That's so Elizabeth.

Heloísa Teixeira. (2012). Elizabethan Hair .
Available: http://elizabethantrinkets.tumblr.com/page/3.
Last accessed 7th Oct 2013.

During the Elizabethan Age, the Elizabethan hairstyles were led by Queen Elizabeth - upper class women would follow her lead and did everything to look like her. 

It was most important for Queen Elizabeth to maintain her image and the beauty of the 'Virgin Queen'. 

The Elizabethans idea of the perfect women was one with a snow white complexion and fair hair, complemented with red cheeks and red lips. Queen Elizabeth had naturally red hair and it was seen as a sign of royalty and nobility. Some women would even dye their hair yellow using a mixture of saffron, cumin seed, celandine and oil. Wigs and hair pieces were also commonly used to achieve the ideal look. 

Elizabethan hair was designed to compliment the elaborate outfits, ruffles and collars were extremely fashionable and this meant that the hair was normally worn swept up and away from the face for women and kept short for men. 

During the time, the long flowing hair of a girl was a sign of a virgin, when she married, she would wear her hair up. the hair would be combed away from the forehead and a large forehead was extremely favoured.

During the Elizabethan era pamphlets were printed and distributed commenting on life in Elizabethan England. 

During the Elizabethan era, pamphlets were printed and distributes commenting on life in Elizabethan England. He was a strict Elizabethan Puritan and held firm views on any social practices which he thought was unfitting. He named his work 'The Anatomie of Abuses' in which he strongly criticised many of the fashions in the elizabethan era.

'"Then followeth the trimming and tricking of their heds in laying out their hair to the show, which of force must be curled, frizled and crisped, laid out on wreathes & borders from one eare to an other. And lest it should fall down, it is underpropped with forks, wyres, & I can not tel what, rather like grim stern monsters, than chaste christian matrones. Then on the edges of their bolstered heir (for it standeth crested round about their frontiers, & hanging over their faces like pendices or vails with glasse windows on every side) there is layd great wreathes of gold and silver, curiously wrought & cunningly applied to the temples of their heads. And for feare of lacking any thing to set foorth their pride withal, at their heyre, thus wreathed and crested, are hanged bugles, ouches, rings, gold, silver, glasses , & such other gewgawes and trinckets besides, which, for that they be innumerable, and I unskilfull in wemens terms, I cannot easily recount." (Alchin, L.K Elizabethan Era, www. elizabethan-era.org.uk) 

Here are a couple of images that I feel realistically reflect the hairstyles of the golden age. 

As you can see the hair is strictly pulled away from the face creating the illusion of a larger forehead - a large forehead symbolised intelligence.

Wealthier women would adorn the hair with jewels, and lace, making themselves look even more superior. 

I feel that Elizabethan hair has much more structure than the way is presented today. Hair in Elizabethan times signified wealth, status, power. Certain hairstyles were only for the royal. 

'One must dress to suit but not exceed their rank.'

- Queen Elizabeth I

Below are two looks, worn by models on the McQueen Runway, as you can see some aspects are definitely inspired by the Elizabethan look, such as the fair skin and light eyebrows. The hair has shape reminiscent of Elizabethan hair but appears loose and messy, giving the entire look a twist. I love the edgy vibe that is created, when you look at the images it feels like Elizabeth is reborn into the new age. 

These photos inspired me to try recreating the extreme  elizabethan volume at the top of the head. This is the contemporary look that I came up with: 

As you can see, I tried to capture the essence of the large structured hair which was present in the elizabethan era. To create fake volume, i first applied dry shampoo to my hair and backcombed, then I moulded tissue into crescent moon shapes and placed them underneath the hair, I then pulled hair over the shape I created and pinned it tight behind the head. Then to secure the shape even more, I heavily used hairspray and combed the hair into place, covering the tissue. 
I didn't accessorise the hair and kept it plain and let soft curls tumble down past the shoulders as I feel that it would create a softer, more romantic look which represented innocence and purity , which is similar to how Queen Elizabeth wore her hair at the start of her reign, especially when suitors were being sought after. 

I have juxtaposed the innocent and elegant hair with sharp bold makeup and a playful expression to reflect Queen Elizabeths restraints, she was not allowed to be herself, she was the Queen and had to act as a responsible leader. 

(Photographer: Rhys Holmes)

Also, Alexandra McQueen is bring back the Elizabethan aura with these restricting frocks, this fall - fierce.