Hair:Crimping

Hair:Crimping 

Heart Shaped Hair Using Back Comb Technique:

In this lesson we were learning to crimp the hair as an extra technique which could add texture with our Elizabethan looks. We started by learning the basic techniques, shown in the first picture I parted the hair down the middle and parted up the side of each side of the head and worked up the head by crimping each section. After crimping the first side I then went on to crimp the other side of the head. Then on one side of the head I sectioned off a smaller part of hair at the front and started from the bottom to the top and backcombed with a pin comb each smaller section shown in the picture below. I then gathered all these pieces of hair together and then rolled it over with my hands and pinned the extra hairs into the head. Because the hair had been backcombed it held its shape but there were little gaps between certain parts of the hair which I just pushed together with the pin comb. The finished look of the backcomb heart shape hair is shown in the picture below.

                                                                                     

Heart shaped Hair Using a Prop:

 Firstly, I again took the first took a small section at the front of head and then with the remainder part of the hair I tied it all back as we did not use it for this part of the look. I then took all the hair at the front and held it up, then while taking the prop at the top of the hair then rapping the hair around the prop all the way down the piece of hair until reaching the scalp. When having it rapped around the prop (shown in the second picture) smooth the hair around the prop so as much of it does not show as possible, then secure it into place with hair pins once you have the right shape. In the Bottom photo it shows the finished look from behind, in my opinion the backcomb look, looks more of the right shaped and I found that it could hold its shape better. On the other hand, the prop method was good to get a shape but I found that it was quite difficult to cover all of the prop and keep it hidden under the hair. If I was too do this look again I think I would do the back combing method as I found it a lot easier to perform and I could adapted the size of the heart shape better through this method.

Contemporary and Elizabethan Examples:

In inspiration of learning how to put together a heart shaped hairstyle using backcombing I waned to research other contemporary versions of this hairstyle. I found this contemporary look and I really liked its interpretation of the Elizabethan era as it includes the bright red hair like Queen Elizabeth 1st but to make it contemporary it has adapted the shape of the heart shape making it more pointed and the hair it neat which I think makes the look apear more structured. I could not find out the reasons behind these designs but if I was to interprete the reasons I would say that the designer has made it structured to represent the other side to Queen Elizabeths 1st personilty as being strong and firm about her desicions and her character. 

 

Comparing the two looks the Elizabethan look is very different in some aspects. This interpretation of the Elizabethan heart hair is very structured but appears more soft compared to the contemporary look as the heart shapes are rounded rather than pointed createing this softer appearence. On the other hand this look does follow the traditonal Elizabethan look and is more suited to the era. 

By Amelia Richmond-Knight