1760s hair

Hair has always been the hardest part for me when getting dressed in historical clothing. I've always admired the hairstyles in the mid-century Louis Carrogis Carmontelle drawings but they've always looked very intimidating. Luckily I took part in Kendra's hairstyle lecture at Costume College and she had a way of explaining the style, a raised tête de mouton, that made me think I could maybe manage it after all. An 18th century ball at Tampere became the perfect excuse to try it out. I pinned a false hair rat on my head and pulled my hair on a ponytail on top of it. Then I used the ponytail to make a row of small rolls across my head and arrange it behind the rolls so that you can't see through them. I thought I could manage doing it myself, but I have to admit that the rolls were arranged by my husband. A little hair powder finished the look. It turned out a little wider than I had hoped, but overall I was happy with it. 

A Carmontelle pose.