Design Ideas

After everything I have looked at to do with Elizabethan hair and hair techniques in general I have started to mould my 3 design ideas. Throughout my studies I have found both Elizabethan portraits and contemporary designs that have inspired me for my own looks. 

My first design involves the heart shape so commonly used in the Elizabethan times yet incorporates a plate round both areas of padding to give the design a contemporary feel. The skills that this design would acquire would be padding, plaiting and crimping.  These are the two images that I took my inspiration off of this portrait and image from the Chanel Paris Haute Couture Spring Show. 

Frances Walsingham 1567-1633

Chanel Paris Haute Couture Spring Show

This is the design I created and also an example of me testing it out. Although I liked the concept I wasn't so keen on how it resembled Micky Mouse rather than the heart padding.I also found it harder to get the french plaiting at the back equal. Although I liked the idea I don't think it will be my final design. 

My next design had a more bridal theme using a singular padding and pairing with double plaits. To keep the design Elizabethan i have left a small amount of hair at the front and put it into a middle parting. I took my inspiration from these two images. 

 Portrait of Blanche Parry, possibly by Marcus Gheeraerts the Younger, at Tredegar House, Newport

Alexander McQueen, Autumn/Winter collection for Givenchy 1997

Since looking at both of these I came up with my next design, I actually really liked the idea of this look and was quite happy with how it came out. My only problem with this hairstyle is that I feel it is a lot more Elizabethan than contemporary and I really wanted my final design to have an even balance. 

Finally I created my third design which has an equal influence from Elizabethan and Contemporary Elizabethan styles. It involves numerous skills such as plaits, buns, crimping and padding. I took inspiration from this photo from Chanel Pre fall 2013 collection as I loved how obvious the modern twist was yet how true it still was to an Elizabethan style. 

This was my final design, I kept the main structure but added in a bun and made the sides a french plait to pull in the look a bit more. Although there is a lot of skills I found that this look wasn't too hard to do. I loved the final look and think this will be my chosen design.