Period Hair - The Georgian Era (1714 - 1830)

The Georgian Era started in the 18th century, when Queen Anne (1665-1714) died. She left no male heir to the throne, so it was passed to her nearest Protestant relative, who was living in Northern Germany. That was George of House of Hanover. (Rmg, no date). This era lasted 116 years, as it was reigned by four kings, all called George, and they were all part of the same family. King George IV died in 1830, and was succeeded by his brother, William IV. Despite this, the next era to be named after a Monarch was the Victorian era, which began in 1837. Some may debate that the Georgian era ended in 1837, similarly to the Edwardian era not ending until 1914, despite the fact King Edward VII died in 1910. 

Figure 1 - The King Georges (Khordipour, B. 2018)

This era is known for holding the Rococo period, which lasted from roughly 1730 - 1790, mostly emanating in France and Europe. 

The Georgian era was a time period of sexual discovery. Even though it was against the law, many people were accepting of homosexuality. That included people in the upper classes, such as authors and artists, and even they would experiment with this ideal. These men would visit places known as 'Molly Houses', which were places they could go to have relations with other men, similarly to brothels. (Victorian-era, no date). 

Figure 2 - Molly Houses (Victorian-era, no date)

Due to this promiscuous lifestyle the Georgian's would lead, it was very easy for them to contract sexually transmitted diseases. A common one at this time was syphilis. The effects of this disease would cause a red blotchy rash to appear, and sores and ulcers. This can actually be seen in many of their portraits. 

Figure 3 - Georgian Portrait showing red rash (Sothebyinstitute, no date)

Figure 4 - 'Mary Robinson as Perdita' by John Hoppner (Wikiart, no date)

Untreated, syphilis could also cause hair loss. This lead to powdered wigs - also known as perukes - becoming the next biggest trend. These wigs were used to cover any balding areas as well as the sores that they would get. The wigs would be made out of goat, horse or human hair. It was common for men to add powder to their wigs, which was often scented with lavender or orange, to try cover any smells from the wig itself, as they were rarely washed. (Reilly, L. 2012). 

Figure 5 - A man having his hair powdered (Justhistoryposts, 2020)

The sores would often leave scars on the skin, as would smallpox as it was still prominent at this time. This started a trend of wearing beauty patches, also known as mouches. They were made of black silk, velvet or satin, and were attached to the face to cover these blemishes or imperfections. (Historyextra, 2016).

Figure 6 - Georgian portrait including mouches (Victorian-era, no date)

Meanings were assigned to where the mouches were placed. For example, if someone was flirtatious, they would put one on their cheek, or if they were in love, they would put one by their eye. (Walton, G. 2018).

Figure 7 - Meanings of mouches (Walton, G. 2018)

Another trend that became popular was that of the Macaroni. These were British men that had travelled on the Grand Tour, a trip around Continental Europe. Their goal was to deepen their cultural knowledge, and with this, they adopted some of the fashion sense, which included the large powdered wigs. The name macaroni was also taken from the pasta, which they came across in Italy. (Chalakoski, M. 2017). The new fashion that they brought back, slowly spread across England. As seen in figure 8, a common way to wear the powdered wigs was to have large rolls at the side of the head, lots of volume on top and the back tied into a low ponytail.

Figure 8 - Macaroni (Brewminate, 2017)

Women's hairstyles were not much different. Queen Marie-Antoinette (1755 - 1793) of France inspired many of these styles. She would wear her hair dramatically high and decorate her hair with an abundance of feathers. Women's styles eventually reached over one meter tall in height! (Fashionologiahistoriana, 2019).

Figure 9 - Marie-Antoinette (Clay, L. no date)

Figure 10 - Marie-Antoinette (Pixels, no date)

As these styles continued to be developed, more decorations were added to the hair. This included things such as fans, ribbons and flowers. 

Figure 11 - Rococo hairstyle painting (Fashionologiahistoriana, 2019)

Examples of this era can be seen in movies such as 'The Duchess'(2008). This film really shows a wide variety of different styles. 

