Light hairstyles of the 19th century. Historical hairstyles: styles and features of creation. Fashionable men's haircuts of the era

The whole history of hairdressing began from the moment when a person wanted to decorate his appearance in order to stand out. The primitive man looked into the river, saw his own reflection and thought that his hair, intercepted by a leopard skin, would look much more interesting than just hanging out without anything. "Why not?" - the ancient man thought and began to put into practice his grandiose plan.

The result exceeded all expectations, the first hairstyle was distinguished by its sophistication from the general mass of heads of fellow tribesmen, and its practicality was simply amazing. The first "defile" went off with a bang. The astonished tribesmen wanted the same headbands for themselves ... This is how, or approximately like this, the birth of a new art form began - hairdressing.

The formation of hairstyles took place under the influence of the foundations of society, climatic conditions and many other factors. Concepts of beauty have changed over the centuries, and what seemed beautiful in one period, later looked ugly and vice versa. But one thing has always remained unchanged - the desire of a person to stand out, to reveal his individuality. Concepts of beauty have changed over the centuries, and what seemed beautiful in one period, later looked ugly and vice versa. This was most noticeable in the costume and hairstyles, which are closely related to the appearance of people. In this essay I want to talk about hairstyles of the 19th century.

The French Revolution of 1789 brought with it new trends that were reflected in hairstyles. Inspired by the ideas of Liberty, Equality, Fraternity, the ideologists of the French Revolution turned to the images of the ancient world, drawing from the ancients the ideas of democracy, strict morals and aesthetic ideals. The second half of the 18th century is the period of classicism as the leading style direction. In men, hair is cut short and powder has fallen into disuse. Women's hairstyles had a variety of forms, but they were very simplified, became lower, the hair stopped powdering and curled into curls. With the coming to power of Napoleon I, the Empire style appeared, which in architecture and interiors resembles classicism in appearance, but now artists and architects are inspired not by the strict and graceful lines of Greek temples, but by the heavy and magnificent forms of Roman architecture. Men's hair was cut and curled into tight curls, and the face was shaved, but narrow strips of hair, called "favorite", were left on the cheeks from the temple. Women's hairstyles changed very often. They also wore a Greek knot, and hairstyles from various combinations of curls. Social changes in Europe led to changes in fashion, including hairstyles. Modern times are characterized by their simplicity.

Women's hairstyles of the 30s were a work of art. The hair was combed into a side parting, the strands shortened from the sides were curled into large curls and laid over the temples. Long strands of hair were lifted up at the back and placed on the crown of the head in various chignons.

In the 40s, the new idol of high society was the "socialite" - a fashionista with red hair.

In the 50s, the hairstyle consisted of a lush chignon, and sometimes the hair combed in a straight parting was laid back in a special net.

In the 60s, hair was raised above the forehead in the form of two rollers, and long curls were lowered onto the shoulders and back. In the 60s, relatively short haircuts, sideburns and mustaches came into fashion for men. By the end of the century, hair began to be cut short.

In the 70s and 80s, the hairstyle almost did not change in shape. It consists of long curls lowered onto the back, and above the temples it was usually combed high up.

Hairdressing in the era of the Empire style (1800-1815) and BIEDERMEIER (mid-19th century):

In 1800, in France, with the coming to power of Napoleon I, the Empire style (i.e. empire) appeared, a characteristic feature of which was the use of various techniques for making curls: round, spiral, flat, etc. Curls were decorated with feathers, hairpins, hoops . Men wore strands of medium length, combed to the face. After the defeat of Napoleon, Empire style hairstyles went out of fashion - it's time for the Biedermeier style. This unique style arose in the 20s of the XIX century in Vienna. It was the brilliance of the heyday of hairdressing: lush curls frame the temples, the volume of hair at the back of the head is tucked into a varied pattern. They decorated their hair with ribbons, veils, flowers, pearls, wore diadems. During the Biedermeier period, hairstyles are reminiscent of decorative architecture. Preference, as always, is given to blondes. Men wore sideburns, curls at the base of the forehead, high-shaped bangs that did not cover the forehead. The unique style of this era revived the art of making complex hairstyles using the latest hairdressing devices for that time: methods of dyeing hair and bleaching using hydrogen peroxide, hot curling irons, etc. - all these devices (of course, improved) are still used today.

The 19th century is the heyday of classicism, the cult of antiquity. The most popular are hairstyles made in the Greek and Roman styles.

