Contemporary Elizabethan Research

From previous research into Elizabeth I and the Tudors I found out some key information that'll help me to create a design that has Elizabethan elements. I decided to continue this research in a more specific manner this time, looking at contemporary hair styles with one feature of Elizabethan style within it.

There are many Elizabethan symbols that hold different meanings that are all visual elements that I could incorporate into my designs. An example of one of these symbols is the Tudor rose; this was used in almost all of Elizabeth's portraits to refer to the Tudor dynasty and the unity it brought to the realm. The rose also held religious meaning, as a symbol of the Virgin Mary, therefore Queen Elizabeth wore the rose in order to reinstate her purity as a virgin. Roses are often worn in hair styles today, however this is probably not for the same reason as Elizabeth wore them as symbolism isn't as prominent in 21st century imagery.

In the 21st century we do still have symbols that are important and traditional to us that we often use in imagery to create a story or a theme. I never really considered these symbols to be just that, as before now I hadn't really thought about the notion behind traditions themselves as we are just brought up with these things being the norm. For example, wearing a white dress on your wedding day. White is the colour of purity and virginity, this is a symbol used back in Elizabethan times as well as now. Although it's very unlikely that a lot of brides are still virgins on their day of wed, it is still a tradition that the majority of us uphold.

There are various other symbols in the 21st century that I had over looked as well, such as an army uniform, a policeman uniform, the queen guards uniforms etc. I thought that I should look further into Elizabethan symbolism, past the obvious. If I am able to overlook all of the above symbols I am surrounded by and exposed to on a regular basis then I can't possibly have noticed all of the symbols in Elizabethan portraiture.

The Pelican was thought to be one of Elizabeth's most favoured symbols as it represented her motherly love toward her people. It was believed that in times of food shortages, mother pelicans would pluck their own breasts in order to feed their dying young with their blood, saving their lives but killing themselves in the process. During Elizabeth's rein the pelican went on to represent Jesus sacrificing himself on the cross for the good of mankind as well as the sacrament of communion, feeding the faithful with his body and blood. The pelican can be seen in Elizabeth's pelican portrait, where she is adorned with a pelican broach on her breast.

I found having Googled some ridiculous things such as 'modern pelican hair styles' that the cross is the modern equivalent of the pelican symbol. About two years ago if you left the house you wouldn't be able to walk down the street without seeing someone in leggings or a shirt covered in the Christian cross.

I wasn't able to find any hair styles that incorporated crosses, however there were various hair pieces adorned with this specific symbol. Despite how hard I looked I couldn't find any including a pelican though, which just shows how symbols will grow and change over time while still being representative of the same thing. People are probably unaware of the meaning behind the cross despite it being on every item of clothing in their wardrobe, however these symbols are still prominent in our society today.


The Tudor Rose is another symbol that I brought up briefly before which is still used today. Rather than representing the Virgin Mary it instead is a symbols of romance, passion and love. I found numerous contemporary hair styles that incorporated roses, most of them being bridal which was to be expected due to the shift in meaning behind this specific symbol. This symbol is one of the most aesthetically pleasing to me. Roses can look both powerful and harsh but also delicate and soft just like the different techniques we have learnt in order to create and I would like to see if I could work them into one of my designs.

Ermine fur was featured in many portraits of Queen Elizabeth I. It was a symbol of purity due to the legend that the ermine would rather die than soil its pure white coat. Not only was it a symbol for purity and loyalty it was also a status symbol, as wearing ermine was restricted to royalty and high nobility. This is similar to what fur represents in the 21st century, as only those of wealth can afford to wear real fur.

It would be nice to included some fur into my design as even if the individual doesn't understand the meaning behind the ermine then they will recognise the style being for the upper class through the use of fur. Not only that but I think fur is beautiful and can contrast both a lot or only a little with the hair dependant on the texture and colour used and the effect desired.



