History Of Elizabethan Hair

Social class in the Elizabethan era was very important and their whole society was divided by this. Henry VIII created 'Sumptuary Laws' which meant individuals would be told what type and colour of clothing they could wear in order to identify ranks, even if you were very wealthy it did not matter as this was enforced by law and you would be punished if you stepped out of your rank.


People of a lower class would wear earthy colors such as blue, green, orange and yellow. Many would dye their clothing using materials from gardens and countrysides or buy wool from nearby villages that had been previously dyed. Higher class people would wear red, purple, white and black. The dyes used were imported from other countries and would be very expensive, particularly these colors which is why they were to be worn by wealthier individuals.

Elizabethan beauty meant having light hair along with the pale complexion and red cheeks. Fair hair is what everyone wanted to achieve to be like the 'Virgin Queen' Elizabeth. The hairline would often be plucked or shaved up to 1 inch and some women would even dye the hair yellow using a mixture of saffron, cumin seed, celandine and oil as fair hair showed nobility and class. Wigs were also common and Elizabeth had many which were referred to as Periwigs.