hair-msg - 1/12/08
Period and SCA hairstyling and care.
NOTE: See also the files: cosmetics-msg, p-hygiene-msg, perfumes-msg, headgear-msg, bathing-msg, hair-dyeing-msg.
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NOTICE -
This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.
This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org
I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.
The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors.
Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s).
Thank you,
Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous
Stefan at florilegium.org
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Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: tbarnes at silver.ucs.indiana.edu (thomas wrentmore barnes)
Subject: Re: Hair length
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 1993 00:34:46 GMT
whheydt at PacBell.COM (Wilson Heydt) writes:
>If I'm not mistaken, the real military penchant for short hair came in
>with World War I.
I think you're right. It was a hygeinic trend (to combat headlice) that
latched onto the current trend towards short hair.
As I understand it, in period, mens hairstyles went like this:
Roman - short hair, no beards or mustaches (until Hadrian)
Late Roman - short hair, beards and mustaches optional
Barbarian German - long hair, often tied or knotted into a topknot on
the top of the head. Long mustaches and short to medium length beards.
(Based on observations of Trajan's column and The Burgundian Code by
Katherine Fischer Drew.)
At least for 4-5th c. Burgundians, only slaves wore their hair
short and it was a finable offense to grab somebody by the hair. It was
also a finable offense to give a fugitive slave a wig so he could hide
his slave status.
Later Germanic/Frankish - Clean shaven, but with long mustaches, hair
short to medium length.
Of course, as I mentioned earlier, the Merovingian kings wore
their hair as long as possible.
Norse - Hair Medium Length to very long. In the Saga of the Jomsvikings,
there is a story about how a captured viking with very long blonde hair,
who was to be executed asked his captors to hold his hair away from his
head so it wouldn't be spoiled by the axe. The then jerked his head back
at the last minute, so the hands of the man holding his hair were pulled
under the blade and severed rather than the fair-haired viking's head!
Beards and mustaches were optional and were worn at any length,
mostly fairly short based on pictorial evidence, but could be long and
braided.
Norman - hair very short in a "bowl cut" that was shaved to the crown of
the head in back. Anglo-Saxon observers mistook Norman knights for
priests because of their oddly cropped hair.
Strange people who have inflicted this haircut on themselves say
that it is wonderful to fight in, since your hair doesn't get tangled in
your coif.
The Bayeaux tapestry also shows men with normal "bowl cuts"
12th -13th c. hair is worn to just above the shoulder and is
center-parted with no bangs. Beards and mustaches are rare.
14th c. hair is worn to just above the shoulder and is curled at the
bottom. As the century progresses, the tightness of the curl increases.
Long mustaches and goatee-like beards (often forked in two strands) are
common. Full beards are unusual.
15th. Early in the century, the "bowl cut" comes back into vogue. In
Italy, Burgundy and Germany there are numerous variations through the
century. Too many to describe here.
16th c. Early in the period full, medium length beards are an option and
hair is worn at short to medium length (just above the shoulders).
As collars got higher and ruffs got wider, hair got shorter
until it was worn very short. Beards and mustaches were an option, but
diminished to a short goatee and well trimmed mustache in most cases.
Lothar \|/
0
From: lecuyer at wam.umd.edu (CLIS library)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Hair Care
Date: 17 Oct 1993 20:58:24 GMT
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Jennifer Geard <bloodthorn at sloth.equinox.gen.nz> wrote:
>used on hair, but does anyone know how hair was washed, combed, brushed, cut,
>braided, etc, in earlier times?
>
I don't have a lot of info, and it's mostly viking 'cause that's
what I do.
Combs have been found in the digs at both Dublin and York for the
"viking" period (9th-10th cent.). They are usually made of wood or
bone and often come with a case. I think the book "The Viking Dig"
has some good pictures.
As to hair styles - A friend of mine brought a book back from
Demark (all in Danish, unfortunately) with some great pictures
of hairsyles found on corpses. The 2 female styles follow:
divide hair by a part down the middle of you head,
nose to nape, braid each part until you get it
to the bottom of the nape and then merge the 2 together
and continue braiding. I've never had much luck
doing this for myself - "hey come here thrall!"
The other style - divide hair nose to nape and then ear
to ear, braid all four parts. I forget what you are
supposed to do with them afterwards.
I will try to get the reference from him, but don't hold your breath,
it won't be anytime soon.
Catherine/Kara
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: ritchiek at sage.cc.purdue.edu (unknown)
Subject: Re: Hairpieces for men?
Organization: Purdue University Computing Center
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 1994 19:32:14 GMT
Unto Vajk and other men with long hair,
My lord has hair nearly as long as my own, and mine is approaching
waist length. his hair is very fine so he must be carefull about not
breaking it. Period methods of retaining the hair I know little about
but Fionnbhar has a Celtic persona so he likes to do lock-ring braid at
the sides. Small braids with Silver metal ball like things on the ends.
