Empress Elisabeth of Austria (Sissi) was the Angelina Jolie of her day, if people magazine had existed in the mid 19th century, she would have been on every cover. Her fans were spread out all over the world, and she was a style icon. Among one of Sissi's most beautiful and well known features was her floor length locks. According to legend, it took three hours a day to bath, brush, and style the Empresses tresses. She was the epitome of Victorian beauty, perhaps more influential on the fashion and beauty than the namesake of the era, Queen Victoria.
Victorians attributed an almost mythical and romanticized view of hair, and often when describing a women's beauty, hair is mentioned.
For example in Godey's volume 51, page 233, a story is shown of a pair of young people. The young man is in love with the lady, who is betrothed to another man. He asks the lady for a portrait, but none satisfactorily relay her beauty so he asks for another gift instead... to touch her hair, and that even touching it would stave off the pain he would feel when she married another. It was as he touched and admired her hair that he decided she was the most beautiful women he had seen and he told her of his affection. They end up getting married, but it was that moments of running his fingers through his locks that was the pivotal point of the story that made the young protagonist decide who could not live without her.
In the same volume, a female protagonist is seen contemplating her beauty, and decides she is still lovely. She"knew her face was not less lovely in its oval outline, shaded by luxuriant bands of soft black hair."
Dozens of articles of hair care, hair products, and hair adornments litter ladies's magazines from the era, and locks were even given as mementos to loved ones and beaus. Jewelry was made from delicately plaited hair strands and worn on a daily basis, establishing the meaning that Victorians gave to one's tresses. One cannot accurately represent a middle or upper class lady of the era without paying some attention to the hair. A correct coif is one of the things that can make or break an outfit.
But lets be honest, who actually has a small army of maids and three hours to keep those tresses contained. Personally I have to bribe my sister with chocolate just to get her to do a simple braid, let alone try some of the more intricate styles sported by the average savvy Victorian woman. Well, the average 1860's lady didn't have an army of servants either, but she definitely had an army of tricks up her sleeves!
There are many ways that the old souled lady may achieve those enviable locks that their predecessor's sported. Hair long enough to sit on, a full basket bun that covered the whole neck and then some, and gorgeous curls and intricate hairstyles that boast a healthy head of uncut hair. And it can be done without spending four hours a day caring for it! Over the next few weeks I will be trying out some of these little tricks, with hair pieces, rats, period correct extensions, and whatever else my research digs up. Better buckle up folks, its going to be a wild (yet fun) ride! Hopefully my head and dignity will survive this!
Comments
Post a Comment