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How Hairdressers of Ancient History Styled Hair

Ancient Greek noblewomen, Renaissance beauties, Civil War women—learn how to design the hairstyles that identify them and their place in history from the Hairdressing Archaeologist Janet Stephens.

Anne Moratto
Anne MorattoDirector of Brand Content Strategy, MODERN SALON and NAILS
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December 20, 2016
How Hairdressers of Ancient History Styled Hair

 

1 min to read


Hairdressing Archaeologist Janet Stephens was profiled in everything from the Wall Street Journal, NPR and the BBC at the same time that MODERN had the privilege of speaking with her about her work in recreating hairstyles of history using of-the-time techniques and tools.  Stephens, a cosmetologist and scholar, has published on her findings which include discoveries about how the intricate hairstyles of the Ancient Greeks and Romans were designed. (Historians had always said wigs but Stephens the stylist knew she could do it with real hair.)

Theatre designers, re-enactors, and hairdressers with a passion for history have all found her videos a fascinating look at hairstyles from eras ranging from The Renaissance, to The Napoleonic Era and even the American Civil War.

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In this video tutorial on the hairstyle of Empress Faustina the Elder, Stephens uses hair bodkins for sectioning, a long blunt needle and coarse wool thread plus period scissors to recreate this ancient updo which includes an ornament along the part.

Classic.

See more videos at her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/jntvstp?feature=watch

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