Hairstyles of the 1890’s and a Giveaway!

ByKaren Witemeyer
50 Comments

When I was a little girl dreaming of fairy tale romance I always pictured myself in a long dress with my hair styled in a fancy updo. That’s part of the reason I was drawn to historical stories. All the dresses and fancy hairstyles!

I have loved all of my book covers, but there is one sticking point that I keep poking my editor about – almost none of my heroines have period-appropriate hair! All of my full-length novels, save one, have heroines with hair down around their shoulders. The only exception has been Heart on the Line. You better believe I gushed like crazy over the hairstyle for that one. Unfortunately, my very next cover was back to the flowing locks.

Now, to be fair, my first cover – A Tailor-Made Bride – only shows the heroine from the shoulders down, and there is no hair in evidence, so I’m going to believe there was an updo involved in that one as well. It’s just not visible.

In the 1800’s, wearing one’s hair up was a sign of passing from girlhood into womanhood. Much like moving from shorter to longer skirts. No proper woman would be seen outside her home with her hair down.

However, a woman’s hair also afforded her the chance to express her individual personality and style. This is well reflected in the abundance of hairstyles popular in the 1890’s. Like the picture at the top of this post indicates, everything from a poofy pompadour, to a tight part down the middle, to curly bangs and fuzzy volume – women were eager to make a statement with their hair.

Here are some samples of styles common in the 1890’s:

This one is all braid. A thick plait that reminds me just a little too much of the punk style mohawk.
This lovely lady has a very soft effect. The waves were usually created with curling tongs then brushed out to create body and wave. There is a hint of some curled tendrils around her nape as well.
Here’s a close up of a typical knotted bun with curled bangs. I like the softer feel to it.
This is a 1890 wood engraving of hairstyles popular during the era. Location of the knotted hair varied, but curly bangs were nearly always in evidence. Reminds me of my own youth in the 1980’s. And as you can see, only the young girls were shown with hair down.
You can tell by the sleeves that this is mid to late 1890s, and the poof has definitely grown in the hair as well as the shoulders. We are heading closer to the Gibson Girl era with no bangs and a lot of smooth body around the face.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’d like to get an idea of how much trouble it was to arrange one of these hairstyles, this is a fascinating article from the 1894 Delineator ladies magazine. No wonder wealthy women needed a maid to do their hair every day! My goodness. This would take hours! Of course, they also recommend shampooing the hair once a month and keeping the scalp clean with regular vigorous brushing. Umm – no thanks.

If you want to try one of these hairstyles out for yourself, I found a great blog post from a lady who took a few modern shortcuts and achieved the same basic look.

Now, since we’re talking about hair, I’m excited to offer you the chance to win a modern accessory that brings back the classic 19th century look. One of my readers, Myra Limbaugh, is a hair accessory expert, and she offered to sponsor a giveaway of the Flexi Clip – one that can work on any style, from fancy updos to casual pull backs depending on your length and thickness of hair.

One lucky reader will win a Flexi Clip of her choice (up to $20). Look at all the styles you can create!

I got this adorable peacock clip for myself. Isn’t it fun? (Yes, that’s the back of my head, in case you couldn’t tell. 😉 )

To find your size, use the chart at the right. Basically, you will gather all your hair into a ponytail with your hands, wrap it with your thumb and forefinger, then pull your hand away keeping your fingers still. The size of the circle you’ve made with your thumb and forefinger can be compared to coins. Pick the one that is closest to your circle size. I went with the XS. If you plan to use this clip for buns or braided updos, you will need a larger size. Check out Myra’s website for more details.

This contest will be open until noon (CST) on Monday, August 20th. Myra will post the winner in the comments section of this blog. Use the link below to enter.

CONTEST LINK

So what do you think? Are you ready to go back to 1890’s hairstyles?