 Pearls were a very commonly used symbol in almost every single one of Elizabeth's portraits. Pearls as well as moons were used to present Elizabeth as Cynthia, the goddess of the Moon, who was a virgin, making her pure. Sir Walter Ralegh helped to promote Elizabeth being a moon goddess with a the poem written in the 1580s; The Ocean's Love to Cynthia. Pearls are often used today on elements of clothing, hair and other accessories. They are seen to be another symbol of class and status. They are most commonly worn in bridal hair styles and upon a wedding dress as they represent the purity of the bride, similar to the reason that Elizabeth wore them.


Heart shapes are often associated with the Tudors. I have looked into the symbolism behind this and have come to the conclusion that the Elizabethans didn't actual see this shape as 'heart shaped'. This style of heart was introduced a long while after the Tudors period, therefore it is very unlikely that they saw it as anything other than two crescent moons. This would make sense due to the fact that Elizabeth was trying to portray herself as a moon goddess. This double crescent/heart shape is something that we still use today, however it now obviously symbolises love rather than Elizabeth being a moon goddess. I would like to try and incorporate this shape into my designs as I think it is a very obvious Elizabethan style but allows a lot of scope as to how they could be used within the design. The heart shape is often created at the front of the head using bouffants that have a lot of height and texture to them, however I found a lot of variation when looking into other heart shaped hair styles that inspired me to create my own designs based around this shape.




I found three heart shaped hair designs using each one of the techniques that we have been taught in practical lessons to give me an idea of what I could achieve myself. I realised having looked at numerous styles that I could use quite large hair props within my designs without it being the full focus of the style.

Overall this research has inspired me and made me excited to begin designing for myself. I will most likely practice small techniques on Mimi and then use actual models with longer hair to attempt a full design.

Practical - Crimping, Backcombing and Rats

During this most recent practical hair styling session we learnt how to crimp hair with the crimping irons, how to backcomb hair and how to use rats to create volume in our designs. Just like every time we learn a new skill, we were working on our Mimi heads. We started by crimping Mimi's whole head of hair. This was quite easily executed, the success of the final outcome was dependent on the thickness of the sections crimped and the amount of time the crimpers were left on the hair.

The crimpers could be set to a very high heat of 230 degrees for thicker, stubborn hair, but on Mimi's thin and quite damaged hair I started by using the crimpers on 180 degrees. I sectioned the hair in two halves and worked from the underneath of the hair and up to the front of the head on either side. I found that I only had to hold the crimpers for 4 seconds for a prominent zigzag to form on each section. I quite liked the texture this created, however actually crimping Mimi's whole head was ridiculously boring itself, not to mention it smelt vile. This was a very handy skill to have gained though and I will likely be incorporating it into my designs.

We then brushed out the crimp using a paddle brush which created instant body, it made Mimi's hair seem a lot fuller than it actually was meaning I would be able to create more height with a smaller amount of hair. Then I created a section from the top of the head straight down to just behind the ear. Sectioning off from the bottom and working up, I back combed this small section. When backcombing, the hair needs to be held taught either upwards or outwards, pushing a small toothed comb from the middle of the section of hair towards the root. It helps to keep this pushing motion controlled as it allows the back comb to be brushed out with ease as you're not creating knots. You will know that you're creating backcomb when your comb stops being able to push as close to the root. I already knew how to create backcomb but I was open to some practice as I hadn't put it to use since my scene kid phase in 2009.

We then learnt how to create a bouffant with a rat. Rats are hair inserts made from tissue paper in tights or more expensive versions are usually made from foam in netting. The net allows the stylist to thread pins through it and into the models hair so that it is secured to the head.

We were shown two different ways to do this. The first one that I tried was using the section of hair that I had just backcombed again; from the middle part down to just behind the ear. Working from the back of the head I pulled the section backwards and I took the 'rat' and placed it underneath the very ends of the section of hair. I then rolled the rat under on itself, inwards towards the roots so that the hair was wrapped around the rat. I then secured the rat to the head using Kirby grips and worked the hair over it so this it wasn't visible thought the bouffant from any angle, moving sections and securing them further with hair pins.  

