The delicate and silky structure of hair has always fascinated people. There are countless superstitions, myths and legends surrounding it. In the past, hair length was associated with social and religious significance. Today's women still care deeply about how to best show off their hair. For special occasions or themed parties, medieval hairstyles are more popular than ever. They are characterized by many braided accents and elaborate details. This results in a wealth of ideas that require a little skill to implement. Something new is always created and no two hairstyles look the same as any other.
The importance of hair in the Middle Ages
Medieval people attached great importance to hair. It was a symbol of power and authority and losing your hair was considered the greatest humiliation. Both women and men wore their hair long. The kings had long hair and beards and the nobles under their authority wore them shorter. During fights, they tied them up in a knot on their heads to appear larger and more terrible. The women's hair reached down to their knees, sometimes even longer. The slaves and prisoners were shaved as a sign of submission. The Catholic Church exerted a great influence, likemen and womenshould look like. For example, men had to shave their beards to become better Christians and women had to wear a veil.
Medieval hairstyles for men
For men in the Middle Ages, short hair was anything but a sign of freedom. They were forced to follow a real hierarchyhair lengthto build. Cutting your hair was considered a complete disqualification. Only the priests in the monastery wore the so-called tonsure, in which the upper part of the head was shaved. The “pageboy hairstyle” became very popular back then. The hair was curved over the ears down to the neck and with bangs on the forehead. The whole face was neatly shaved.
Only those who owned their own land or were noble could grow their hair. Centuries later, wearing a wig with a long braid was considered a special sign. And in the late Middle Ages, the hairstyles of the nobility became even more unusual and were braided into artistic shapes that were kept in shape with hairnets.
This is what women's hair looked like
Until the 11th century, women wore their hair very long - down to their knees or longer. Most often they were tied in two long braids on the sides or tied in knots. At that time, the forehead was considered an important part of the face and it remained uncovered. She was decorated with valuable jewelry, flowers or hairbands, but never with hair. Even the hair around it was often shaved to make the forehead appear larger.
Married women had to wear their hair tied and cover it with a veil or a rise (a flat hood made of cotton fabric that hides the hair, head, ears and neck). Because hair was considered a man's possession and was perceived as seductive. At the time, the most popular hairstyle was a braid tied into a bun or two, secured over both ears with a gold or silk ribbon. However, this mostly remained under a cover and invisible to the public.
During this period, women wore large hats and bonnets when they went to church or visited public places. Showing hair in public was unusual and considered inappropriate and disrespectful. Nevertheless, hair should be cared for and kept healthy. A health and personal care book had recommendations and recipes for hair care. Coloring hair became possible with special formulas - for example, blonde with peanuts and alum.
All noble women wore their hair very long. In the 13th or 14th century they braided them into 3 or 4 braids, which they held at the back of the head and decorated with jewelry. Of course, these elaborate hairstyles took hours. In the meantime, what originally only took place in the women's bedroom and in a very small circle has grown into a kind of calling.
DIY hairstyles inspired by the Middle Ages
Since women in the Middle Ages wore their hair very long, most medieval hairstyles are more suitable for a long mane. The long hair is parted down the middle and each side is braided into a single long braid. Now the braid is wound into a kind of bun or snail over the ear. Finally, one or more hairpins are used for attachment.
Similarly, two braids are braided on the two sides and then allowed to converge over the head. A golden mesh grid can be attached in between.
In principle, it was unusual for noble women to appear in public with long, free-falling hair. For everyday wear, they mostly preferred to go with simple long braids or an uncomplicated variation of the ram's horn style. A circlet or a tiara was added as an accent.
Women have always decorated their hair with ribbons, beads, scarves and others. Unmarried girls decorated their hair with precious stones, artificial flowers made of gold and jewels.
Do-it-yourself medieval hairstyles
Medieval hairstyles are possible in many different variations and are considered to be very magnificent and elaborate. Nevertheless, it is possible to yourselfa beautiful braided hairstyleto do in medieval style. With a little patience and a few tricks, which we will reveal soon, a very complex braided hairstyle can be easily created. We present a very simple guide here.
Braiding hair – instructions for long hair
At first glance, this medieval-inspired braided hairstyle appears to be very complex. But if you take a closer look at the instructions, you'll definitely notice that there's actually only one braid being braided. The rest of the hair is simply twisted and inserted into this braid, then perhaps discreetly secured with bobby pins.
To ensure that the hairstyle lasts longer, as with other complex hair styles, it is recommended to wash your hair at least a day beforehand. In order to achieve the loose look and good adhesion at the same time, the hair structure should be grippy. To do this, you can create light waves in your hair if it is not naturally curly or wavy.
Braided details for short hair
With shoulder-length or short hair, it is difficult to create medieval hairstyles because they require a certain hair length. However, braided details and accents that look very noble and medieval can be made yourself with a little skill.
