Women's Hair During The American Revolutionary Era

People who lived in the American Revolutionary Era styled their wigs and natural hair in such a way that covered bloody sores on their face caused by syphilis. Hair was a symbol of status; and every woman, whether rich or poor, took the time to style her hair accordingly. The higher the social status, the more elaborate a woman’s hair was. Social status affected the style of hair that women of the wore during the American Revolutionary era. Women of the upper class had the most intricate hair. Often, they would hire a hairdresser to style their hair for them because they had the money to do so. “The complexity of the styles showed that the wearer had...the wealth to employ a professional hairdresser...” (Bradford 1). The face was framed with curls, and then the hair was powdered and accessorized. “...with one to three curls at the sides, and one at the shoulder…” (JDN 1). The powder was perfumed and sometimes even colored for special occasions. “The wig powder...was often infused with lovely scents, like lavender, orange flower, and heavy perfumes….On lavish occasions, the powder would be colored a stunning bright violet or pink, but most people went for …show more content…
“Nor were the tall hairstyles limited to the upper classes” (Bradford 1). They usually could afford a simple, off white powder, and a few rollers to curl the hair with. “She...wears her hair powdered and curled…” (Westover 1). Accessories included hats, and maybe some flowers or other lesser pieces. “The barmaid...crowns her hair with an elaborate cap” (Bradford 1). These women had ways to style their hair so as to be more like women of a higher status than they. The elaborate styles of the rich were not to far out of reach for the middle class. Afterall, they were more fortunate and had more resources than those in the lowest