Late Victorian Hairstyles and Adornments

Through the Victorian era, there was a shift in hair trends. There was a movement of interest from the sides to the back of the hair. The long hair that became fashionable, but discreet, in the early part of this era was now more visible. More hair would be pulled back off of the face and drawn back to remove the focus from framing the face. Fringes would be short and curled or drawn back up into the elaborate hairstyle. 'Drooping chignons formed of large loose coils of hair were being worn...the hair was dressed high with waves or frizzles over the forehead whilst the back hair, in plaits or large rolls, was fastened with coronet-like tortoiseshell combs. A few stray curls only were allowed on the neck, but for evening wear especially, long curls or twists of hair continued to be worn and remained fashionable into the next decade.' (Courtais 2006).

Hairpieces & Adornments

More accessories were being used in this period. Flowers were often used to adorn the hair, recent or dried, and would be incorporated by placing them on top of the head or 'long trailing sprays were mixed with the hair or curved down the one side of the head tucked in among the large curls' (Courtais 2006). 

Hair pieces also took off massively in this portion of the Victorian era. In 1866 The Englishwoman's Domestic Magazine told it's readers that "such a large quantity of false hair is necessary for the formation of modern coiffures that we think it well to inform our lady readers into the secrets of the fictitious curls, bows, plaits and chignons to be used for each of them". In 1872, Marcel Grateau created his iconic curling iron that is still a successful business today, however, they were not often used in this era.