Victorian hair styles have a reputation for being fussy and artificial – hair padded, curled, ratted, puffed and concealed under extremely elaborate hats. Indeed, for adult women a fashionable hair style could be as restrictive, time-consuming and unnatural as a fashionable outfit.
For children, however, Victorians made a number of concessions to comfort and practicality. Just as children’s clothing transitioned from being miniature adult clothing to more comfortable garments designed specifically for children, Victorian children’s hair styles were simpler than and distinct from adult hair styles.
Curls and Waves for Victorian Girls' Hair
Straight hair on females during the Victorian was a fashion no-no. Some girls were able to get away with braidwaves – the gentle waves caused by tightly braiding hair, leaving it overnight, then unbraiding it. Some photos also show that natural curly hair was permitted to remain in its natural state. Both of these methods were less time-consuming and uncomfortable for children than forcing them to endure nightly rag-curling.