Braids down the back not pulled too tight and fastened with the cloth covered
elastic things are good for your hair and can be found in Manly colors
We get Goody type hair bands and things at our local Target store for Mundane
life. For work Fionnbhar wears pony tails or puts his hair up in a pirate
scarf(when he was doing painting and construction)-Isabeau
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: infomgr at ptri.win.net (Rex Deaver)
Date: Sat, 08 Jan 1994 04:26:01 GMT
Subject: Re: Hairpieces for men?
David Sanders (ae766 at yfn.ysu.edu) writes:
>Greetings all, from Vajk!
>
>A problem has presented itself to me which I have never had before, and don't
>really have even basic knowledge about.
>
>I have long hair, longer even than most women, and it's thick. Problem is
>that I need to keep it out of my face, especially at work. Never having had
>hair this long before, I'm not familiar with good ways of doing this.
>
>Rubber bands damage the hair and scalp, but the only other thing I can think
>of that wouldn't look totally feminine is a leather piece of some sort.
>
>So... Does anyone know anything about how men with long hair in period kept
>the hair back? I would really like to have period solutions to this problem.
>
>With few exceptions, the guys at work already think I'm not quite right, and
>using feminine hairpieces would really set them off!
>
>Thanks.
Greeting Vajk,
I am just learning to deal with this problem myself! :) Most of the
things I have seen were various sorts of braiding and/or wrapping,
or tied back with a leather thong as you mention. Hats are good,
too, also headbands.
For practical purposes, there are available ponytail holders that do
_not_ have big beads or such on them, just plain solid colors.
That's what I use for day to day.
------------------------------------------------------
Mathurin Kerbusso...but my boss, whose opinions are NOT mine,
calls me;
Rex Deaver Internet: infomgr at ptri.win.net
CIS UserID: 70744,3171
Olathe, Kansas (913) 780-6566
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: tbarnes at silver.ucs.indiana.edu (thomas wrentmore barnes)
Subject: Re: Hairpieces for men?
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 1994 02:15:44 GMT
>A problem has presented itself to me which I have never had before, and don't
>really have even basic knowledge about.
>
>I have long hair, longer even than most women, and it's thick. Problem is
>that I need to keep it out of my face, especially at work. Never having had
>hair this long before, I'm not familiar with good ways of doing this.
I too have long hair, I keep it tied back with a hair band in a
pony-tail and trim the bangs so that they stay out of my eyes and off of
my face. You can get a packet of these "hair-doogies" at any drug store
for about a buck, and a pack will last you for months. I friend of mine
who was growing his bangs out resorted to wearing a baseball cap to keep
the hair out of his eyes until it got long enough that he could
pony-tail it back.
In period, there were lots of ways that men kept long hair out
of their faces. Sometimes the hair was long enough that it would stay
out of your face by its length - it just hung down your back. In other
periods men came up with various ways of keeping the hair out of their
faces - in my period, the 14th c. metal fillets were sometimes used. IN
the 15ht c. some dandies actually permed their hair (looks gawdawful)
which had the effect of keeping it out of their faces (I presume) but
made it look like their necks barfed. I think that the vikings, and some
other early cultures might have braided their hair.
Lothar \|/
0
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: moylek at mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca (Ken Moyle)
Subject: Re: Hairpieces for men?
Organization: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Date: Tue, 11 Jan 1994 20:48:03 GMT
(David Sanders) writes:
>So... Does anyone know anything about how men with long hair in period kept
>the hair back? I would really like to have period solutions to this problem.
Mundanely, I use a black velvet ribbon at work (were I wear a
jacket and tie) or when going out, and a soft, leather thong otherwise.
At events, I never tie my hair back..... I've seen no evidence
(pictorial or written) for ponytails for men of the gentry in mainstream
Western Europe in the high middle ages (I'm Franco-Scot, 14th C). The
solution is.... hats. Everyone wore hats. The little white cloth coifs
are very practicle and were worn very commonly both alone and with other
head gear.... and look absolutely dorky. I commonly wear a hood wrapped
about my head turban style.... it keeps my shoulder-length hair back quite
well.
As for *really* long hair.... even when long hair for men was
common in Western Europe, it seems that hair much past the shoulders was
still considered girlish or excessively foppish (I can't give the source
for that at the moment).
.....Cinaed de Moray
/------------------------------------------------------------------------\
|Kenneth C. Moyle MOYLEK at McMaster.Ca|
|Computing Services Coordinator (Sciences) ...!uunet!mnetor!maccs!kenm|
|Computing and Information Services |
|McMaster University - Hamilton, Ontario (Canada) |
\------------------------------------------------------------------------/
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: treid at morgan.ucs.mun.ca (Ambrose)
Subject: Re: Hairpieces for men?
Organization: Memorial University of Newfoundland
Date: Wed, 12 Jan 1994 19:14:49 GMT
I have well past shoulder length hair and as well wear it tied back most
of the time mundanely. (Being a Biochem student, it make working in a
lab easier to handle and less dangerous). At events, I usually wear a
braided leather hand band. It look appealing (at least better than afore
mentioned "dorky hats") and helps some what in keeping it out of my
face. The head band will not help much in the wind though, unlike a pony
tail. I don't know how period it is, but for guys with long hair around
here (Newfoundland) It is the preveliant choice other than just letting
it hang loose.
