Over stating the mind altering effect of a hairstyle, having the right one can certainly put you in a different frame of mind as well as transport you in time. As I said, I overstated a new dos power however it certainly can effect your mind frame and how you view your surroundings.
As usual I am taking for granted if you are here at my blog and read any of it you have some idea of the two year project that my family has recently set out upon. If you don’t know I would recommend that you go read Confessions Parts 1, Confessions Part 2 and Confessions Part 3 How the Present Affects the Past, these will fill you in.
Anyone who knows me knows I have very long hair. I have been growing it uncut since 1993. For a good many years I wore it in an “updo”. This went on for a solid 10-12 years and then I begin wearing it up less and less. I don’t know, I suppose two things happened to cause me to decrease and then eventually more or less to cease this practice. One, plain and simple was I got lazy. It does take some doing to get all this hair up especially since I have extremely fine, straight hair. If my hair sees a curling iron it laughs hideously at it, no kidding. But as with anything if you do something enough you get a flow going, figure out what works and what doesn’t and that’s that. However though, eventually simply washing, combing and leaving it straight or putting it in a ponytail became far easier then my beloved “updo”. The other thing that happened was I was getting older. Though most would see an “updo” as a dignified way for an aging woman to wear her hair I began to feel that wearing it down was more youthful looking, though I would not say I was correct. At any rate, the increased wrinkles and the fact that my hair is of a natural color that it greys very slowly, the updo went and the “hippie chick” in me came out. It should be noted that I believe without question that grey hair is an honor and for most of us a well earned one so I do not begrudge it, I just simply had decided to take advantage of its slow arrival.
With our choice recently to create a living history experience (we have decided we don’t like the word “experiment” at all) in every area we can in our life for two years, my husband reminded me of my once preferred “updo” this morning. As stated in a previous blog post, our ultimate goal is to be so into the 1800’s that even our apparel speaks of it but that is a bit off from happening. So he gently reminded me of how much I liked my “updo” and he had also. He thought that, though a small step, it would be a step to help aid in pushing the Victorian/Edwardian era forward in our home life. I love this man totally and completely! Things like this just reinforce it, simple, logical yet effective, also because he finds this “do” becoming. Surroundings, things we come in contact with, the things we use daily and how we present ourselves have a huge effect on our state of mind and our focus. An “up do” as a simple step in transforming our thoughts was a logical thing to consider.
So today was a renewing of my Victorian updo. The older boys remembered it right away and both told the little ones “Momma use to wear her hair like that all the time”. The little ones decided they liked it though a bit shocked to see it at first.
After all these years of not really doing it I was surprised at how easily it went up. My hair seemed to remember as well. When putting it up I was reminded of one more reason I quit wearing it besides laziness and vanity, but because of my hair being so fine and straight, hair spray was a major requirement of necessity to keep my “poof”. Years ago when I realized all the things that most hairsprays contained I no longer wanted to inundate my scalp with them. Unable to find an equivalent in a less harmful spray it reinforced my reasoning for letting the up do hair style go. However I was pleased with a couple of adjustments that I made today to get my “poof” to stay without the sprays, why hadn’t I tried those years ago? I do have some more tweaking to do but non the less I am extremely please how both, I and my hair, remembered this style and seemed to embrace it again.
It does give me a mind frame change and does draw me mentally a little closer to our end goal. One step at a time and we will find ourselves fully immersed in the 1800’s life.
I love your new/old hair style 🙂 It is very becoming, and vintage 🙂
I wish my hair would puff like that, but sadly it would just flop over in defeat (my hair is very thick and curly) how long is your hair exactly? 🙂 Mine use to be over a yard long, but last year when my sister was trimming off the dead ends there was an accident, and it ended up almost shoulder length 🙁 But it is growing back slowly but surely 😀
Blessings!
Thank you Susannah! I could have cried when you told me about your hair! So glad it is growing back! Mine is beyond my backside, in between there and my knees. Okay so actually about a dozen strands that are near my knees 🙂 My hair, not having cut it in 25 years, is not straight across but close enough 🙂
Oh lovely! I think hair never stays even on the ends 🙂 I hope I can get my hair to grow as long as yours someday, right now it is half way down my back 🙂 After last year’s fiasco I do not plan on ever cutting it again LOL!
