The Victorian era, spanning the reign of Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901, saw a significant evolution in women's hairstyles. This period, renowned for its prudishness and convention, dictated strict hairstyle norms that women strictly adhered to. Today, we delve into the fascinating world of Victorian women's hair styles, illustrated through clip art, offering a visual narrative of this intriguing era.
Victorian hairstyles were characterized by their ornate nature, often incorporating elaborate braids, chignons, and Marcel waves. They evolved over the course of the era, reflecting social changes and technological advancements, particularly in hair care and styling aids.
Early Victorian Era (1837-1870)
The early Victorian era, marked by a conservative approach, preferred simple yet elegant hairstyles. Women often wore their hair long and parted in the middle, with the back hair pulled up into a low chignon or bun.
-haired women often adorned their chignons with decorative combs, flowers, or ribbons, adding a touch of elegance to an otherwise simple style. These hairstyles, captured in our clip art collection, showcase the subtle beauty of this period.
Greek-Inspired Hairstyles
Influenced by the classical revival, Greek-inspired hairstyles were prevalent during this period. Women would arrange their hair in loose waves or curls at the sides of the head, leaving the back hair pulled back into a severe chignon.
The clip art images vividly illustrate these "à la Grèce" hairstyles, popular among the aristocracy and high society, exemplifying the era's penchant for historicism in fashion and art.
The "Bun of Immature" Style
In the early Victorian era, young girls and adolescent women still wore their hair loose or in simple braids. This style, known as the "bun of immaturity," was considered immature and inappropriate for married women or women of high social standing.
Our clip art collection features several examples of this youthful hairstyle, providing a glimpse into the rigid social norms governing women's appearances during this time.
Mid and Late Victorian Era (1870-1901)
As the Victorian era progressed, hairstyles became more extravagant and complex. Influenced by the rapidly changing fashion trends and societal norms, women adopted elaborate updos and incorporated decorative elements into their hairstyles.
The clip art collection from this period showcases an array of styles, from the opulent "Gibus" hairstyle to the intricate "Marie Antoinette" chignon, offering a visual feast of the era's indulgent aesthetic.
The "Gibus" and "Petit Gibus" Hairstyles
The "Gibus" hairstyle, popular in the late 1870s and early 1880s, involved pulling the hair back into a high, rounded Bun, often decorated with ribbons, plumes, or flowers. The "Petit Gibus" was a scaled-down, less extravagant version of this style, worn by younger women.
Clip art images of these hairstyles, with their grand, dramatic structure, epitomize the late Victorian era's penchant for opulence and excess.
Marie Antoinette-Inspired Chignons
In the 1890s, women turned to the past for inspiration, embracing the lavish hairstyles of the French Rococo period. Chignons were elaborated with rakish loops, bows, and intricate braiding, resembling the elaborate hairstyles of Marie Antoinette.
These hairstyles, vividly depicted in our clip art collection, reflect the era's fascination with historicism, as well as its growing acceptance of opulence and indulgence, marking a significant departure from its earlier conservative diktats.
The study of Victorian women's hair styles, through clip art, provides a fascinating historical narrative, illumining the social, cultural, and economic changes that shaped the era. It offers a glimpse into the lives of Victorian women, revealing their fashion choices as expressions of identity, status, and conformity. With this fascinating journey, let us continue to explore and appreciate the richness and diversity of human history, one hairstyle at a time.