Introduction

In this project I will be looking in depth into Elizabethan hair styles, focusing on Queen Elizabeth her self. I will be discussing the colours, textures, hair design and trends women wore in that era and what importance it had. By researching in to this I will be creating ways of how these fashions can be created into a contemporary style.

My first thoughts on Elizabthan hairstyles are they look much more well created and 'fixed' to the head compared to our modern hair styles. Looking at portraits of Queen Elizabeth showed you how she was the fashion icon of her era and all the wealthy woman would go to great lengths just to look like her.



Even though she had natural red hair, other women would use a concoction of ingredients to dye their hair. The Queen also had a variety of wigs which she would wear, this is a sign of wealth as not just any one would wear a wig in those days.
Having frizzy hair was very popular too, having curls and the hair all put up was how to wear it in those days, all off the face. Like in the picture her hair is very curly and frizzy, its held in place with the band covered in pearls and jewels and it looks like there is a veil on there too. Women wore loads of different head pieces to keep their hair back and wealthier women would wear peals and jewels on theirs to show people how wealthy they are.

There was no fringes in the Elizabethan era as women would shave their hairline, having a bigger forehead was so seen to others that you are 'knowledgeable'. Ladies would also pluck their eyebrows in to thin arches to make their forehead appear bigger.
Their hair was always put up and each side would be A symmetric to the other, a very fashionable look was making the hair create a love heart shape. Adding pearls, diamonds and hats into the hair showed other men and women how rich and powerful the women were by being able to wear expensive jewellery in her hair. Before marriage women would have their hair down to show they were still available.

In the Elizabethan era, the main thing to wash your hair in was a mixture called 'lye', it was made from wood ash and water.

I will be going in to depth the different ways of how these styles were created and which techniques they used. Also, recreating these looks and making them in to a contemporary style.

http://beautifulwithbrains.com/2010/05/20/beauty-history-the-elizabethan-era/
http://www.thetudorswiki.com/page/Queen+Elizabeth+I+-+Historical+profile
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/29/21/18/2921186f8456b5532657b4649a2c303e.jpg