Historical Hair
Jul. 29th, 2014 08:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bethzyllaThinking back on my early costume exploits, it's clear to me that my biggest challenge (and deficiency) was appropriately styled hair. I had big ideas, but no clue how to execute them. At that time, the internet was still a baby and the vast amount of resources available to today's costumers was nothing but a whisper of a dream. So I stumbled along, doing the best I could with my own hair (which really left a lot to be desired.) Fast forward a decade and some, and I've got my hands on Kendra's 18th Century Hair and Wig Styling book, not to mention an entire plastic tub of false hair, wigs, and styling accessories. Oh, how far things have come!
At the party last weekend, I did something that might border on taboo (it's debatable.) I took off my hat and wig while I was still at the event. I've got lots of excuses...it was getting late, I was tired from a full day of fun that was preceded by not enough sleep, and I think all my bobby pins and my hat pin had conspired to shift just enough that they were all poking my scalp. So...I just took them off! There's even photographic evidence of my breach of conduct:
A little while before, just for reference:
Luckily I was surrounded by friends who found it all very amusing (or at least tolerable.) A few new acquaintances were shocked that the whole thing was a wig. My own hair, which is pretty finely textured and waist length, would never behave long enough to do anything remotely like this! I once wore just the wig itself without the long curls and tried to do those curls with my hair. Nope! It was sad and stringy before I even got to the event. Having people think the wig was my real hair made me feel like I must be doing something right. And really, it's about time! This particular wig has gone through at least 4 transformations/tweaks to get to this point. Kendra's book should make my next one go a LOT smoother!
Looking at those pics just makes me chuckle. It's a reminder that no matter how great your costume is, the hair and hat that you wear (or don't wear) with it can make ALL the difference.
At the party last weekend, I did something that might border on taboo (it's debatable.) I took off my hat and wig while I was still at the event. I've got lots of excuses...it was getting late, I was tired from a full day of fun that was preceded by not enough sleep, and I think all my bobby pins and my hat pin had conspired to shift just enough that they were all poking my scalp. So...I just took them off! There's even photographic evidence of my breach of conduct:
A little while before, just for reference:
Luckily I was surrounded by friends who found it all very amusing (or at least tolerable.) A few new acquaintances were shocked that the whole thing was a wig. My own hair, which is pretty finely textured and waist length, would never behave long enough to do anything remotely like this! I once wore just the wig itself without the long curls and tried to do those curls with my hair. Nope! It was sad and stringy before I even got to the event. Having people think the wig was my real hair made me feel like I must be doing something right. And really, it's about time! This particular wig has gone through at least 4 transformations/tweaks to get to this point. Kendra's book should make my next one go a LOT smoother!
Looking at those pics just makes me chuckle. It's a reminder that no matter how great your costume is, the hair and hat that you wear (or don't wear) with it can make ALL the difference.
