Sew It!

One of the common questions asked by women in reenacting, living history, etc. is "how do I do my hair?" because this is so very different from post-1920 hairstyles and techniques.  A variety of hair products have been used through the ages, and you can look those up (prepare to be grossed out, but don't look at the ingredient list today either).  Without delving into chemistry and alchemy, one of the simplest things you can learn to do is sew your hair into place.  A nice blunt needle with a big eye and wool yarn that matches your hair color will be your best hairdressing friend.  I promise it doesn't take as long as you think it will once you get good at it, and it is worlds more comfortable for many of these hairstyles than bobby pins are, and looks much better than neon bands.  Sewing also works great for medium length hair that may not otherwise stay in place.  This is an excellent way to add fake hair to enhance your natural assets (I bought all my own hair with all my own money).

"But how do I get it OUT of my hair?" you may wonder.  Sometimes you will have to carefully cut some knots if it is a complex style, sometimes it's just a matter of pulling it out a little at a time.  For the simple braid tips, I pull the hair up and out of the wraps.  I do not try to save the yarn.  I will caution you against imbibing too much while wearing a complex style unless you have a sober assistant to help you out at the end of the evening, or you don't mind going to bed looking like a 14th c. effigy.

There is a great You Tube tutorial series about sewn hair and historic hairstyles by Janet Stephens, and it is well worth your time to check out her channel.  https://www.youtube.com/user/jntvstp