in general of older eras? If so, which areas and why? I intend on trying many older styles on my hair when its longer.. save for the Marie Antoinette bouffant.. that's a bit extreme for me :).

[EverydayMiracle]

Medieval and Renaissance Europe do it for me. I love the fashions and the hair. I am probably going to begin dressing for these eras as well as Colonial America. Yes, in real life, and daily. Don't we stand out enough with our hair anyway? Why not go whole hog and love the way that we look, right?

[Honestwitness]

Yea, I'm interested in older styles, too. I like the styles from the 1940s movies, on stars like Veronica Lake, June Allyson, etc. I study them to see how they came up with such beautiful hair.

I'm also fascinated with Civil-War-era styles. One of my goals is to get my hair in a crown braid or Heidi braid style, so I can do a re-enactment of a woman from the early 1800s who was a prophetess of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Her name was Ellen White. I am a former Seventh-day Adventist and I believe Mrs. White was a false prophet. I intend to make myself look as much like her as possible and take a video of myself reading some of her more bizarre and disturbing writings, so I can show it to some of my SDA friends. I believe if they could see and hear her talking, instead of just reading her writings, it just might convince them she really was a false prophet.

[Qwackie]

The Feudal Japan era, with the Geishas. <3 I love their hair, so pretty and black.
I have to agree with the renaissance, too.

[ChatNoir]

The hair of the Japanese Maiko (geisha) were truly fascinating. They still are of course, but the length and the thickness...

I have heard that they lost a lot of hair because of the tight up do's, but I still love their hair :D

[lajsa]

I adore older hairstyles, especially those that look a bit... romantic, can I call it that? Actually, I like older ones better than new modern ones sometimes...

[shawty]

I love the fashion of the Flappers, but not when it comes to hair. Those curly bobs looked kinda fried. Everything else though! Even, oddly, the smoke & drink: I'm against smoking and drinking but at the time they just saw it as part of their rebellious scene, they didn't recognize the long-term ill effects.

Also Gypsies! Esmerelda FTW!

And... Vikings. Big-bosomed Olga weilding her battle-axe. I know she is fictional but I still like the idea. ^_^

[RachieBaby]

Hmmmm i've never really looked at older hairstyles for inspiration :) I think when my hair is a bit longer i'll look more into it as i'll probably be able to do them easier :o though I do like the idea of being able to do hair from the 1930/1940's lol

[Spike]

Ooooh, Victorian/Edwardian FTW!!!

I love the Gibsons and other bun styles, with tons of wavy voluminous hair. I spent many years in my pre-teens fighting to make my hair lie down and behave. All the time, it’s just that I have 19th century hair.

[anthonyswife]

Medieval and Renaissance Europe do it for me. I love the fashions and the hair. I am probably going to begin dressing for these eras as well as Colonial America. Yes, in real life, and daily. Don't we stand out enough with our hair anyway? Why not go whole hog and love the way that we look, right?

Sorry that this is slightly off topic, but I jut wanted to say that's awesome that you want to dress like that daily! If I had the money to get more vintage or vintage-looking clothes, I would totally dress Edwardian every day...as it is I come pretty close. :)

[jenwexler]

I like Egypt too. Many of them wore wigs too. Did you know they wore eye makeup to protect their eyes?

[EverydayMiracle]

Sorry that this is slightly off topic, but I jut wanted to say that's awesome that you want to dress like that daily! If I had the money to get more vintage or vintage-looking clothes, I would totally dress Edwardian every day...as it is I come pretty close. :)

I've always been interested in historical fashion. I just really admire what we kind of think of as the "fairytale look." I want to have it. Seriously, when I have shed all the weight I am working on losing (158 lbs), I will be very happy to sew and get into some of the historical fashion, all the way down to the historical hair styles. There are several websites that detail how to do styles from the Jane Austen period, which is interesting, but not all there is to be said about fashion. Regency is fine, but not for me. I *do* love the high waists of the Edwardian period though!

I don't know whether or not you sew, but I know where there are some nice patterns for Edwardian styles. There aren't very *many* of them but I feel that it is superior to what can be found in the pattern catalogs.

