Miss Havisham Hairstyles

There are many interpretations of how Miss Havisham's hair would look, but I want my character to be historically correct so that everything about that era is interoperated in my design. As Great Expectations was written in the 1860s, I want my Miss Havisham character to be around 50 as I don't imagine her being any older. So she would be born around 1810 and I imagine she would have married in about 1830/40s and adopted Estella in the 1840s. Making Estella in her 20s when Miss Havisham is in her 50s.

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I will research into early Victorian (1830s) hairstyles to give me an idea of what they would have looked like and how I can create a design. I want to create Miss Havisham as she is described in the book so wearing the same clothes, makeup and hairstyle from her wedding day but 20/30 years on.

After many years of sleeping on a hairstyle and not caring for it, it will eventually drop out and become a mess. I will need to research into historically correct wedding hairstyles so it is obvious what era it is from even though it is messed up.

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This is a 1830 hairstyle and the lady looks wealthy - just like Miss Havisham. I really like the middle parting and the way the curls are tight to the head and pulled up at the back.

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One of the most popular hairstyles of this era was the apollo knot which is very high up on the head. Again, I like the middle parting and smooth hair on top going into the curls.

To create this look many years on, the hair at the front would have dropped out and become loose and knotty. The apollo knot at the back would have dropped down and become loose and parts fallen out.

Therefore the design I create will need to have the same aspects of this era but be much looser and dropped out. Below are some initial designs I think could work quite well after development.

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Because most of the 1830s hairstyles (including weddings) have middle partings, tied up at the back with curls at the front, I am going to create designs like this but obviously what it would look like many years later.






Below are some initial designs I have created to see what kind of hairstyles fit with my character. All of my designs include veils as I want to portray how obsessive Miss Havisham really is.

Design 1

This design has hair looped from the front, behind the ear and up into the twisted bun at the back of the head. I really like the back, as the looped hair is placed around the bun and left to hang down the middle and curled. It gives it a lovely finish and makes it look like a wedding hairstyle. I don't think it looks very 1830s as the bun isn't as high up as they usually were in that time. For that reason, I don't think it works very well with my character and therefore won't be developing it further. 

Design 2

I really like this design. It has an apollo knot which is very high on the head, a hairstyle that was very popular in the 30's. I also like the tight curls at the side of the head, the length is perfect as many hairstyles were either really short or chin length. In the bun I have included a plait twisted round which makes it slightly different. It is one of my favourite hair designs and I like the placement of the veil as you can see the detail in the bun clearly. 

Design 3

This design is slightly different, the curls at the sides are short and they are curled so they stick out and add volume to the head. I have placed the veil over the bun, however I feel this could lose the detail of it as it is completely covering it. I think it has an 1830's touch but it is quite simple. 

Development 

Because this is my favourite design and I am happy with it, I have drawn the messed up version years later. The curls would have dropped out at the front, the bun has become flat and has dropped where hair has become loose. Pieces of hair have fallen out and it looks a lot messed up but you can still see the elements of it before. These two pictures help to visualise the hair on the wedding day and after. I am pleased with this design as I have taken the 1830's inspiration and used it to create a design that works well with Miss Havisham's character.