Hair Book and Help

[m06clarinet]

Good day. I am sorry to start two threads in a row, but I am looking for a good book on women's period hairstyles. I know how to do a few hairstyles, but nine times out of ten they end up looking similar.

Also, I look in my Godeys and CDVs and wonder how they made their hair so full. My hair is very long (the entire length of my back), but it is also very thin. When I go to do my hair, I just barely have enough to cover the ratts and make a bun or a waterfall. Most of the time I end up using a piece of synthetic hair that I bought years ago under my hair to give it the desired fullness. I really don't like doing this but I don't know what other options are out there.

Any help on these matters would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Sincerely Yours,
Jennifer Kahl

[bizzilizzit]

Re: Hair Book and Help

No book advice but here's some period suggestions to you help style your hair.
Do it dirty - that is, don't wash it for a few days before the event. Dirty hair styles easier and holds better.
Use pomade - this "grease" will help control short hair, flyaways, and will cut down on the use of clips, pins, and hairspray.
Make your own rats and mice - save the hair from your brush in a receiver (I use an empty square tissue box) - when you get enough, shape it into large (rat) or small (mice) "ovals" to roll your long hair over. It will match your own hair better than the synthetic hair you are using, will stay in your hairstyle with less effort and pins, and will not make your head as hot!
Use this link for a rat making suggestions:

http://www.shasta.com/suesgoodco/newcivilians/womenswear/rats.htm

Elizabeth

[m06clarinet]

Re: Hair Book and Help

Thank you for your advice.
Jennifer Kahl

[KathyBradford]

Re: Hair Book and Help

Jennifer,

Alaina Zulli has a great collection of resources on her website here. She includes quite a bit of hair information, too. Enjoy!

http://www.gothampatterns.com/

[D.W. Scalf]

Re: Hair Book and Help

Elizabeth,

Just a question, cause as a man, I really don't have a dog in this fight. But when I was a kid, my Daddy had a barber shop. I remember that he saved hair for people to put in their gardens(that's another story). Man, that hair had an odor after a while. Do you ever have that problem with "saved" hair? But I guess natural wigs don't smell, do they? Just wondering.....

D.W. Scalf

[bizzilizzit]

Re: Hair Book and Help

Elizabeth,

Just a question, cause as a man, I really don't have a dog in this fight. But when I was a kid, my Daddy had a barber shop. I remember that he saved hair for people to put in their gardens(that's another story). Man, that hair had an odor after a while. Do you ever have that problem with "saved" hair? But I guess natural wigs don't smell, do they? Just wondering.....

D.W. Scalf

Saved hair doesn't stink - if it's clean when saved. Natural hair wigs don't stink - clean hair or not - because the wig maker washes, deodorizes, sanitizes, etc the hair before making the wig. Ditto for hair jewelry. I’ve got a collection of antique pieces and several new ones (made from my hair) and they have no odor either. After I cut my hair, I toss it into the garden as well! Great mulch and the birds love lining their nests with it.
Elizabeth
Non-practicing NJ hairdresser

[bizzilizzit]

Re: Hair Book and Help

Found another website that may be helpful as well as the name of a book:

http://www.thegracefullady.com/ladiessociety/hair.htm

Ladies Hairdressing of the 19th century
Mark Campbell 1875 – 1996 reprinted as The Techniques of Ladies' Hairdressing of the 19th Century