Elizabeth 1998

To get a little bit more knowledge of the Elizabethan era, I watched the film Elizabeth (1998). I took some notes on just a few of the hairstyles throughout the film.

- Long ginger hair free flowing
- Wavy and slightly fluffy
- Front is pulled back into what looks like a twist bun
- Small ribbon and pearl decoration

- Hair is all up
- Braid across the top
- Middle parting
- Hair line is moved back
- Loose and lounged feel to it

- Tight curls framing the face
- Neat and thick plait over the top
- Very rounded and structured

- Clear heart shape
- Structured curls at the front
- Back has been put up into a twisted bun like shape.
- Big decorations. Jewelled headpiece, over sized orange feather, pearls and ribbons at the back.

- Similar to above but with some hair hanging down in tendrils
- Headpiece is bigger and more crown like
- The back looks bigger like it has been padded.
- Pearls in the back
- Braids overlapping at the back to look bun shaped


I really like how the hair gradually progresses throughout the film. It starts off quite natural and free falling that I would imagine to be quite an easy style to create. It then moves on to being put up in a neat way but still quite gentle with a couple of fly aways still in place. This then follows on to a more structured design where the techniques are still quite simple however they have been finished neater and more controlled. As we see the Queens elevation to the throne, we also see the rise in amount of jewelry and accessories in her hair. The very famous heart shape is seen a lot with some kind of braids and curls in the hair. This is then topped off by extravagant crown like pieces in her hair covered in jewels. I really noticed in this film how many hairstyles Queen Elizabeth actually had and how each one was always different to the last but somehow still keeping the Elizabethan traits. It was nice to see how the styles progressed throughout the film as she progressed with her life.


Source: Elizabeth, (1998) Biographical film. Directed by Shekar Hapur [DVD] UK: Gramercy Pictures

Assessment Review

Now that the assessments are finished, I have taken some time to reflect on the module and how I managed with the final designs.

I really enjoyed the practical lessons and loved learning different techniques and where they could be used. In all honesty, I’m not a massive fan of researching but I do like seeing different hair designs from recent catwalks, magazine and even films.

My highlight of the module was definitely the assessments as I really enjoy being given a practical task to complete. It was really interesting seeing other people’s ideas and designs come to life. I think I worked really well with my partner as we had good communication with each other and were easily able to explain our ideas and thoughts to each other.

When first swapping designs, I was a bit confused as it was hard to figure out someone else’s drawing and picture what they are trying to communicate to you. Once we showed each other the design on the dolls heads it made things a lot easier and also talking each other through the process of how it was done in practice sessions. Katherine has been a really helpful partner to work with because there have been a few times where she has suggested alternatives to try out which I have took on board. I hope that I have been just as much help to my partner however I feel like I have learned a couple of things for future reference. Becoming a bit more organised and physically showing my partner a step by step process of how to do my design may have speeded up practice time. In the end, things have worked out really well and I am so pleased with myself for what I have achieved in this unit and assessment.

Inspiration

• Unbrushed crimp with different sizes
• Blonde hair
• Very subtle heart shape
• Crimping looks quite like the texture of a ruff
• Hairline is low

• Very big round shape, could have used props
• Fluffy and crimped in texture
• Looks like a wig
• Tendril like crimped sections at the bottom

• Very obvious and clear heart shape
• Traditional roll, not traditionally forward
• Straight hair but still backcombed
• Symmetrical with middle parting

• Middle parting
• Frizzed and wavy texture
• Backcombed and loosely pinned up

Source: http://www.stevencareyhair.co.uk/

http://www.primped.com.au/hair/gallery-hair/the-brave-hair-at-alexander-mcqueen

Timed Assessment, My Partner

Turn it round!

Its swap over time and it is Katherine's turn to produce my design on my hair. As we had already done the hair assessment last week I think we felt a lot more relaxed and were able to actually let loose.

I felt really confident in Katherine to create my design as I feel we had practiced enough and that she is more than capable doing the techniques involved. Apart from nearly falling asleep while Katherine played with my hair (yes, it's that relaxing), I was really happy with the outcome.

I drew my hair chart again as I have made a few changes since my chosen design.

Every time we have practiced this design it always turns out slightly differently due to it being a very disheveled so its hard to say if there is anything I would change. I do believe Katherine had done her best on the day and I am pleased she followed my design so well.
So here is what the final creation looked like!

Timed Assessment, My Turn

Time is up!

