Curling,Crimping And Frizzing

In this week's practical lesson we were learning how to curl, crimp and frizz hair using different methods and hot tools.

Curling

Method:

1.       Take a small section of hair
2.    Put hair into the clamp roll up - hold for a few seconds
3.       Release one section
4.       Wiggle and pull hair out of tong
5.       Put pin in to keep in place
6.       Alternate hair direction
7.    Roll down the cooled hair from the pins 
8.      Release hair upwards on top of the head to keep the volume
9.    If a downwards curl is required lay the barrel flat

     

Curled Hair

Elizabethan Curled Hair
http://queenanneboleyn.com/2014/06/26/qab-book-review-the-marriage-game-by-alison-weir/

Contemporary Curled Hair
http://vintagevicar22.wordpress.com/2013/02/12/my-hair-featured-in-catwalk-show/

        Crimping
         
          Method:

1. Get a hair strand the same width as the crimper
2. Crimp hair with the crimper
3. Release after 5-10 seconds
4. Repeat process down the hair without pulling too hard on the crimped hair

Crimped Hair

Crimped Elizabethan Hair
https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/A-Portrait-of-Elizabeth-I-of-England

Contemporary Crimped Hair
http://www.hji.co.uk/hair/big-hair-at-berlin-fashion-week/

  Frizzing

       Method:

1.        Take a medium section of hair
2.     Get a long thin hair pin
3.         Figure of 8 around the pin
4.     At the end continue figure of 8, wrap simply around or leave loose - fasten with Kirby grip
5.       Hold straightener on the hair around the pin, pull pin out once cool and comb to get the frizz

Frizzed Hair

Frizzed Elizabethan Hair
http://nttreasurehunt.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/it-girls-of-the-elizabethan-age/

Contemporary Frizzed Hair
http://www.trendhunter.com/trends/topshop-unique-spring-2011

Elizabethan Trends In Modern Day Hair

Pearls

Pearls used to feature heavily in Elizabethan portraiture and were sometimes used as an accessory to adorn the hair. They used to have high levels of symbolism in portraying purity and wealth. In this portrait of Elizabeth I she has used pearls in her hair. The image below of Rita Ora can also be seen to incorporate pearls but it has more of a contemporary feel yet reminds me of the Elizabethan trend. Rita's hair is also twisted into plaits which was another famous trend in Elizabethan times.

Queen Elizabeth With Pearls In Her Hair
https://www.pinterest.com/drealeed/french-farthingales/

Rita Ora With Pearls In Her Hair
http://www.hji.co.uk/hair/pearly-queen-rita-ora-chanel-hair/

Gems

Gems also featured highly in Elizabethan portraiture, they were used to represent wealth, nobility and social standing. This image of Queen Elizabeth I features a crown that has many different gems as well as pearls attached. The image below is of the Dolce And Gabbana Autumn Winter 13 collection. This image reminds me of Elizabethan times due to the use of the crown highly adorned in gems. The image as a whole reminds me of Elizabethan beauty trends.

Queen Elizabeth I Wearing A Gem Crown
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/about/services/photography/popular-images.aspx

Dolce And Gabbana Autumn Winter 13
http://www.hji.co.uk/hair/reinventing-the-classics-designers-with-signature-catwalk-hairstyles/

Feathers

Feathers were sometimes used in the hair but more rarely than pearls and gems. I found the 'Spanish Armada Portrait' of Queen Elizabeth I where it looks as though she has an exotic feather in her hair. This feather would have been used to represent her conquests and successes in the new worlds and how she had succeeded in the expansion of her reign. I found a contemporary use of a feather from a Gucci catwalk show which reminded me of the Elizabethans, but not the use of the ponytail.

Queen Elizabeth I 'Spanish Armada' Portrait With A Feather In Her Hair
http://historyofeuropeanfashion.wordpress.com

Gucci Catwalk Show
http://aheadofhairextensions.wordpress.com/2012/09/18/ponytails-and-feathers-catwalk-2012/

French Plaits, Fishtail Plaits And Buns

French Plait

Method:

·       3 strands of hair

·       Plait normally 3 times

·       Gather a section of hair from the rest of the head and add to the middle strand

·       Carry on plaiting as normal for one twist

·       Change the side the hair is gathered from, depending which strand is being plaited

·       Repeat the process of adding more hair after each normal twist

I found this quite a challenging look to create to begin with as I struggled with adding pieces of hair. The hand and finger placements were new to me and therefore tricky until I had practised.

I found one of the images below online, it made me think of Elizabethan hair which incorporated a French Plait. It reminded me of the Elizabethans mostly due to the style and colour. I think that the use of the red lipstick also made me think this.

My French Plait

Contemporary Elizabethan Hair Style
http://suket-teqi.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/cute-braid-girls-beauty.html

Fishtail

Method:

·       2 sections of hair

·       Pass 1 small section of hair from 1 strand to the other

·       Repeat the process the whole way down the head

The Christian Siriano look reminded me of an Elizabethan hairstyle as I have seen many portraits where plaits have been styled into an up do.

My Fishtail Plait

Fish Tail Plait Hairstyle Christian Siriano Fall/Winter 2013
http://www.hairromance.com/2013/02/nyfw-hair-trend-braids.html

Bun

Method:

·       Put the hair half up half down (on false head), add 2 bands around the ponytail if the hair is thick

·       Take a section of hair from the top front of the ponytail and backcomb the opposite side

·       Roll the section of hair into a barrel role and secure with 2 Kirby clips

·       Repeat this 3 more times with 3 more sections of the ponytail

·       Use a pin to manipulate the barrel roles into the circular shape

·       Pin into place with pins

I found an image online of a very detailed and beautiful bun. The plait surrounding it made me instantly think of the Elizabethans.

My Bun

A Bun With Plait
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/432627107926586438/

My Project And Current Understanding of Elizabethan Hair

This first project is called 'Red Heads and Royalty' and I have to research, explore and experiment with Elizabethan hairstyles. This exploration will lead up to a final look, that I will be designing for myself, which incorporates Elizabethan style and techniques with a contemporary twist.  My understanding of Elizabethan hair is currently limited as I have never closely studied this time period before. Any knowledge I have gained is mostly through watching films and briefly looking at portraiture. I am however looking forward to learning new skills and more about hair from this interesting period in history. I do however know that light coloured hair such as blondes and reds was popular as it resembled youth as well as wealth. Many of these trends were set by Queen Elizabeth I who, during this time, became a style icon. Plaits and buns were also highly abundant. On the website 'sixwives.info', hair dye is described as becoming popular amongst rich tudor women. The main choices of colour were blondes and reds. Yellow hair dye was made from saffron, cumin seed, celandine and oil. Therefore this was an important era for change and style revolution, making it an even more exciting time to learn about.