One of my favorite ways to incorporate a bit of Victorian flair into my everyday style is with my hairstyle. While the Victorians were certainly known for quite elaborate updos, there are plenty of everyday hairstyles that are simple to do and are easily incorporated into our modern-day style. (Psst...for silky soft hair, try our conditioning oils in pretty Victorian-inspired scents!)
Today I’m sharing some of my favorite tutorials from Sarah Chrisman of This Victorian Life and YouTuber Bernadette Banner. (I highly recommend following these ladies if you’re longing for more fun and fascinating info on the Victorian era!)
With some trial and error, I’ve created my own blend of these two styles. To start, I definitely suggest back-combing, as Sarah recommends in her video. It really does help to fluff up the hair, and I often find that I just can’t get enough volume for the twists without starting with this step.
For the front of my hair, I follow Sarah’s technique with a twist on each side of the head; it’s easy enough to do for an everyday style (even on mornings when you’re short on time) and it stays put really well throughout the day. While Sarah is somehow able to secure each twist with just one bobby pin, I crisscross two pins in each twist for a secure hold. (Take it from me, you don’t want to find your hairstyle flopping over on itself while you’re out and about...that, my friends, is not a good look!)
Now for the length of my hair, I opt for a long braid, similar to Bernadette’s style, although I keep my braid free rather than pinning it up. I do this primarily because I have a heck of a time trying to style my hair from the back. (If only I had an extra set of hands; no wonder the Victorians had a lady’s maid to tend to their hair!)
This style is also really fun to adjust and customize. Try leaving your hair long instead of doing an updo, add some curls or waves to the twists, dress it up with pretty clips (like these from Victorian Trading Company), or wear a pretty ribbon as a headband to accentuate the "puffs" and give your style even more volume. There’s lots of ways to make it your own!
And for another fun historic hairstyle, you may want to try your hand at the classic “Gibson Girl”. I like this video from the delightfully fun Rachel Maksy. She covers the full look, from make-up and hairstyle to clothing, but you can start at 6:30 in the video for her hair tutorial.
Me too! They’re so much fun!
I love Victorian hairstyles.