Figure 12 - 'The Duchess' (2008) (Flixlist, no date)

Figure 13 - 'The Ducess' (2008) (Amazon, no date)

Figure 14 - 'The Duchess' (2008) (Ebert, R. 2008)

Figure 15 - 'The Duchess' (2008) (IMDb, no date)

Setting the wig - male

To set the wig, the back of the hair was pulled into a low ponytail, and curled around a wooden dowel rod. This was done to create the perfect spiral curl. Sections were taken at the side of the head and put into rollers to create the rolls, and the very top of the head was rick-racked to create the voluminous shape.

Figure 16 - Georgian Male wet set (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 17 - Georgian Male wet set (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 18 - Georgian Male wet set (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 19 - Georgian Male wet set (Brown, J. 2020)

Styling the wig - male

Styling the wig was fairly simple. The rollers were taken out and the hair was rolled back into a barrel roll and pinned into place. The rick-racking was removed, and the hair was easily moulded into this shape due to the amount of curl that was created, so again it was pinned into place. The dowel was removed, which left a nice curl to the ponytail. White hairspray was added to make it look more like a powdered wig, however baby powder could also be used for this effect.

Figure 20 - Georgian Male styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 21 - Georgian Male styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 22 - Georgian Male styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 23 - Georgian Male styled (Brown, J. 2020)

If this was tried again, the side rolls would be made to be slightly thicker, as looking at pictures and paintings from the era, these rolls would be touching and there wouldn't be a gap in-between. 

Setting the wig - female 

For this style, a wig cage was made to give some height. The aim was to have some wave to the hair, so it was set in a directional set around the wig cage. Two sections were left out to create some loose curls.

Figure 24 - Georgian Female wet set (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 25 - Georgian Female wet set (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 26 - Georgian Female wet set (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 27 - Georgian Female wet set (Brown, J. 2020)

Styling the wig - female

Styling the wig was found to be quite difficult. The style could have benefitted much more from having a switch added, as there wasn't enough hair in the wig to cover the wig cage and also create details. The hair also isn't as wavy as desired, the hair lost a lot of its shape due to over-brushing, so it looks quite straight. The placement of the accessories really helps, and the different shades fit really well together. More future planning would really help this style if it was to be attempted again. 

Figure 28 - Georgian Female styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 29 - Georgian Female styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 30 - Georgian Female styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 31 - Georgian Female styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 32 - Georgian Female styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Setting the wig - Fashion/Own design (Synthetic wig)

Another wig cage was made to give height to this style, but this time, the wig was set separately to see the difference of adding it in later, as opposed to setting the wig with the cage. It was actually preferable to add it in afterwards, it seemed to make it easier. 

The entire wig was set in a directional set to create waves, with the exception of sections at the side of the head which were left out to create the rolls at the side. Due to the wig being synthetic, to set the fibres, a steamer is used.

Figure 33 - Georgian Fashion wet set (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 34 - Georgian Fashion wet set (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 35 - Georgian Fashion wet set (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 36 - Georgian Fashion wet set (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 37 - Georgian Fashion wig cage base (Brown, J. 2020)

Styling the wig - Fashion/Own design (Synthetic wig)

Styling this wig was much easier than the female style. The waves came together so much easier, and it looks a lot more detailed. This wig did seem to have more hair however, so that could have contributed to this. The rolls at the side of the head were a lot thicker so they were closer together and looked more cohesive. The back of the hair however could have been done a lot neater, it looks a little unfinished and messy.

Figure 38 - Georgian Fashion styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 39 - Georgian Fashion styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 40 - Georgian Fashion styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 41 - Georgian Fashion styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 42 - Georgian Fashion styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 43 - Georgian Fashion styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 44 - Georgian Fashion styled (Brown, J. 2020)

Eyeshadow was used to make the accessories a little more dirty and grungy. The colours match really well together, however there could be a lot more going on. Black, faux ostrich feathers were intended to be added, although they were accidentally missed out. More details could be added, but the stylist is very happy with how this wig turned out.

