Camilla Hair Inspiration

Elizabeth, Empress of Austria.

This is a portrait of Elizabeth, Empress of Austria where her hair is worn loose but adorned with ringlets, she was very proud of her long flowing hair and continued to wear it loose rather than putting it up even when she became empress, to stop people thinking that her hair wasn't dressed she adorned her hair like you can see in the picture. Wearing the hair down like this in polite English society was seen acceptable only in girlhood and widows no matter how young were expected to wear their hair up and covered. Women would often get maids to brush their hair because it was too long, this was mostly done in the higher classes though.
 

 

I have been really inspired to create hair like this for my character because of how eerie it looks, the only problem is if you saw pictures of hair like this you do not think of Victorian straight away, this is why I was so glad that I saw this portrait of Elizabeth, empress of Austria above, her hair was worn long and down which would have been very rebellious. I also believe having the hair down during this period would have been very sensual, which is something I want to convey through my character.

 





Bryer R (2000). The History of Hair : Fashion and Fantasy Down the Ages. London: Phillip Wilson Publishers. p 84 - 93.