  • Does it bother you when book covers or television shows fail to accurately depict hairstyles of the era being portrayed?
  • Do you think more modern hairstyles help the average relate better to the heroine? Does it make it easier for her to imagine herself as the character?

 

Oh, and if you happen to be in West Texas this weekend, I’d love to see you. I’ll be signing books at the Barnes & Noble in the South Plains Mall in Lubbock. And the extra cool thing is that Jeff and Kristie Gilliam (the couple who I met in that same store in 2016 and who I named a character after in More Than Meets the Eye) will be there, too. Should be fun!

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For those who love to smile as they read, bestselling author Karen Witemeyer offers warmhearted historical romance with a flair for humor, feisty heroines, and swoon-worthy Texas heroes. Karen is a multiple award-winning author and a firm believer in the power of happy endings. She is an avid cross-stitcher, tea drinker, and gospel hymn singer who makes her home in Abilene, TX with her heroic husband who vanquishes laundry dragons and dirty dish villains whenever she's on deadline. Learn more about Karen and her books at: www.karenwitemeyer.com.

50 Comments

  1. I’m with you. I love the updo on the cover model when appropriate for the time period.
    Thank you for the chance. I would need extra small. Your peacock is pretty.
    Blessings

    1. Hi, Lucy. I’m glad to have you on the updo train. Ha! Oh – but make sure you use the contest link to enter the giveaway. Leaving a comment here won’t enter you. Blessings!

  2. Very interesting information and pictures. I read mainly historical fiction and you are so right about the updos once a girl has passed to womanhood. My granddaughter, soon to be 11 in two weeks has hair down to her rear and refuses to cut it except for the ends occasionally. Her mother creates beautiful hairstyles for special occasions.

    Thanks also for this unique giveaway!

    1. I remember having long hair. Then I had children. Sigh. I bet your granddaughter has beautiful hair. Probably fun for her mother to “play with” and style. 🙂

  3. I love Lilla Rose Flexi clips! I have some that are 4 & 5 years old and they still look brand new even though I use them all the time. Best hair accessory ever!

  4. What a lovely article! I so miss the beautiful dress and hairstyles of yesteryear! They gave that air of value and respect. And I LOVE the Flexi clips!!! You can actually recreate many of the vintage hairstyles using them or the Upins. Thanks so much for this giveaway!!!

    1. I miss those days too, Paula. At least in theory. Ha! I like playing dress up on occasion but I don’t know that I’d want to go back to long skirts, petticoats, and corsets on an everyday basis. 😉

  5. I agree, Karen! When I see the covers on historical books with long flowing hair, I know it’s wrong. Women only wore their hair down when they went to bed, and some may have even slept in braids like Laura Ingalls. (maybe because she didn’t have a maid).
    The hairstyles in my 1875 WIP are braided, then coiled high on top, then they put a little hat on top of that! I’ve seen lots of pictures, but I doubt we’ll be able to get that look on the cover.

    1. I think there must be some marketing stat that supports the flowing hair. I hope so, anyway. It seems the books that feature upper class women on the covers or those set in England get the updos more regularly while middle class American west set historicals get more of the long hair. It’s an interesting conundrum.

  6. I guess I’m just all about the pretty covers, LOL. The inappropriate hairatyle doesn’t bother me. I’ve never seen a flexi-clip. It sounds neat and I would need a large – long, thick and curly. Your peacock is pretty!

    1. Thanks, Perrianne. I agree that a pretty cover is a pretty cover. And I have definitely been blessed with good ones. Make sure you use the contest link above to enter for the giveaway. Good luck!

    2. I love to see long, thick, and curly hair in a flexi! It really looks beautiful. Of course, I wouldn’t know from personal experience. *Sigh* I have stick straight thin hair and only need the small for my updo. Can you tell I’m just a little jealous. 😉

  7. Interesting article! I never realized the correlation between married women and up-dos. I always assumed they wore their hair up to keep it out of their way when doing household chores!
    Karen, you are going to love your Flexi! They are so fast and easy to use, it means you can have long hair AND children! 😉 😅 The peacock was the first one I ever bought and is still a favorite!