[angelfell]

I think it's so cool there's others on here who admire the styles/fashion of older eras. For someone like me who can't sew or anything like that, and suck at up-dos, it always seems out of reach and I just want it so bad :p.

[StormiDoodle]

Actually, I really admire the short, chic hairstyles of the 1920s-40s more than anything. I even kept my hair in a late 1930s set for two years in college.

I'm also really fond of the 1830s knots- 1840s. Especially the really elaborate ones with side interest. Of course, I'm not willing to keep really long back hair and chin-length front hair to pull off most of the styles.

[Peggy E.]

I love the turn of the 19th century, 1900-1930 styles. Women were beginning to get a better sense of their worth and demanding to be recognized for it, so you had this sense of rebelliousness that didn't only reveal itself through bobbed hair.

They wanted time out of the kitchen and housework, they were embracing their strength and seeking validation for their emerging sense of individualilty.

And the clothes and hairstyles were so cool! ;o) My absolute favorite hair inspiration would be the actress Ann Harding - her hair was amazing!

[bluesnowflake]

I love the renaissance styles and the pretty Civil-War era updos.

[EverydayMiracle]

Civil-war era is some of my favorite, too!

[StephanieB]

I'm also fascinated with Civil-War-era styles. One of my goals is to get my hair in a crown braid or Heidi braid style, so I can do a re-enactment of a woman from the early 1800s who was a prophetess of the Seventh-day Adventist church. Her name was Ellen White. I am a former Seventh-day Adventist and I believe Mrs. White was a false prophet. I intend to make myself look as much like her as possible and take a video of myself reading some of her more bizarre and disturbing writings, so I can show it to some of my SDA friends. I believe if they could see and hear her talking, instead of just reading her writings, it just might convince them she really was a false prophet.
Personally, I doubt that even that will make anyone re-think their religious views... they'll only think (or tell you) that you aren't the real deal prophetess.

But, just as a point of fact, every portrait and sketch that I've ever seen of Ellen White shows her wearing her very dark hair center-parted and simply in a snood low on her neck. You can use fake hair to supplement your own - in a matching color to yours - so long as you can pull your own hair back behind your ears to make it look 'right'. She wore a simple first-third-to-mid-19th-century style - just shoved up into a net snood.

[eezepeeze]

Regency England, think Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice; also, 1940's retro pincurls.

[Hana212]

OOoohhh I would love to see some photo's of people experimenting with these sorts of styles... I do experiment all the time.. when my hair is longer and I can try all of these styles, you will all be annoyed at my insane photo posting :D

[Sagi1982]

I like the more classical braided styles. Dutch braids, crown braids and so on. Dunno where to settle the era of braided styles ;-)...

[bunzfan]

Your not alone in admiring hairstyles from past era's and wishing you could be back there even just for a day. For me it would be Henry the The 8th or Elizabethan era and my personal favorites the Victorians thats were my fascination with bun's looking elegant come from, i am sure we would hate it if we went back though.

[podo]

I love all updos to be honest, no matter when or where they were worn. Of course, this doesn't mean I'd try to do them, simply because a lot of them either won't work in my hair or I haven't figured out how to do them without the horrid damage they did. A lot of Regency (et al) styles used curling irons heated directly in the fire and then used on the hair. Split ends, frizz, and breakage were very common.

I have an awesome etiquette book from...uh... maybe the 40's? I don't know exactly since I don't have it in front of me, but it was a terrific read, and there's no problem with using a few of the old etiquette rules. I also stumbled across a collection of letters/book written by a lady in the Regency timeframe to her friends addressing all sorts of real life female things - hair, etiquette, men, clothes, etc.

[Madora]

I'd give anything to know how frau fanny angerer braided Empress Elizabeth of Austria's (sissi) gorgeous locks!

It was not a simple crown braid/coronet but something far more complicated. It looked incredible on her and I often wondered: since so many women of the time tried to duplicate it (and failed) was there ever any written instructions on how it was done.

Also, since so many of the civil war women and girls had such astonishing long hair, how did they wear it?
Many of the photos I've found on the 'net show women with lots of braid waves but I've never come across any written instructions of how they managed their magnificent hair.