Final Images (Fashion/Own Design)

Figure 45 - Georgian Fashion Final Image (Brown, J. 2020)

Figure 46 - Georgian Fashion Final Image (Brown, J. 2020)

-Jess

References:

• 7 Weird and wonderful Georgian beauty treatments. (2016) Available from https://www.historyextra.com/period/georgian/7-weird-and-wonderful-georgian-beauty-treatments/ [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Chalakoski, M. (2017) Macaroni: The highly excessive fashion trend of the 18th century. Available from https://www.thevintagenews.com/2017/05/25/macaroni-the-highly-excessive-fashion-trend-of-the-18th-century/#:~:text=Yes%2C%20in%20the%20mid%2D18th,of%20England%20in%20the%201760s. [Accessed 06/12/2020].
• Georgian Era Sexuality. (no date) Available from http://victorian-era.org/georgian-era-facts/sexuality.html#:~:text=The%20Georgian%20Era%20can%20be,it%20was%20against%20the%20law.&text=The%20men%20of%20the%20upper,appearance%2C%20dressing%20and%20even%20behavior. [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• The Georgian Era. (no date) Available from https://www.rmg.co.uk/discover/explore/timeline-georgian-era [Accessed 06/12/2020].
• Reilly, L. (2012) Why did people wear powdered wigs? Available from https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/639473/amazon-outlet-page-overstock?utm_content=infinitescroll1 [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• The grandeur of the 18th century female hairstyles. (2019) Available from https://www.fashionologiahistoriana.com/costume-history-legends-essays-in-english/the-grandeur-of-the-18th-century-female-hairstyles [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Walton, G. (2018) French mouches: beauty marks or patches. Available from https://www.geriwalton.com/french-mouches/ [Accessed 07/12/2020].

Bibliography:

• An introduction to Georgian England (1714 - 1837). (no date) Available from https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/learn/story-of-england/georgians/ [Accessed 6/12/2020].
• An introduction to... The Georgian Era. (no date) Available from http://www.historyisnowmagazine.com/blog/2014/5/12/7tl0mvxrzexynquyu9bhadlx515na4#.X_j3O-n7SEs= [Accessed 06/12/2020].
• Bona, E. (2020) Deadly fashion trends from the Georgian Era. Available from https://medium.com/history-of-yesterday/deadly-fashion-trends-from-the-georgian-era-58d120dad1c6 [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• George I (1660-1727). (no date) Available from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/george_i_king.shtml#:~:text=In%201701%2C%20under%20the%20Act,heir%20Anne%20died%20without%20issue.&text=The%20Electress%20Sophia%20and%20Anne,became%20king%20in%20August%201714. [Accessed 06/12/2020].
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• George III (r. 1760 - 1820). (no date) Available from https://www.royal.uk/george-iii [Accessed 07/12/2020].
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• Georgian Era. (no date) Available from https://www.softschools.com/timelines/georgian_era_timeline/342/#:~:text=Georgian%20Era-,The%20Georgian%20Era%20(1714%20%2D%201830)%20is%20a%20period%20of,of%20whom%20were%20named%20George.&text=million%20by%201801.-,The%20period%20was%20marked%20by%20extreme%20luxury%20and%20poverty%2C%20the,growth%20of%20the%20British%20empire. [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Georgian Fashion. (no date) Available from http://victorian-era.org/fashion-dressing-during-georgian-period.html#:~:text=The%20Georgian%20era%20dress%20began,came%20into%20the%20Georgian%20Fashion. [Accessed 06/12/2020].
• Georgian Fashion - 1714 - 1830 Fashion and Clothing. (2014) Available from https://www.blue17.co.uk/vintage-blog/georgian-fashion/ [Accessed 06/12/2020].
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• Greig, H. (2018) Guide to the Georgian era: how long did it last and best places to visit in Britain. Available from https://www.countryfile.com/go-outdoors/days-out/guide-to-the-georgian-era-how-long-did-it-last-and-best-places-to-visit-in-britain/ [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Hales, S. (no date) The Georgians: things you may not know. Available from https://www.britain-magazine.com/carousel/the-georgians-the-facts/ [Accessed 06/12/2020].
• Howarth, F. (2018) Georgian Hairstyles pre-Regency era. Available from https://francinehowarth.blogspot.com/2018/05/georgian-hairstyles-pre-regency-era.html [Accessed 06/12/2020].
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• Kivi, R. (2018) Secondary Syphilis. Available from https://www.healthline.com/health/syphilis-secondary#complications [Accessed 06/12/2020].
• Major, J. (2019) The rules of Bath. Available from https://georgianera.wordpress.com/tag/fashion-history/ [Accessed 06/12/2020].
• McNeil, P. (2017) Macaroni Men and Eighteenth Century Fashion Culture. Available from https://www.humanities.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/AAH-Hums-Aust-08-2017-McNeil.pdf [Accessed 06/12/2020]. 
• Meet the Georgians. (no date) Available from https://historicengland.org.uk/whats-new/features/georgians/ [Accessed 07/12/2020].
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Figures:

• Figure 1 - Khordipour, B. (2018) Understanding Georgian Jewellery. Available from https://www.estatediamondjewelry.com/understanding-georgian-jewelry/ [Accessed 06/12/2020].
• Figure 2 - Georgian Era Sexuality. (no date) Available from http://victorian-era.org/georgian-era-facts/sexuality.html#:~:text=The%20Georgian%20Era%20can%20be,it%20was%20against%20the%20law.&text=The%20men%20of%20the%20upper,appearance%2C%20dressing%20and%20even%20behavior. [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Figure 3 - Three Georgian Geniuses: Examining the British Portrait. (no date) Available from https://www.sothebysinstitute.com/news-and-events/news/three-georgian-geniuses-examining-the-british-portrait [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Figure 4 - John Hoppner. (no date) Available from https://www.wikiart.org/en/john-hoppner [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Figure 5 - Historical Fashion: Georgian Men's Hairstyles. (2020) Available from https://justhistoryposts.com/2020/01/17/historical-fashion-georgian-mens-hairstyles/ [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Figure 6 - Georgian Era Make Up. (no date) Available from http://victorian-era.org/georgian-era-make-up.html [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Figure 7 - Walton, G. (2018) French mouches: beauty marks or patches. Available from https://www.geriwalton.com/french-mouches/ [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Figure 8 - Macaroni and sexuality in 18th-century. (2017) Available from https://brewminate.com/macaroni-and-sexuality-in-18th-century/ [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Figure 9 - Clay, L. (no date) Marie Antoinette (1755-93) after Vigee-Lebrun. Available from https://www.wikigallery.org/wiki/painting_171080/Louise-Campbell-Clay/Marie-Antoinette-%281755-93%29-after-Vigee-Lebrun [Accessed 08/12/2020].
• Figure 10 - Portrait of Marie Antoinette. (no date) Available from https://pixels.com/featured/portrait-of-marie-antoinette-jean-baptiste-andre-gautier-dagoty.html [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Figure 11 - The grandeur of the 18th century female hairstyles. (2019) Available from https://www.fashionologiahistoriana.com/costume-history-legends-essays-in-english/the-grandeur-of-the-18th-century-female-hairstyles [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Figure 12 - The Duchess - (2008) - Netflix. (no date) Available from https://flixlist.co/titles/70099610 [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Figure 13 - The Duchess. (no date) Available from https://www.amazon.com/Duchess-Keira-Knightly/dp/B0764JM773 [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Figure 14 - Ebert, R. (2008) Duchess of a private kingdom. Available from https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-duchess-2008 [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Figure 15 - The Duchess (2008). (no date) Available from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0864761/mediaviewer/rm1679657473/ [Accessed 07/12/2020].
• Figure 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42 - Brown, J. (2020) York College.
• Figure 43, 44, 45, 46 - Brown, J. (2020) Leeds.