  8. I have always loved those styles of dos. My mom would play with my hair using a lot of these styles with some changes for little girls. I loved going to school with a different “mom made” hair style. those little hair flexi’s are wonderful. My hair is short now but it would still work. Yes it kinda bugs me about authors or movies that do not portray historically accurate.

    1. I bet your mom had fun with all those hair creations, Lori. when my daughter was little, I tried a few – mostly just braids or curlers, but it was still fun. Now she’s grown and won’t let me near her hair. Ha!

    2. You are right, Lori. Our flexi clips will work even with short hair. We have seven sizes including a mini that you can wear like a barrette. We also have bobby pins and hairbands too!

  9. A modern hairstyle on the cover model doesn’t turn me off as much as modern makeup/eyebrows. But when the hair is more historically accurate I definitely appreciate it! It makes sense that the publishers want readers to be able to connect with the characters, though, I never thought of it that way.

  10. I grew up with very old photos of long-gone relatives. I loved the fancy hairstyles. I like seeing other people with fancy hairdos today. I’m a wash and go kind of girl, always have been, much to my hairstylist mother’s dismay.

    1. When I pick up a historical novel to read I like it when the girl on the cover has a hair do that fits the period of time that the story takes place. I found this article to be very interesting. Thank you for writing it and the chance to win

    2. I enjoy the hairstyles, too, Andrea. Sometimes I even get a little envious. Maybe that’s why I enjoy writing. I can create as many updos as I like and imagine myself as my characters!

  11. I love period accurate representation on characters be it models or actors. It gives a true feel for the era. I am always in awe of how the hair is done and described and wonder how my dense, long curly hair would be styled.

  12. It bothers me when hairstyles and clothing is not correct for the period of the book. I know you don’t have much control but the cover artist should be more aware. I love all your covers, though. Thanks for the informative post! And the giveaway chance.

  13. Such a fun clip. I could see myself going back to this time period with styles except for the super curly bang.

    1. All those poor ladies with those primitive tongs! I think they actually heated them in the fire. Remember that scene in Little Women where Jo singed Meg’s hair so badly it burned and fell off? Yikes!

  14. The cover definitely needs to match the story. When you describe her/him, I want to be able to flip back to the cover and “see” them.

    The hair definitely needs to be up for historical. A lot of books talk about the hero imagining what her hair would look like down. I love that part. It’s romantic!

    I wear my hair up or pulled back just about all the time. I’m going to check these out.

    1. I bet you’ll love them, Linda. I’ve only had mine a couple days, and I already love it. 🙂

      I like it when the hero imagines the heroine’s hair down, too. It’s so sweet that that was a special honor reserved for husbands.

    2. Hi Linda. I totally agree with you about it being romantic when the hero is imagining what her hair would look like down. So sweet!

      I hope you’ll give our clips a try. I know you’ll just love them. If I can answer any questions for you just let me know!

  15. Yes, I definitely notice when hairstyles or clothing do not fit the historical era of a story, TV show, or film. However, if the narrative is good, I can more easily overlook those inaccuracies. The television program “When Calls the Heart” is a fine example – definitely modern hairstyles, in keeping with what more likely appeals to, or connects with, Hallmark’s audience demographic, but such great storytelling that it doesn’t pull me out of the narrative.

    One of the things I enjoy about those period hairstyles, in addition to it being one way for a woman to express her individual style, is how it can also be something that the gentleman might notice about the heroine, or be drawn to. Then if he happens to get opportunity to catch a glimpse of his dear lady with her hair down? Oh, that’s a swoon moment for me every time! 🙂

    2. I’ve definitely noticed the hairstyles on “When Calls the Heart”too. But you are right, the story line is so good I forget all about the inaccurate hairstyles. 🙂

  16. I loved seeing these different hairstyles and the clips, they are very pretty. A book cover should never be judged, but I think it would be neat if authors would use different hairstyles on the ladies portrayed on the covers of their books, no matter the year the book(S) take place.

