Historical research on Elizabethans Hair

During the late sixteenth century, people like to follow Queen Elizabeth I's fashion trend because Elizabeth I was set as the standards of beauty at the English court. Wore wigs and hair pieces are one of the trend that Elizabeth did in her later life and wigs were first introduced to England around 1572. When wigs were not worn, women would use paddings or crimped and curled hairstyles. Frizz and curls were the common hairstyles people wore during the Elizabethan times. Women's hair were large and elaborately constructed but after around 1615, high headdresses were not very fashionable.

Middle parting was popular and for the Elizabethans and if people have a tall forehead, it meant they are intelligent. So,they rolled their hair back into the tight curls which helps to present a bigger forehead. Some people even shaved their hair back up to 3 inches as well.
The central parting and braids were common among women from the lower class.

Hair could be dyed from recipes given in beauty treatises and because Queen Elizabeth had natural red curly hair, the red hair look had been followed by many of the nobility of the Elizabethan era. Shades of blonde hair were also fashionable at their period of time as well, so Upper Class women followed this fashion and might even dye their hair yellow with a mixture of celandine, oil, cumin seed and saffron.
Young women like to keep their hair long and their natural long hair was a sign of virginity.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_I_of_England#mediaviewer/File:Elizabeth_I_in_coronation_robes.jpg
'The Coronation of Elizabeth'
By an unknown artist
Created between 1600 and 1610 copy of a lost original of c. 1559

On above is a portrait of Queen Elizabeth I and the portrait was about the coronation of Elizabeth being the Queen. This portrait features Elizabeth's hair being loosed which symbolised virginity. The long flowing hair was one of the Elizabethans favourite hairstyle for a bride on her wedding day and they would decorate their hair with fresh flowers. Once a woman achieved the married status, she will then need to tie her hair up and covered by some head wears such as coifs and pillowbox hats etc.

Book reference:
- Richard Corson (2005). Fashion In Hair: The first five thousand years. 3rd ed. London: Owen, Peter Limited.
-Aileen Ribeiro (2011). Facing Beauty: Painted Women & Cosmetic Art. New Haven: Yale University Press.
-Richard Corson (2005). Fashion In Makeup: From ancient to modern times. 3rd ed. New York: Peter Owen Publishers.