It is clear That the modern age is still very much influenced by Elizabethan style and culture! Catwalks, ad campaigns and fashion shoots are soaked with Elizabethan inspired hairstyles and adornments. I have been looking a lot at Avant Garde hairstyling and the influence is clear to see. Avant Garde hairstyling is all about big, imaginative, artistic, structural and innovative design. Combining different techniques to create hair art and this was exactly what the Elizabethans hairstyle's were about. I find it interesting that in the golden age it was totally normal for women to go out with these 'out there' hairstyles but now we have to put the style into a box to consider it acceptable. Most rich and famous women of this modern time wouldn't have the confidence to pull off some of these styles but there are a few that are creative and confident enough to experiment.
I love this look above. It is very elizabethan with the shape, colour, and of course with the clothes and neck ruffs. They have used padding and twisting to create this shape. It looks quite masculine to me but I like that because it feels strong. I really want to incorporate this into my look. Maybe by taking this shape and putting around the back of the hair.
This is what elizabethan hair is all about. Big, bold and structured. They have used the hair to make a collar which of course was a favourite for elizabethan fashion. This is an incredibly elaborate avant garde hair look. The image itself is very strong and almost has the energy of a bull about to charge.
The frizz and crimped hair with the braids is definately inspired by elizabethans. the braiding and texture in this has inspired my final look.
I love the shape to this and how they have been separated by that braid. I definitely want to incorporate this braid into my final design but alter it slightly.
The padding in this hair design is beautiful and very linked to Elizabethan hairstyles. I think it's really interesting and neat. This has inspired my final design because I like the way the padding has rolls. I want to incorporate this at the back of my hair design.
Padding in this elizabethan hairstyle was very fashionable at this time. they would use hair rats to make these shapes. The hair rats would be made out of rolls of old hair moulded together to create the right shape. This would be really useful to me when creating the large padded shapes at the back of my hair design but I would use crepe wool or couch roll in old stockings.
I love the elaborate design in this portrait above. I really want to incorporate jewels and accessories into my final design. I'm obsessed with diamonds and jewels but I can't afford them so its lucky that there are so many amazing costume jewellery pieces available to buy from accessory shops today. Its a great way of dressing up outfits or hairstyles. I want to incorporate this into my final design as my lady in waiting was worldy and had money (being elizabeths main carer) so I feel this would fit quite well. They also inspire me a lot as I love the colour and shape of them and what they represent symbolically I think is beautiful.
Again I love the regality of this image. Elizabeth was older here and as she ages her clothes, jewels, makeup and hair became more elaborate. The crown in this image has really inspired my final look as I would love to build a crown out of hair at the front of the hair. To achieve this I am going to look up more avant garde styles to see how this idea can be realised.
Elizabeth looks quite young here. I love her large dress and the elaborate pearls and jewels that decorate it. I want to see if I can almost imitate her sleeves with my hair design. I want to create rolls at the back of my hair design and maybe decorate them with diamonds somehow to imitate these sleeves with the fluffy round shape and gemstones.