For those interested, the book FASHIONS IN HAIR by Richard Corson contains many lovely pen illustrations of hairstyles from various eras. Some of the hairstyles from the 1880s are particularly lovely.

[Octave]

I love Ancient Egypt, just not sure about the hair they had back then
My nr.1 must be the Regency period ♥ Just love everything about it.
My second choice hair wise would be the Renaissance.
I do also like the 40s hairstyle, but it's nothing I would wear myself. :)

[Sagi1982]

I'd give anything to know how frau fanny angerer braided Empress Elizabeth of Austria's (sissi) gorgeous locks!

It was not a simple crown braid/coronet but something far more complicated. It looked incredible on her and I often wondered: since so many women of the time tried to duplicate it (and failed) was there ever any written instructions on how it was done.

Also, since so many of the civil war women and girls had such astonishing long hair, how did they wear it?
Many of the photos I've found on the 'net show women with lots of braid waves but I've never come across any written instructions of how they managed their magnificent hair.

For those interested, the book FASHIONS IN HAIR by Richard Corson contains many lovely pen illustrations of hairstyles from various eras. Some of the hairstyles from the 1880s are particularly lovely.
I made up a similar style, but i think its kimpossible to do something like this on your own head... :(
German instructions with drawings: http://sagislanghaarblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/frisurenanleitung.html
Short explanation:
Part your hair across the head from ear to ear.
Make a crown with the upper section and a perimeter braid with the other section. Its not an original style, but you can make it with bsl+ hair. ;)

I think, most of Sisis hairstyles require artificial hair pieces, and some talented hands to pin all those braids up.

OT: Your ava shows a really nice braided updo. :D

[BrightEyes7]

Renaissance and Victorian era hairstyles are my favorite... and the clothes. I love all the elaborate up-dos. I also think that corsets with chamises are the most beautiful style.

I know someone mentioned gypsies... this is very dear to me. My grandma was a gypsy from Hungary... she gave me her crystal ball and everything... It is a style that really interests me as well!

[Aveyronnaise]

I adore the victorian era hairstyles clothing , gloves everything. I found out this year that I share a birthday with Queen Victoria :)

[keight425]

Yes, I totally love researching older hairstyles, some of the updos are just so intricate and gorgeous!

[eezepeeze]

I love all updos to be honest, no matter when or where they were worn. Of course, this doesn't mean I'd try to do them, simply because a lot of them either won't work in my hair or I haven't figured out how to do them without the horrid damage they did. A lot of Regency (et al) styles used curling irons heated directly in the fire and then used on the hair. Split ends, frizz, and breakage were very common.

I have an awesome etiquette book from...uh... maybe the 40's? I don't know exactly since I don't have it in front of me, but it was a terrific read, and there's no problem with using a few of the old etiquette rules. I also stumbled across a collection of letters/book written by a lady in the Regency timeframe to her friends addressing all sorts of real life female things - hair, etiquette, men, clothes, etc.

One of the things I love most about re-creating historical updos is modernizing them for the current era. For example, we have plastic curlers and sponge curlers, which they didn't have, so we don't have such a need for hot irons. Also, we have sooooo many hair products at our disposal, to tame big hair or poof skinny hair, that I don't find myself needing to use heat.

I've been doing a lot of 40s styles lately, and getting TONS of compliments from people in real life. Let me know if you are interested in a tutorial on something like that and I will put one on my YT channel.

On LHC, I have some pics posted of a "modern regency-esque updo" that doesn't require heat and is very wearable.

This is kind of my "pet" topic, can you tell? :D

[eezepeeze]

Does anybody know of any Civil War era updos that don't cover the ears? Everything I've researched shows everyday styles that cover the ears with the side hair, but that is NOT a good look for me. I've been leaning on the Victorian styles from England for the same time period, but it would be great to find something wearable for everyday from our own (USA) historical time period.

This is part of the reason I like the Regency inspired styles...lots of easy buns, braid waves, easy braid accents, and they give a nice line to the neck and jaw, which I've had difficulty achieveing with the Civil War styles.

Info? Pretty please? :-)