Its assessment weeks and it's my turn to go first. It was really exciting as it was our first ever one. I was a little bit nervous as I wasn't sure of what to expect because I had been so used to normal lessons. It turns out that it is actually not very much different from a normal lesson at all!

Apart from being a bit nervous to start with, I actually felt quite happy with how it went. I think the reason I was nervous at the beginning is because I didn't feel prepared to do an assessment. I believe I had practiced enough and was ready to produce the design given to me, however because I had never done an assessment before it was very alien to me.

I would not actually change anything I done in my assessment as I believe I truly did the best I could. Now that I have completed my first ever assessment, I will be able to feel more relaxed about ones in the future.

I am actually really pleased with the final look. I felt quite confident doing the design in the time given. If I was to change anything I would have made more time to shape the two sections on top to make them more symmetrical. Here is the outcome from the design I created.

. 

The Elizabethan Era

To start with women had their hair covered however when it was on show, it was likely to be long and left hanging loose with a center parting or braided out the way.

 This progressed onto women the hair being curled or waved. It was a well known fashion to have frizzed or fluffy hair round the forehead which were also known as 'rolles'.
From this, it let to the hair being rolled away from the face and props used to obtain a larger size. Wire would also be used to form the shape of the hairstyle. For the higher class decoration was often added such as ribbons and pearls.
It is known that wigs became fashionable later on. Queen Elizabeth I is believed to have worn wigs due to hair becoming thin and weak. English ladies of the court tended to dye or powder their hair to obtain a lighter colour, preferably a ginger tone like the queens. As dark hair was not fashionable, it was common for higher classed people to bleach or dye the hair to a near blonde which was favoured especially by the Italians.

Source: CORSON, R (2005) Fashions In Hair The First Five Thousand Years, London, Peter Owens Publishers

Elizabethan hair and decorations

We went on a trip to London and visited the National Portrait Gallery. Here I took some notes on the hair in the portraiture of both Ladies and Gentlemen.

Queen Elizabeth I 1533-1603, 1559
The Coronation Portrait

Here the hair is ginger which signifies that she from a higher class. It is quite smooth looking with gentle waves and quite long. It is symmetrical with the middle parting and topped with a nice big jewel encrusted crown to show that she is Queen! The forehead has also been elongated by moving the hairline further back to show she is a noble class.
I like how it is a very simple style that I personally think shows her professionalism but also maybe her youth.

Queen Elizabeth I 1533-1603, 1575
Darnley Portrait

In this portrait you can see the hair has been pinned up in a rounded style. The hair is curly and has a frizzy looking texture. It is quite a small rounded style however it has been decorated extravagantly with pearls which signifies her virginity and that she is a pure woman. It also looks like there is some kind of black material, possibly lace at the back of the hair. Black is usually used to symbolise power and the seriousness of which she takes in her position.

Queen Elizabeth I 1533 - 1603, 1592
The Cult of Elizabeth

Again we see in this portrait that the Queen has the rounded dome shape to her hair although this time it is bigger than the previous portrait. It is a golden ginger colour and definitely looks frizzed and padded to obtain the shape. It looks very structured in shape and it also looks like there may be a type of bun at the back that has been covered with some kind of ruby jeweled crown. Again the front is littered with pearls to show her purity. I also noticed the hairline is moved back again, this time with a harder hairline which makes me think that she could possibly be wearing a wig.
I really like this portrait, especially how the hair masterpiece is framed by the extravagant ruffs from her dress that stand as tall as the hair. I like how the hair has been decorated symmetrically with lots of different bright colours.

Henry VIII 1491 - 1547

We cant actually see the hair in this picture but I found the attire still interesting. In this portrait, Henry is wearing what looks like a hat with feathers or possibly fur. It is black in colour which shows his power and control and also encrusted with jewels to show his wealth and high class.

Sir Walter Ralegh 1554 - 1618, 1588

As the men's hair cannot be styled the same as womens, it still has similar qualities. The hair looks curly and quite fluffy. It is also rounded and still symmetrical with a high hair line to show intelligence and high class. Whether this had been done intentionally, I do not know. Hanging from the ear are a couple of pearls which had been favoured very much by the queen.
I actually found it quite interesting to find similar qualities from a womans syle in a mans hairsyle. Although Sir Walter Ralegh had this portrait created intending to please Queen Elizabeth I, I really like the fact it has elements of the queen herself in it.