The medieval era was one that adhered to formal styles. Even in dress and hairstyles, people maintained formal elegance. The medieval hairstyle was a mix of varied formal styles and fantastic head-wear.
The upper-class men and women used braids, buns, metallic wires and colourful silk ribbons to design intricate and artistic hairstyles. Even natural flowers and exotic leaves were in fashion to make interesting head-wear.
Women had lovely long hair and they used many different medieval fashion styles to create French braids, plaits, and other exclusive hair arrangements.
Middle Ages Hairstyles
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The early part of the Middle Ages in Europe was devoted to power and dominance. This was the time when Germans invaded Europe and defeated the Roman Empire. The Germans associated hairstyle with power and likewise, the hairstyle well-liked by them were those that were tied on top of their heads.
Such high-end knots were one of the most popular styles amongst medieval men, while women with long tresses braided their hair and used bands to keep the hair in place. Beautiful long hair was arranged in long plaits and they remained in fashion all through the Middle Ages.
Women’s Tresses & Hairstyles
Though women in the medieval era loved to play and arrange their hair in different styles, short or medium length hair was not appreciated. There were hardly a few women who cut their lovely hair into short length for fashion. Long hair was considered aesthetic and fashionable.
Most essential accessories for hair included flowers, leaves, silky bands, satin ribbons, and fancy head-wear. Long single or double plaits, exquisite braids, and top-of-the-head styles were extremely popular among women.
Much later coiled buns on both side of the head became a new fashion symbol. Middle-parted hair with remaining hair hidden under a bonnet was also considered fashionable.
Importance of Hair
Hair was given very much importance in the medieval period and acts like shaving a person bald was considered to be one of the worst punishments. It was humiliating for any individual to lose his/her hair entirely. Even spiritual monks shaved their heads but left a narrow strip of hair around the edges.
How did they cut their hair in Medieval times?
It is not exactly known what were the hair-cutting tools available in medieval times, but spring scissors appear to have been a common tool depicted in many illustrations of text based on medieval times. Knives also appear in a few such illustrations. The modern pivoted scissor became common in the 16th and 17th century.
In medieval times, the barbers also served as surgeons. However, they used tools that are almost similar to the ones used by the barbers today. Some common medieval hair tools were combs, razors and shears.
During critical times, such as the outbreak of plagues, the barber also served as a surgeon and used his tools for surgery and treatment.
Men’s Hair & Styles
Common hairstyle for medieval men included short hair that was combed in a frontal fashion without any parting in the middle. For noblemen, the style was longish hair parted from the middle. Apart from these patterns, medieval men hairstyles did not have exciting variations like those of the medieval women.
Medieval Children’s Hairdo
The children hairstyles were very much similar to the grown-ups hairdos. The lower class peasant boys were often clean-shaved or hair cut close to the head. The rich nobility allowed their children’s hair to grow very long and then parted it from the middle.
For the young girls, it was a common practice to set-up the hair into two long braids, on either side of the head, which was parted from the centre. The working-class children also arranged their hair into two plaits beginning from the nape of the neck and ending on the top of the head to be tied together.
Medieval Scottish Hairstyle
In Scottland, like in any other country, the hairstyles changed over the centuries. Among the Vikings, the hair used to be long and blonde was the preferred colour for both men and women. Many people used to bleach their hair to lighten its colour. Strong soap was used to do that.
Everyone braided their hair so that it would be kept away from the face; it was a practical thing to do. Short hair was not in fashion and only the slaves or the thralls would have short hair to denote their status.
The Royal Hairstyles and The Beard
Noblemen and other rich class men wore their hair long and also grew beards if they fancied one. During the Middle Ages, beards were very popular. Similarly, even lengthy hair for men was the accepted hair fashion until the end of the Middle Ages.
The royal kings from the famed Carolingian dynasties wore long hair that was middle-parted and even sported beards. The long-grown hair was seen as a symbol of great dominance and power.
The beard was part of the hairstyle, worn fully during the 12th- century. However, during the 13th- century beard length was shortened and shaped. Most men preferred clean-shaven chin with or without long head-hair.
Religious Hairstyles
In the medieval century, the religion of Christianity gained popularity and acceptance in Europe. The Church heads also exercised their influence on common people and this also included lifestyle and personality changes. The religious people had a unique hairstyle, especially the monks and the nuns.
The monks sported a hairstyle known as tonsure, which was a circular central bald spot at the top of the head. This particular hairstyle conveyed submission to the immediate superior authorities, as per the religious philosophy of the medieval times.
And the Christian nuns usually kept short hair and it was always hidden inside a veil. Religious heads considered hair as an attractive feature, which was to be controlled or hidden away.
The rich and varied tastes of medieval people reflected in their dressing and hairstyles. And the authority of Church was also one of the major influence in personal grooming sessions for the common man. The monks and nuns had to adhere to strict hairstyle codes.
Most famous medieval hairstyles were beautifully captured in the portraits, paintings, drawings and literary works by reputed artists of the Middle Ages. Even you can catch a glimpse of the different hairstyles on medieval coins sourced by historians.
