1700s Hairstyles
Further devleoping ideas for what my four chosen pirates could like I am going to research into 1700s Hairstyles so that I know possibilites of what hairstyles these pirates could have. Below are portraits of men with short hair in the 1700s, as you can see mens hair couldnt be styled with gel or any fancy products that we have today, so most of the time short hair for men was just a mop of rural curls however it was still quite smart.
For nearly two centuries, powdered wigs (called perukes) were all the rage. The fabulous hairpiece would have never become popular however if it hadn't been for a venereal disease, a pair of self-conscious kings, and poor hair hygiene.
By 1580, the STD syphilis had become the worst epidemic to strike Europe since the Black Death. According to William Clowes, an “infinite multitude” of syphilis patients clogged London’s hospitals, and more filtered in each day. Without antibiotics, victims faced the full brunt of the disease: open sores, nasty rashes, blindness, dementia, and patchy hair loss. Baldness swept the land.
At the time, hair loss was a one-way ticket to public embarrassment. Long hair was a trendy status symbol, and a bald dome could stain any reputation. When Samuel Pepys’s brother acquired syphilis, the diarist wrote, “If [my brother] lives, he will not be able to show his head—which will be a very great shame to me.” Hair was that big of a deal. The cost of wigs increased, and perukes became a scheme for flaunting wealth. An everyday wig cost about 25 shillings—a week’s pay for a common Londoner. The bill for large, elaborate perukes ballooned to as high as 800 shillings. The word “bigwig” was coined to describe snobs who could afford big, poufy perukes.
At the beginning of the century, men's hairstyles were more elaborated than women's. Still was in fashion the "Louis XIV style", with great curls and the hair shoulder-length. At the end of the century, the trend is reversed: women used towering masses of hair, rising 1 or more feet above the head. These wigs had some inconveniences: door frames should be elevated for they could pass through, and sometimes the pressure of heavy wigs on their heads caused serious inflammations on their temples.
At the middle of the century, the new king of France, Louis XV, imposed a smaller wig's style for men and the strictly white or grayish powdered hair. Men also wore since the middle of the century a single ponytail on the nape, tied with a bow, a very popular style in every European court at that time. Women continued with their extravagant styles until the French Revolution, when all the luxury and exuberance were vanished into the new republican ideas. Since then, hairstyles were more classic and simples.
Aside from wigs men in the 1700s grew thair hair out to be very long, often because they simply couldn't afford haircuts but also because Long Hair was actually seen as more attractive. Since many hardly washed in these days Men would braid their hair back and tie it in ribbons in order to keep their greesey hair off their faces.
1700s Facial Hair
Until at least the late seventeenth century it was widely believed that facial hair was actually a form of excreta – a waste material generated by the body as a result of heat in the testicles! But this also provides the link with masculinity. Since the beard was linked to the genitals, it was an outward sign of virility and masculinity.
But in the eighteenth century something changed. For reasons that are so far obscure, men stopped wearing beards and, more than this, the beard even became socially unpopular. The eighteenth-century culture of politeness certainly played a part in this. The ‘man of letters’ was clean-shaven; the beard was seen as hiding the face, whereas shaving it left it clean and smooth and, therefore, more aesthetically pleasing. Having an ‘open countenance’ was also a metaphor for an open mind – the keystone of the enlightened thinker. However remember I'm focussing on Pirates, and I'm sure they wouldn’t have such care for maintenance, or would they?
Straight Razor
As centuries passed, shaving implements were continually being developed and improved, and straight razors with forged steel blades came into fashion. In the late 1700s a variation of the straight razor, which added an L shaped wooden guard, was introduced by Jean-Jacques Perrot. Although it went through many changes, Perrot's antique razor became the prototype for the first safety razor. Before using shaving foam would be applied with a brush and then the blade would be carefully stroked down the face to remove the hairs.
You don't see moustaches like these anymore. It became a trend to outgrow the sides of the moustache very long and twiddle the ends into a thin line. Also a good combination was to grow out a long pointed beard on the chin too.
A big bushy curved moustache was a possible trend. I bet that felt weird to touch.
Nothings beats good Ol'fashioned mutton-chops. Men would grow out their sideburns and their beard along the sides creating quite an intimidating look.
Now this man knows what he's doing, his hair is looking beautifully well curled. Also that facial hair is on point. The sloping down pointed moustache makes the face look thinner and is very trendy; also the simply pointed chin stipe is a nice added touch and a very fashionable look.
Seems the neck Beard existed long before now. This guy seems to have added a bushy moustache to go with it. An easy yet effective style yet personally I think its very unattractive but if this guy likes it then fair play.
History of Makeup
In the 16th century most people cared about their appearance. People carried mirrors made of glass or steel. They also carried combs and used tweezers, ear scoops and bone manicure sets. In the Summer people sometimes had a bath in the local river. Sometimes they heated a cauldron of water and had a strip wash. Or they could have a 'dry wash' by rubbing themselves with clean linen.
In the later 16th century white lead was revived as a way of getting a pale complexion. (Poor women had to work outdoors so they were suntanned. Pale skin was a sign of wealth so it was desirable). Furthermore at that time blonde hair was also popular and many women died their hair. Women also used red powder on their cheeks. They also wore face packs and they plucked their eyebrows. In the 17th century fashionable women stuck black patches onto their faces. Sometimes they were in the shape of stars or crescent moons.
In the 17th century people used toothpicks but in the latter part of the century toothbrushes were introduced. (Toothbrushes came from China. They were first mentioned in 1498). People also made scented soaps.
In the 18th century pale skin was still fashionable. So were dark eyebrows. Women also still used rouge abundantly. Perfume was also common. In the early 18th century a new scent was made in Cologne. Later in the century it became known as Eau de Cologne.
In the late 18th century a book called The Toilet of Flora (published in 1784) gave advice about preparing make up. (The word toilet is derived from the French word toilette, which means little cloth. In the 17th century it was a cloth cover for a dressing table, called a toilet table. If a woman was at her toilet it meant she was dressing and preparing her appearance. By the 19th century it was a euphemism for a certain room). In the 18th century some women wore false eyebrows made of mouse fur. They were glued to the face.