    1. Hi, Andrea. I agree that the story should be what matters most, not the cover. It’s too bad the cover can’t somehow just transform into the image we carry in our head of the characters we imagine.

  17. I had no idea the hair on your book covers wasn’t historically accurate. I probably do like the more modern styles on covers. What an interesting post!

    1. I’m so glad to have your perspective, Ellie. I think there are probably a lot of people who pick up a book because they feel drawn in by the character portrayed on the cover. And one who looks more like themselves might help create that initial bond.

  18. It drives me crazy when a cover is historically inaccurate. It can take me out of a story if the cover is too “modern.” Sometimes I wonder if the cover artists ever read the book they’re working on.

    1. From a practical standpoint, Nicole, I doubt they would have time to read the books since they are working on multiple projects all at once. However, at least at my publishing house, they do have editorial staff working closely with them and the editors have read the books. And while I completely agree about preferring historically accurate hair, I think marketing must weigh in as well. And if books with models with hair down sell better, that will get calculated into the overall design. (Not sure if that is true or not, but I figure there must be a contributing factor.) As much as I wish book publishing was pure art – it is a business as well. But I’m going to keep asking for updos and cheering whenever I happen to get one. 🙂

  19. I agree with you Karen, I think the covers should be historically accurate. You do your research to make the books right, the cover ‘people’ should do the same.
    I don’t like to fuss with my hair at all – wash and go is for me. But my daughter has very long, very curly hair that she lets me play with and create fun hairdos.

    1. Sherry, the long curly hair is really very pretty with a flexi clip. I especially like to see that kind of hair in a half up. I think the flexi really accents the curls! So glad your daughter lets you play with her hair. My daughter likes to wash and go just like you!

  20. Thanks for the interesting post about hairstyles. When I was growing up, there were 7 girls in our family. My mother used to put up our hair in rags to make it curly. It wasn’t too comfortable, but we survived it. I’d definitely rather use a curling iron.
    I agree that the cover pictures should be historically accurate. I’d hate to have to do my hair up in some of those hairstyles, though.

    1. Seven girls??? Wow! I give your mom props for getting all of you in rag curls. That must have been a job! I’ve often wondered what I would do if I were zipped back in time. How in the world did these ladies get their hair to stay put with only pins??? Not to mention that my layers would have to grow out. And how would I explain the fact that the blonde on my head grew out mousy brown? Maybe it’s good that I’ll be staying in my own century. Ha!

  21. Agree, Karen, that book covers should reflect the era of the book’s story. As you know, I tend to be a real stickler for accuracy when it comes to historical themed books. Even Hollywood drives me batty with the incorrect costuming and hair! Sadly, When the Heart Calls is a shining example and as much as I love it, I am always very distracted by the inaccuracies. I do understand that is not within your power, and I get the marketing angle, but, really I think, generally speaking, publishers are not totally informed about historical fiction readers and what our preferences are. But, what do I know!

  22. I find publisher’s discrepancies with the author’s writing – era , hair colour, style, etc – entirely inappropriate. To me it’s as if they haven’t read their author’s work and are disregarding an integral part of their own publication. They need to have the courtesy of supporting the author’s work as well as their own publishing.
    Inaccurate covers, even if pretty, miss the point entirely.
    A reader can’t relate to a cover depiction, no matter how attractive, when it’s irrelevant to the story.
    That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it 😉

    Thanks for the fun, Karen ! HapPy writing…

  23. A great big thank you to all that entered the giveaway. I wish you all could win.

    The winner of our contest today is Willine de Visser! Congratulations Willine! I’ll be contacting you soon to give you details of how to claim your prize. 🙂

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