The second technique created the same look however we were able to make sure that the rat was held more securely on the head. This would be more appropriate when shooting a scene in a film as it will withstand more movement whereas the other technique would be fine for a photo shoot where less movement is involved. This technique involves creating a small French plait at the back of the section of hair you are trying to manipulate. I took the same section that I used for the other bouffant but on the other side of the head and weaved a small, tight French plait. I then folded this plait over alongside itself and pinned it securely to the head with Kirby grips. This was what I was going to pin my rat to in order to keep it stiff and stable underneath the hair. Instead of rolling the hair over the rat this time, I pinned the rat in place before trying to style the hair going over the top of it. I tucked the hair underneath the rat once it had been pinned to the plait and pinned it into place with hair pins and Kirby grips.

 
I was able to create both bouffants with little stress but personally I found that I created a cleaner style when using the second technique. I was able to hand the hair with more control when I wasn't trying to roll the rat in at the same time as keeping the hair tight around it, therefore if incorporate bouffants into my designs then I will be using the second technique. Overall I enjoyed the session and felt confident in my ability to perform all skills learnt when the two hours were up.

Elizabethan hair styling research

(When reading please use your cursor to highlight the text as some of the font won't change colour and disappears into the background so it looks like large gaps but it isn't!)



In order to gain a better understanding of the hair styles that were in fashion during the Elizabethan era I conducted some research so that I could begin to gather a better idea of what would be best to incorporate into my own designs. I started on the internet and found numerous sites focused on Elizabethan fashion and the styles of the era.

The Elizabethans were very big on symbolism and they were very good at creating  powerful messages in their imagery through the use of certain objects, fashion and places. What I found out about the symbolism of hair styling in the Tudors was that young women kept their hair long and practically un-styled displaying their natural beauty. The long flowing hair of a young girl was a sign of a virgin, therefore this was the favoured hairstyle for Elizabethan brides on their wedding days. they would fill their hair with fresh flowers and pearls; two other symbols of purity and virginity. When a woman was wed she wore her hair pinned up with the majority of her hair being covered by some form of hair piece e.g a bonnet or a cap. Long hair was generally dressed in a bun or plaited to which numerous head coverings could be pinned to. The front and sides of the hair were the main focus as these was the area that was most displayed. Having a far back hair line was seen as a symbol of an individuals wisdom, the higher the forehead, the wiser they were. These are all aspects that I should consider applying to my own designs.  

I started way back looking at images created in Elizabeth I's era. She had many portraits composed of herself as queen though very few created of her when she was only a princess. The few portraits of Elizabeth as a younger woman show her in gowns of red and gold, wearing pearls and with her red hair parted in the middle and sleeked back into some sort of hair piece. This style is very understated and has very few similarities to the styles that she is shown to have worn in her later life, featured in her more well known portraiture.

I went on to look at portraits of her through her period as queen and found that her hair styles and pieces became more elaborate and lavish. There were a few themes that stayed consistent throughout these portraits though and that was her red hair, pearls and the shapes of her styles. Worked around these constants, elements were changed in the texture, the height, the number of embellishments and the harshness of her hair styles.

I saw a lot of the techniques that we had learnt in practical lessons in these styles and it helped me to understand how they had been created. However, it came to my attention that in the Elizabethan era they wouldn't have had the luxury of using curling tongues or crimping irons to create these textures. So I decided to look into how they created these textures without the use of heat and found that it was through the use of plaiting intricate styles into the hair; another skill we had been taught in our practical lessons. This made me more confident that I would be able to create a style that looked Elizabethan, as well as giving me some ideas as to what I could achieve with these skills.

