Rats/Padding

A rat is hair padding that is a similar shape to a rat. It is put under the hair to create volume.

Usually when creating a padding you would section out the hair leaving a section in the front to put over the padding.

Behind this section is where you will put the padding.

You first need to decide whether you want the padding in the middle or split into two to create heart shaped padding.

If you are creating a heart shaped padding, first create a middle person.

Then create a plait, this can be normal or a French plait. Double the plait back on itself and Kirby grip to keep secure. This will be used as a anchor.

Place the rat on the plait, to do this you need to pierce the tights and position on the top, middle and bottom and connect to the plait.

Then place the hair over the rat and Kirby grip in place.

To make the hair look more Elizabethan you can use the crimping and curling techniques and to layer on top of the padding.

This is an example of padding in both Elizabethan and Contemporary times. In the Elizabethan Portrait they have used one large part of padding and covered it with crimp. There is also a green hair piece intertwined with the padding to match the green dress, something they commonly did in this Era. 

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

My Contemporary Image is from the Chanel Paris Haute Couture Spring Show where they have used padding to create these magnificent heart shapes in the hair. The shape is very similar to the Elizabethan era however the hair that covers it is straight rather than crimped or curled and they've incorporated a blue stripe for a dramatic effect. 

Reference: Nation Trust Treasure Hunt. (2012). It Girls Of the Elizabethan Age.Available: http://nttreasurehunt.wordpress.com/2012/11/20/it-girls-of-the-elizabethan-age/. Last accessed 3/12/14.

PopSugar Beauty. (2010). Love It Or Hate It: Love is in the Hair at Chanel. Available: http://www.popsugar.com.au/beauty/Hair-Chanel-Haute-Couture-Spring-2010-7181724. Last accessed 3/12/14.