Marcel Waves

By early 1914, something in the world of women's hairstyling was beginning to shift. The towering edifices of the early Edwardian years - the enormous pompadours and heavily padded structures - had already softened considerably, and what was emerging in their place was a style that prized precision over volume, technique over abundance. The hairstyle seen here is a beautiful example of this transitional moment.

The hair is a warm golden brown, and it has been styled in tight, perfectly formed Marcel waves. The Marcel wave, named after the French hairdresser Marcel Grateau who invented the technique in the 1870s using specially designed tongs, had by 1914 become one of the most admired hairdressing techniques in the world. When done correctly, the result is a series of smooth, even S-shaped waves that flow across the hair in neat, parallel rows.

What is remarkable about this hairstyle is the density and consistency of the waves. They cover the entire head in a uniform pattern, from the hairline at the forehead all the way around to the nape of the neck, without a single wave losing its shape or breaking its rhythm. The overall silhouette is rounded and close to the head, giving the wearer a clean, helmet-like profile that feels very much ahead of the bob styles that would become fashionable in just a few more years.

Fashionable 1910s hair with Marcel waves

There are no large hair ornaments here. The hairstyle speaks entirely for itself, and it does so with confidence. This restraint was itself becoming fashionable as the 1910s progressed; as hemlines, necklines, and general fashion began to shift toward cleaner, less fussy aesthetics, hair began to follow.

The dark velvet gown with its lace collar provides a quiet backdrop that lets the texture of the waves command full attention. In the profile view, the waves are even more impressive, and you can see exactly how they have been formed and set before being pinned into the smooth, rounded shape at the nape.

©Hairfinder.com

See also: Vintage Hair