Various techniques are widely used to make curls (round, flat curls, spirals). Hairstyles are decorated with hairpins, hoops, feathers, diadems.

The bourgeois revolution of 1848 marked the beginning of the development of capitalism. France regained its influence in the field of fashion. Hairstyles are becoming simpler, although elaborate long hair styles are still popular until the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Men's fashion of the late 19th and early 20th centuries was a short straight parting and a carefully shaved mustache and beard, often forked downwards. The end of the 19th century is characterized by the achievements of technical thought: in 1881, the Frenchman Marseille invented hot curling irons, in 1884-1885 he also perfected the method of curling hair invented by the German Fischer using chemicals. In 1904, a German-born Charles Nestle invented a method for long-term curling of hair using chemicals and heat. At this time, a short, feminine, geometric haircut came into fashion. The First World War forced women into men's jobs. The woman had to walk wide, she needed comfortable clothes and there was no time to wind her curls. A new image is coming into fashion - a woman-boy in a short dress and with a short haircut of geometric lines. It was a revolution. An ever stronger influence on fashion is exerted by cinema, which at that time did not yet know how to speak. The former ideal of a woman, embodied in Lillian and Dorothy Gish and, especially, in Mary Pickford, lives out its age - naive and innocent golden-haired angels. Mary's intricate hairstyle has become her trademark. She looked like this: a huge mass of hair, neatly divided into 18 tight curls (two are now stored in Hollywood, in the Museum of Cinema). However, the beauty that Pickford embodied begins to seem old-fashioned.

As for men's haircuts, high-shaped bangs were very popular at the beginning of the 19th century, and at the turn of the century, a short straight parting came into fashion. The length of the hair also changed. At first, men wore short hair and curled it into ringlets. In the 40-50s, the length of the hair already reaches the ears and below (it was also customary to curl the hair). Since the 60s, short hair has come back into fashion. As for the mustache and beard, in the first half of the 19th century they were carefully shaved. Only small sideburns are gaining popularity. In the 30s, men begin to let go of small mustaches lowered down. A little later, the length of the sideburns increases, which now reach the chin, and the beard (usually forked to the bottom) is again in fashion.

After the French Revolution, the wind of change also rustled in women's hair. The era of bulky powdered wigs and grandiose hairstyles is a thing of the past. For the first time in European history, women began to cut their hair so short.

After the actor Talma played the role of Titus in the production of Voltaire's tragedy Brutus in 1790, the hairstyle "a la tit" came into fashion. She was immediately taken over by the ladies. In the famous portrait of Madame Recamier by David, you can see a short hairstyle of curls, loosely scattered over the head and slightly picked up by a ribbon.

There were also more radical hairstyles. For example, the "savage", which is a messy mop of crumpled and tangled hair. Or a hairstyle with an eerie name "a la viktim" (victim), dedicated to the victims of the guillotine - with a highly trimmed nape and a thin red ribbon, symbolizing the bloody trace from the blade.

At the beginning of the 19th century, hair grows longer and longer, and the hairstyle rises. Imitating antiquity, hair is collected at the crown or back of the head in a "Greek knot".

The “a la Ninon” hairstyle, copied from the portrait of a courtesan from the time of Louis XIV, is also very popular: a light curled bang on the forehead, a horizontal parting above it, and large curls up to the shoulders on the temples. The rest of the hair was gathered at the back of the head into a flat chignon with an ostrich feather stuck in.

In the 1820s and 30s, hairstyles were the same vertical (graceful neck and bare shoulders were in fashion), but there was no trace of the former simplicity and freedom. At the temples, several long twisted strands are released, and the rest of the hair is parted and carefully laid on the top of the head in a high pouffe of the most bizarre shape. Especially popular is the so-called. "Apollo's knot" - in the form of two loops of braids, wound on a wire frame for stability.

More modest was the “a la Clotilde” hairstyle, which was on the head of the English Queen Victoria during the coronation: two pigtails wrapped around the ears with rings and fixed at the back of the head.

Her curls and pigtails curled so tightly that they looked like they were carved from stone. An anecdote about a constantly smiling girl came to mind involuntarily (“Have you tried to loosen the bow?”).

T. Gauthier "Fashion as art":

“Evaluate these knots gathered at the back of the head, curls, twisted braids, similar to the horns of Amun or the curls of an Ionic capital! Would an Athenian sculptor or renaissance painter have been able to arrange them with more grace, invention and taste?