You are lovely! Your up-do really is perfect for you. My 10 year old thinks you look like Sarah Plain and Tall. So, you certainly look the time you are going for. I am really enjoying watching your family experience. Thanks for sharing.
Oh Cindy thank you for your compliment and please tell your 10 year old they made my night! Blessings!
Your hair style is just lovely! My hair is thick. The last time I tried an up do the bobbinpins literally shot out in random directions. It was hilarious.
Thank you Ellen! That was a funny story about the bobby pin! We got a good chuckle!
Lea,
Love your “up do”, it’s very feminine and perfect for the time period. My hair is fine too and I wear it up most every day, especially have to at work. I was a licensed hairdresser for over 10 yrs, before we started our family and I became a stay at home Mom. I use a clip to hold my hair in place, I’ll try to send you some info. They make some to look old, more Victorian era. I also find that if I braid my hair at night it gives it more body to work with in the mornings, You look lovely and I agree much like Sarah in Sarah Plain and Tall,
Blessings,
Kelle
Thank you Kelle. I to use to do the braid at night for years and really don’t know why I quit, will have to reevaluate that 🙂 Thank you for the complement and I loved Glenn Closes character in that movie!
Lovely hair on a lovely person! I remember seeing period movies in the past which were so good and authentic in many ways but the hair was all wrong for the period. Love the authenticity you bring to all aspects of your life and your willingness to share with others. Peace and Blessings!
Thank you Dawn, what a lovely complement! It truly is a blessing as well as our pleasure to have folks interested in our journey for us to share with. The peace of Christ be with you!
Lovely! I look forward to your videos. I feel the same when I bother to put up my hair. I am trying to grow it out again. You should do a video on how you put it up, I love watching hairdressing videos especially of vintage styles from different eras.
Thank you Ericca! I truly appreciate you taking time to follow our journey. And thank you for the video idea!
I love period hairstyles. In the reenacting world, I’ve seen some incredible reproduction dresses on ladies accompanied by all the right accessories- then their hair is pulled back into a tight, gelled down, pokey out, wanna be ballet bun…..ugh! I guess I am just hyper aware of it since I started researching and recreating civil war era period styles. I love my period hairstyles enough that I wear them on a regular basis. Well, some of the more “normal” ones anyway. Your right though. It makes all the difference in the experience- in life and in reenacting. It can change ones entire mindset to not only have the hairstyle but to do it every day seems to connect us even more. Kudos to you for taking it up again.
B
Hi Ms. B I’ve only ever met a few Civil War reenactor and I like to ask this question, have you ever seen/heard about/or read “With Sherman to the Sea” by Theodore Upson? It is a diary of a young solider that was printed in the early part of the 20th century and is very interesting. Theodore was actually Ron’s great, great grandfather (maternal) so it is really nice to have such an intimate record from him of his time during the Civil War. With that said, I totally agree with you on so many things being so period correct when it comes to things such as reenacting/movies etc but the hair as well as the makeup fail miserably! Quite correctly to this I prove the point, my “updo” would actually probably be more Edwardian and may be able to fall into the later part of the Victorian era, might be a grey area. The funny thing is Ron and I are still discussing our exact years that we are recreating in our little world here….a subject that has been at the center of conversations these past several days, we just had one again this a.m. Our time line is falling between 1875 to 1910. This is a decision that we must make and make soon as I feel lost in time LOL! As I am stumbling on if I should address things as “Victorian”, “Edwardian” or even “Pioneers” so it is just the luck of the draw to what term I use until we decide 🙂
I haven’t read it, but I have heard of it. How neat to have that kind of record!
With those dates, use both. The Victorian era ended in 1901 with the Queens death and the Edwardian era lasted until 1914 I believe. It’s fun no matter the logistical details.
B
I too have very fine hair . I wear my hair in anything from a bun like yours to a 1940’s victory roll look. I use a great recipe for a natural ” hair gel” so to speak . https://thedesipinup.com/2018/03/23/diy-setting-lotion/ This is the recipe I use. If you want to have it be more of a hair spray, just water it down a bit and put it in a bottle. If not , just use it by dipping a comb in it and combing it through your hair as you put it up. . It makes your hair shine and is actually really good for it .
Hi Kori! Thank you for sharing! I will definitely check it out!