Hope that Helps
Ambrose
--
Ambrose is/was/will be Todd Reid reachable at treid at morgan.ucs.mun.ca
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: jbeltzner at TrentU.CA
Subject: Re: Hairpieces for men?
Organization: Trent University, Peterborough
Date: Thu, 13 Jan 1994 05:51:43 GMT
Cinaed de Moray writes:
> As for *really* long hair.... even when long hair for men was
>common in Western Europe, it seems that hair much past the shoulders was
>still considered girlish or excessively foppish (I can't give the source
>for that at the moment).
>
> .....Cinaed de Moray
I'm not sure where you found this information, but I know that in the
earlier middle ages (before the year 1000, at any rate), the Franks felt that
long hair was a sign of marshall prowess. Therefore the longer one's hair was,
the better a warrior they supposedly were. This seems to imply that some of
the Franks, especially their kings, kept their hair VERY long... as a matter of
fact, I recall one instance where a king was conquered and deposed, and to keep
him from causing trouble, they cut his hair. When he threatened to grow it
back, they were forced to kill him.
I wish I could reference this for you, but I don't have my books with
me right now... oh well. I wish they'd hurry with those CD ROM books... ;)
In service,
Malachai Shel Ha Cheitz Shavar,
Who feels that the ancient Kings of the Franks would not react well to being
called "foppish"
Petrea Thule, Septentria, Ealdormere
JBELTZNER at TRENTU.CA
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
From: rorice at bronze.ucs.indiana.edu (rosalyn rice)
Subject: Re: Period hair ornaments?
Keywords: hair ornament styling
Organization: Indiana University, Bloomington IN
Date: Fri, 17 Jun 1994 04:09:39 GMT
Greetings from Lothar,
In the 14th c. for men's "formal" clothing (court garb) fine circlets
were worn towards the very end of the century. Other than that, for men,
the solution seemed to be to wear your hair short enough that you didn't
have to worry about, or wear a hood.
For women, there are LOTS of things you can do. First of all, as
you said, you can braid it. This is what most women would have done, even
if they were unmarried. Depending on the time and the period you would
have put it into some sort of headdress or used some sort of thin cloth
circlet to help hold your hair and the headdress in place. If you were
married woman, a nun, or an older woman you would have worn the wimple and
the veil in addition. If you were unmarried you would have just braided
you hair and worn a headdress which showed most of your hair.
There are many different fashions depending on country, decade, or
social class, so I can't describe them here, in spite of the fact that you've
given me the fact that your persona is from Northern England. Even in that
area there were lots of different styles over time.
For a basic idea of what was going on ca. 1330 look at marginal
illuminations from the Luttrell psalter (there's a nice illo of a serving
woman doing up her lady's hair. The servant has a simple single braid, the
lady has a more complex 'do.). For an overview of what women were wearing
look at inscised stone and and brass effigies from the period. This
gives you as good an overview as you're likely to get.
In the meantime, take heart in the fact that hairpins ARE period.
They've been found in 14th c. London excavations. (BTW, check out Dress
Accessories from Archeolgical Digs in London. for a couple of pictures
of partial headdresses from the period.)
Lothar
From: wildgoose at gateway.ecn.com (Keith Cunningham)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Period hairstyles advice?
Date: 16 May 1995 20:07:30 -0700
Organization: West Coast Computer Products
Period to when?
11 Century Celt wore the hair down and held back with a head band. They
also wore felted hats of extreme uglyness.
13 Century Wore the hair braided [two down the side in front of the ears
and one down the back.
15-16th Century were wearing the hair just like those of the Contient
[except about 50 years behind the trend]
Beyond that not much is known and this is based upon paintings and drawing
made by auslanders. Shear speculation [pun intended]
Slante'
keith Cunningham
Cain MacRob MhicMiron Connyhaim of Connyhaim
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Period Hairstyles
From: una at bregeuf.stonemarche.org (Honour Horne-Jaruk)
Date: Tue, 04 Jul 95 09:13:03 EDT
Michael Carson <mourning at raven.cybercom.com> writes:
> A friend of mine who is a hairstlyist is planning to open a merchant sta
> this fall. Does anyone have any pointers to good sources on the topic, favor
> or other thoughts? Please e-mail me, at mourning at raven.cybercom.com, or post
>
> Rhys ap Ieuan
> m.k.a. Michael Carson
> mourning at cybercom.com
>
Respected friend:
Amazon Vinegar and Pickling Works Drygoods, 2218 E. 11th St.,
Davenport Ia. sells _Fashions in Hair_, Corson, 304pgs, 3,500 illos,
$98.50 US. It looks like the best in-print reference that covers our entire
era... and for a pro hairstylist it's tax-deductible!
<snip>
(Nah, I don't work for them, I just like them.)
Yours in service to the Society-
(Friend) Honour Horne-Jaruk R.S.F.
Alizaunde, Demoiselle de Bregeuf C.O.L. SCA
Una Wicca (That Pict)
From: afn03234 at freenet.ufl.edu (Ronald L. Charlotte)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Request help with Garb