The October 1899 issue of McCall’s magazine contained this single-page article which is “a lesson in hairdressing” for their readers.
One popular hair style that year was apparently the fashionable “high coiffure”, and we as the readers are presented with very detailed information of how to replicate this style. So if you ever wanted to don an authentic late-Victorian hairstyle for a costume party, vintage outfit, or just for fun, here is your chance!
“The pretty coiffure given this month is a popular style both for day and evening, and can be arranged exactly as suggested in the illustrations or modified to suit individual taste. It requires moderately long hair – hair, say twenty-four inches or so in length.”
“Those whom nature has not favored with natural wavy hair must have recourse to artificial means, a great many ways having been adopted. The locks can either be waved with a tongs, which, however, are bound to injure the hair sooner or later, or waved with flat curing pins as shown in the next illustration.”
The Finished Product
“Fancy tortoise shell ornaments are worn to relieve the coiffure, but should match the combs. For evening these ornaments are set with real or paste brilliants. They are very fashionable, and are made in a great many pretty designs too numerous to explain here.”
Below is a copy of the entire page with the complete set of instructions in case you would like to give this one a go. If you do, please be sure to share the results!
Complete instructions for the high coiffure, 1899
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