Hair: Period Pieces

So many great things to do with hair, right?

It all depends on what kind of production you’re doing. How do you start?

• Research, research and more research. Be specific. The 1860s hairstyles in the United States were different than in Denmark.

• Will you need wigs? If you have women in a production that takes place any time before the 1920s, most likely. Be careful though. Not all wigs are equal. Money does make a difference. We will discuss wigs in a future blog post. Hair pieces and extensions are also helpful if there is enough hair to attach it to. They also tend to look more natural than a full wig.

• Hats are helpful as well. Make sure to check with your costume designer before you go to the trouble of designing hair. If hats will be covering most of the hair, you will not need to design for a full head of hair as you can see by a couple of the photos in this article. The nurse, from Romeo and Juliet, the second photo on the bottom line had her hair in a bun in the mob cap and some curls in the front to look like naturally curly hair.

• If you need to have a whole head of hair done, make sure you have sample photos from every angle and try it out a couple of times before performances.

• Men’s hairstyles can appear easier or harder, depending on what they are starting with. Make sure you tell your actors not to cut (or color) their hair before your performances without asking permission.

• Make sure you have the right equipment (Some of my favorite products. I may earn a commission if you purchase through one of these links)

  • Curling Irons (My favorite size is 1/2” barrel, but if you have a whole head of ringlets, go for the 1 inch size)

  • Curlers (These are my favorite types of rollers!)

  • Gel

  • Lots of hairspray, the strongest hold you can find

  • Bobby pins (I like to go with the name brands on these because they hold up better)

  • Hair pins (I find bobby pins to be a better option, but some people love these)

  • Hair nets (Get them in different colors).

  • Ponytail holders (different sizes)

  • Teasing Comb (or Backcombing Comb)

• Make sure the hair is clean but not conditioned. Conditioner tends to make hair harder to curl and style into updos.

• You will definitely want to train your hair volunteers to make sure they know how to use the products listed above. Not everyone is good with a curling iron and can cause more harm than good.

• Check out future blog posts for videos on how to use achieve specific period piece hairstyles.