Add to this an abundance of jewelry (pearl strands, ribbons, flowers, combs) and you will understand how it was difficult to keep these "architectural creations" during vigorous ballroom dancing. Despite complex hairstyles, it was considered indecent to go out with an uncovered head, so women wore wide caps and bonnets - it seemed that the head of a lady was riding in a separate covered carriage.

Another fashionable trend of the first half of the 19th century can be considered the fact that for a long time brunettes finally pushed blondes out. To give a darker color and shine, the hair is lubricated with oil.

John Keats:

Curls of dark curls, Like whimsical vines, Lush knots are knitted: And behind every club of darkness, As if secrets are revealed - Pearl is a wondrous phenomenon.

In the 1840s and 1850s, a modest, moderate, respectable woman came to the fore. Accordingly, the hairstyle is also straightened and calmed down. The knot slips from the top of the head to the back of the head. The hair is combed with a parting, goes down low along the cheeks and is styled at the back with a soft knot or a bunch of curls.

G. Flaubert "Madam Bovary" (1856):

“Smoothly combed black hair, collected very low, descended on her cheeks, touching the tips of long eyebrows, and, as if with gentle palms, squeezed her oval face.”

Sometimes the strands were braided into a heavy braid, which was neatly laid on the head.

In the second half of the 19th century, women's hairstyles began to become more complicated again. The tone in fashion is set by the Empress Eugenia - the wife of Napoleon III - a big fan of the Rococo style. Fashionable styling becomes an ingenious combination of curls, puffs, braids and rollers. Usually, the hair was combed and rose from the forehead to the back of the head, after which it fell back on the shoulders in a shock of long curls. As a result, small elegant hats come into fashion, which were worn almost on the forehead and fastened with a ribbon not at the chin, but on the back of the head - right under the hair.

It was difficult to arrange all this splendor only at the expense of one's own hair, so strangers were actively used. Hair was bought from peasant women, collected from Catholic monasteries and prisons. And some ladies even picked up their hair that fell out and put it in special vases.

The wits of that time joked that a drowning lady should be pulled by her dress, and not by her hair, otherwise only an artificial braid could remain in her hands.

O. Henry "Gifts of the Magi":

“Will you buy my hair? she asked madam. "I buy hair," replied Madame. - Take off your hat, we need to look at the goods. The chestnut waterfall flowed again. “Twenty dollars,” said madam, habitually weighing the thick mass on her hand.

In 1876, the hairstyle became more neat, and the lush curled bangs that we can see on red-haired beauties from Renoir's paintings came into fashion.

Yes, yes, “bright heads” are back in fashion. Moreover, by this time the hairdresser Hugo, who worked at the court of Empress Eugenia, found a revolutionary way to bleach hair with hydrogen peroxide. Another important invention was the curling iron, invented by Marcel Grateau in 1872. It was then heated from a gas burner, therefore, in order not to burn the hair, the curling iron was first brought to the paper.

At the turn of the XIX-XX centuries. the ideal of female beauty is the so-called. "Gibson girls" - the characters of the American illustrator Charles Gibson: impeccable, self-confident and skillfully manipulating men. It is thanks to the “Gibson girls” that the “a la Pompadour” hairstyle is regaining popularity - combed back hair, raised high and protruding above the forehead in the form of a roller.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the splendor of women's hairstyles reaches another climax. In the "Ladies' Journal" for 1912, they even wrote that the city councils forbade ladies to enter the tram, whose hairstyles were dotted with prickly hairpins and pins. To match the hairstyles were huge hats with ostrich feathers. But the First World War thundered and the men who returned from the front did not recognize their women ...

The hairstyles of women of the century before last amaze with their beauty, majesty and elegance at first sight. Created under inspiration from the exquisite curls of ancient Greek beauties, they are still very relevant today. With a little practice, you can make luxurious 19th century hairstyles on your own - for this you only need desire, free time and high-quality hair styling products.

In the nineteenth century, elaborate high structures with an abundance of bouffants and hairpieces were replaced by more concise, sophisticated and romantic styling.

Influenced by the era of antiquity, beautiful ladies began to curl light and charming curls of various diameters, and then neatly laid them around their heads. Due to the fact that individual curls fell beautifully on the shoulders, such hairstyles looked as attractive and natural as possible. To complete the installation, decorative elements such as:

natural pearls;
elegant silk and satin ribbons;
flowers.

