Rococo Era Hairstyling

Source: Portrait of Lady in Blue by Thomas Gainsborough.

In the 1770s, men mainly wore wigs, and women wore hairpieces, some powdered and some not. Preferred hair colors for women were blonde, black, and various shades of brown. Women wore their hair curled and frizzed. The extended height of women’s hair came from the usage of hair extensions and sometimes cushions. Women decorated their hair with jewels, bows, ribbons, and miniature figurines. One of the most popular hairstyles was the pouf, which Marie Antoinette made famous and created by her hairstylist Leonard Autie. The pouf was the beehive of the 18th century. Women would use mini ships, tiny hats, ostrich feathers, and pearls to decorate the pouf. It took several hours to prepare the pouf hairstyle because so much was added to the hair to make the pouf stand taller. Hairdressers would use a tiny metal frame and then was padded with extensions. The hair would be curled, and when it was finished, the hair was then powdered and decorated.