New Elizabethan Plaits and Adornments

Elizabethans are famous for their elaborate accessories and adornments that are incorporated within their fiery red curls. In Helen's lesson this week, we explored various ideas to include ribbons, beads and jewellery into a modern elizabethan design.

Hearts are shown in multiple illustrations and references to the Elizabethans - whether it be there heart-shaped hair line, crimped hair or hair decorations. Therefore, to start an idea I wanted to include the heart shape in a plait at the back of the head. I started by dividing the hair down the middle and moving the bottom part of the hair to one side (to create a half up, half down look). To begin the heart shaped, I faced the model towards me and started a small french plait at the back of the head and plaited it slightly towards me. I slowly curved the plait by bringing in more hair, in each section of the french plait, from the left of the plait and underneath. Once the curve was created, I continued to form a classic french plait towards the nape of the neck. The looser end of the plait allowed the hair to be more relaxed and created a thicker style. 


The difficult part began when I needed to make the shape symmetrical. The first image shown on the left is my first attempt at the second half of the heart. The shape was lost and less defined than my first half. Beginning with the top, it is not tight enough to the scalp so I did not have enough tension and contact to begin with. This then developed into the plait not being controlled and the shape was completely lost. I attempted it again as I found it frustrating how hard it was to complete symmetrically. The second image shows my further attempt that was more successful. The point of the heart shape at the top of the head is more pronounced and defined and the plait becomes looser towards the end. Ideally, this attempt would've defined the heart more all around the back of the head but I practised the skill further at home and developed a technique to produce the shape every time. 

Final attempt in class.
Showing heart shaped front of hair
and adornments in plaits

Practise at home.

The three images on the left show my stages I practised to produce a reliable technique to recreate the style every time. To start with, I separated the hair into a heart shape using a comb to produce the clear line in the hair. Once I achieved the desired shape, I could plait around the shape leaving the definition there. I plaited both sides around the shape to neatly create a heart shaped plait around the sectioned hair. The develop this further I could raised the hair in the heart shape, or pad the front of the hair and curl the hair underneath the design with Elizabethan inspiration. 

After the lesson I wanted to create a second design including more plaits. Again, I divided the hair to allow for different styles and the photos demonstrate the two main plaits. on the left hand side I produced a standard french plait and the opposite plait is a reversed french plait (or a dutch braid). I decided to practise the two different plaits and incorporate them into this look to demonstrate my skills to produce both. I personally prefer the reversed braid as it produced a sleeker and more modern hairstyle. If I continue to develop this idea in the future I would most likely use that plait on both sides. I also added some small basic plaits throughout to add more layers and depth to the hairstyle. Once I develop more Elizabeth techniques, I would like to raise the plaits or crimp and curl the bun at the nape of the neck.

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