Thanks to such airy hairstyles, the girls of Pushkin's and Turgenev's times always looked truly charming.

What you need for a beautiful vintage styling

Today, every woman can try on the image of a sophisticated lady from the century before last. Nineteenth century hairstyle is an excellent solution for both romantic and formal occasions.

To make it beautiful with your own hands, you will need:

good curling iron;
thermal curlers;
strong fixation styling products - varnish, foam, as well as mousse or wax;
thin and elastic band;
comb-comb;
hairpins;
invisible jokes.

Process of creation

The easiest to perform is the classic styling in the spirit of the 19th century. To make it, you will need:

small curlers or thin curling iron;
a comb-comb with a frequent row and a sharp tip;
a pair of thin elastic bands, the color of which is as close as possible to the shade of your hair.

This option can be done without any problems by every woman whose hair reaches a length below the shoulders.
The execution process is:

Hair must be combed well and parted straight.
From the hairline itself, you need to retreat about five centimeters and use a comb-comb to make a transverse line.
The hair at the back of the head should be neatly gathered into a classic ponytail, and then braided into a pigtail.
Now the braid needs to be slightly disheveled and to give an attractive volume - pull out a certain number of strands.
Next, right around the base of the ponytail, you need to carefully wrap the braid several times and secure it securely with hairpins.
Now you can proceed to the hair in the front - the strands must be divided into thin curls, and then wound with curlers or curling irons.

romantic bun

Another surprisingly attractive version of the 19th century hairstyle that you can easily do with your own hands is a low bun with a side parting. To create this sophisticated look, you'll need:

big curlers;
fixing varnish;
comfortable comb;
studs and invisible.

It is not at all difficult to make such a hairstyle, and the result will certainly please you.

Hair from the very roots to the tips must be wound on large curlers - as a result, a charming volume will appear.
With a comb, divide the entire head of hair into a side parting.
To give extra volume on each side, the hair should be lightly combed.
The strands in front must be taken freely, without tightening, and gently pulled back.
At the back of the head, collect strands with hairpins.
Twist the hair that remains free towards the top of the head, and then also secure it with hairpins.
If desired, you can additionally decorate the resulting low beam with ribbons or strands of pearl beads.

You can slightly modify this hairstyle and make an asymmetrical bun. To do this, you need to follow the same steps as with classic styling, however, the beam must be on the left or right side - as desired. To make the hairstyle more voluminous and attractive, lightly fluff the strands remaining in front with your fingers.

Learning how to do 19th century hairstyles is not at all difficult. With them you will always delight and enchant!

The 19th century is the heyday of classicism, the cult of antiquity. The most popular are hairstyles made in the Greek and Roman styles. Various techniques are widely used to make curls (round, flat curls, spirals). Hairstyles are decorated with hairpins, hoops, feathers, diadems.

Blondes are in fashion. Hydrogen peroxide is used to lighten hair. In the 40s, red-haired fashionistas began to compete with blondes.

There are new styling tools: special hot curling irons, which are very similar to those used today.

It was in the 19th century that women began to wear short haircuts. Short hair, curled into small curls, is becoming very popular. This haircut arose in memory of those executed on the guillotine (the fact is that before the execution, all the condemned had their hair cut short). Such a short haircut could be decorated with a ribbon, a hoop or a diadem.

Beginning in the second half of the 19th century, hairstyles began to be simplified. In the image of a woman, first of all, her naturalness begins to be valued. Hair was usually curled into airy ringlets and tied in a knot or secured with a hairpin. However, high complex hairstyles did not go out of fashion until the beginning of the 20th century (they were created, as a rule, for especially solemn events).

In the 19th century, another important invention in hairdressing appears. Hairdressers for the first time begin to use a special method of waving with the use of chemicals.

The wig is always in fashion. Some shaved their hair completely and wore a wig all the time, while others simply added a couple of artificial strands (chignons) to their liquid hair. Usually an avid fashionista had several wigs at once for different occasions. For some, the number of wigs could reach up to 30. Wigs were of various shades: from blond (for daytime outings) to black (for evenings).

As for the mustache and beard, in the first half of the 19th century they were carefully shaved. Only small sideburns are gaining popularity. In the 30s, men begin to let go of small mustaches lowered down. A little later, the length of the sideburns increases, which now reach the chin, and the beard (usually forked downwards) is again in fashion.