I continued my research aiming to find out more about the different types of hair pieces commonly worn in the Tudors. There were numerous that I found out about:

The Coif  was mostly worn by all children. Made of white linen, a close fitting cap tied under the chin usually used as caps to keep hair in place under more elaborate garments. 
The French hood was a garment made popular in the time Anne Boleyn; Queen Elizabeth I's mother. A half moon shaped hair band,  often embellished with pearls or jewels, with a veil attached to the back covering the hair.
The Atifet is very similar to the French hood, instead with a heart shaped crescent rather that a half crescent and adorned with lace trimmings instead of pearls.
The Caul was essentially an Elizabethan hair net. Usually worn to cover all of the hair or just buns and plaits on the back of the head. Upper class women often wore them embellished with jewels and pearls. 
The Pillbox like a poor mans French hood. It also had a veil on the back but was very basic in shape and style.

None of these head pieces had me inspired, nor did I really like the look of them. If anything I felt that they would restrict my creativity for my designs, I would prefer to see how much I can do with the most amount of hair I could use. The only one that gave me any ideas was the Caul. I like the idea of using gems and pearls in my designs, however I wouldn't want them attached to netting or on a hair garment. Instead I would personally place them in the seams of plaits or on the edges of buns, possibly lining the hair line to create that harsh line shown in portraiture.

This made me think that maybe I was likely to be more inspired by contemporary adaptations of Elizabethan styles. I always thought that this would be the case, I'm most often drawn to up to date styles or the newest thing, rather the styles that these have been originally derived from. I searched 'Contemporary Elizabethan hair styling' and the first few hundred results for this were other peoples blogs on this course! I had a small look on other people blogs from last year and other years and felt like I was cheating, however I was very inspired. I thought it would be best to look at the images that matched my search and find websites this way instead.

Pinterest was the website that I found both of these images from and many more, it is somewhere that I will be using often to find inspiration for my designs. Just looking at both of these images I was able to see how both of them show an Elizabethan style however they are completely different in so many elements.  My research has given me a lot to think about as there are many different directions that I could go when designing my contemporary Elizabethan hair style. I could keep the classic Elizabethan shape but using different textures than those that would have been used in the Tudors or vice versa. I could make the design itself quite simple but give it the Elizabethan style by adoring the hair with lots of pearls and jewels. I could create a very tight, intricate and detailed style or I could go big, textured and soft. I will play around with ideas using both Mimi and real people with different hair textures. 

The dangers of hairdressing: Skin conditions.

When working in an industry where you almost always in very close proximity to people, it is important to know what risks you may be taking when working on a particular client. By giving the client a consultation form before each appointment or viewing, not only are you preventing yourself from catching any skin conditions you are also preventing yourself from passing these onto other people you may work on prior to this. This will keep your business running smoothly as no one will be coming back to you with complaints and you will have enough knowledge of each client to know how to keep them safe and comfortable when in your hands. An average client consultation form looks something like this:

 

Not contagious

Scientists still don't know exactly what causes Psoriasis, they do know that the immune system and genetics play major roles in its onset. Usually something triggers psoriasis then the skins cells grow at an abnormally fast rate, which causes lesions. It is not a contagious disease.

 

One of the most common places for Eczema to develop is the scalp. The most common type of scalp eczema is known as seborrheic dermatitis and its most well known symptom is dandruff. It not contagious its often embarrassing for the individual suffering from the condition. 

 

Contagious

Shingles blisters can cause a sensitive and infected scalp. The infection can result in bald patches if you aren't careful abut how you treat the rash. Shingles are caused by the reactivation of the virus that causes chickenpox. Shingles can be contagious to those who haven't had the chicken pox virus.  

 

 

Folliculitis is a common skin condition in which hit follicles become inflamed, often as a result of a bacterial infection or a fungal infection. It can spread and turn into non-healing sores and severe infections can cause permanent hair loss and scarring. Although most cases of folliculitis are not contagious, cases cause by infection can be passed between individuals thorough skin on skin contact of the affective areas. 

Its important to know which skin conditions can be contagious and which ones can't so you're not putting yourself or your other clients at risk of catching them.