Curls Upon Curls

High updo with curls previous hairstyle next hairstyle
 
Step back a little further in time with this extraordinary hairstyle that bridges the gap between the elaborate Victorian coiffures of the late 19th century and the slightly more restrained Edwardian styles of the early 1900s. This is a look of tremendous complexity and beauty: a cascade of golden-brown curls arranged into an upswept tower, crowned with dark feathers.
 
The hair is a warm honey-blonde, and it has been set into an astonishing number of perfectly formed curls. Each individual curl is tight, round, and consistent: a feat of hairdressing that would have taken considerable time and effort to achieve. In the era before electric curling irons, creating curls this defined and this uniform required the use of heated tongs, paper or rag curlers, or even curling with pins while damp. The result, as seen here, is remarkable.
 
The curls have been gathered and arranged into a high updo that sweeps up from the sides and back of the head, with the main mass piled at the top of the crown. At the front, smaller, freer curls frame the face and forehead, giving the look an approachable softness despite its considerable height and volume. Pearl drop earrings peek out from among the curls, adding refinement.
 
Vintage updo with Victorian and Edwardian era elements
 
At the very top of the arrangement, a feather ornament has been tucked into the curls. The feathers are dark: almost black, with a hint of deep teal-green. The contrast between the gold of the hair and the darkness of the feathers is striking. It gives the whole hairstyle a theatrical edge, as though the wearer has just stepped off a stage or is about to step onto one.
 
The rear view is equally impressive. From behind, the full scale of the arrangement becomes clear. The curls are densely packed, filling out a generous rounded shape that rises from the nape of the neck. The feather ornament sits at the very top, a dark crown above the golden curls.
 
This is a hairstyle for someone who is not afraid to be seen. It is big, it is bold, and it is beautiful. For a period costume event, a theatrical production, or simply as an exercise in historical hair artistry, it represents the very pinnacle of elaborate Victorian and Edwardian hairdressing.
 
©Hairfinder.com
 
See also: Vintage Hair