Hairstyles of the 19th century are based on not too significant length with numerous combing options. They replaced the bulky structures of the 18th century, which reached 50 cm in height.
Hair styling in the 19th century was not subject to strict rules. Women were guided, first of all, by their own taste (or the taste of their immediate environment) and fantasy.

Historical reference

Men in the 19th century performed laconic haircuts and styling. If at the dawn of the century it was impossible to see a young dandy without whipped bangs, then later men's hairstyles acquired such an indispensable element as a parting. Hair is usually curled.

Hairstyles for women in the 19th century are mainly represented by small diameter rings falling on the forehead, braids that are held by a comb at the back of the head, and also curls over the shoulders.

Hairstyles of the early nineteenth century were performed in the Greek manner. With the help of curled hair around the circumference of the head, a ring of sufficient density was created, which reached almost to the line of the eyebrows, and was fixed at the back with a lush bun. In this case, a chignon intercepted with a bright ribbon was used.
The aristocratic styling was replaced by turbans created from a silk warp, muslin, gauze fabrics. Precious things with feathers were used to decorate the structure, and stacks of lace and pearls were used for hair.
With the onset of the 10-20s. Turbans and nets have sunk into oblivion in the 19th century. They were replaced by small curls, which were made in the forehead, temples and collected with a bunch from behind. This was followed by parting the hair with a parting, braiding and styling in the form of a nest at the back of the head. Curled temporal strands in such hairstyles framed the cheeks.
With the advent of the 30s. In the 19th century, magnificent old hairstyles in the style of the Marquise de Pompadour came into use, which were combed up in the form of a chignon with comb support. A lush wave of hair descended from the temples in the direction of the ears. Such styling from the time of Pushkin was decorated with the help of pearls and fresh flowers.
In the 40-50s. In the 19th century, it was fashionable in Russia to part the hair into a parting, when the strands were released in front, and the rest of the hair was combed up. The design ended with the construction in the form of bundles, nests and bows. These hairstyles in the old days evoked admiring male glances.
In the 60s. In the 19th century, corrugated hairstyles appeared, which were collected at the back of the head in lush bunches and covered with a net. Over time, it was customary to lower the laying lower and lower. There are many modern analogues of similar women's hairstyles of the 19th century (see photo).
In the 80s. In the 19th century, it became fashionable to create braids, curls, buns and heavy knots from hair. High hairpieces, overlays from individual strands and wigs were used everywhere. Just loose hair over the shoulders came into fashion. Many preferred low and uncomplicated styling.
The end of the 19th century was characterized by a complete rejection of high hairstyles with increased splendor. They were replaced by modest, simple, but at the same time quite interesting options that were made even for a ball. From the photographs of those times, girls and women with spiritual faces and neatly dressed hair look at us.

Hairstyle from the golden age: a modern version

How to make a hairstyle in the style of the 19th century based on the classic styling of long hair? To do this, you need to prepare:

round tongs of small diameter;
crest;
two thin elastic bands, the color of which matches the color of the hair.

A hairstyle in the style of the 19th century is an ideal option for a do-it-yourself Pushkin ball. It is easily built independently. By the way, it is with such a hairstyle that Natalya Goncharova is depicted in the portrait of V.I. Gau, familiar to many of us from literature textbooks.

Pre-washed and dried hair must be combed. Having retreated some distance from the forehead, they perform a half-moon-shaped parting. To temporarily secure the strands, you can use a hairpin.
Then a ponytail is made from the remaining hair, tying it with a thin elastic band. The tail is braided into a braid, which wraps around the base of the tail. The design is fixed with the help of invisibility.
The upper strands that were set aside earlier should be divided with a straight parting and create curls. To do this, wind the hair in the direction from the bottom up on hot tongs. The result is curls and impressive curls in the form of a spiral, falling on the neck.

Such a female hairstyle of the 19th century, like many modern ones, requires fixing with varnish. If you want to be the center of attention at the prom, try getting creative with this styling. You can use a roller for splendor, use numerous braids, or build something like a nest out of your hair. In order to decorate the hairstyle, flowers are used (necessarily live ones), hairpins of bright colors, feathers, etc. However, it is important not to overdo it here: restraint and majesty should be characteristic of such a hairstyle.

Do-it-yourself hairstyles of the 19th century are performed even by those girls who are not very skilled in hairdressing.