Question. How did in people in Elizabethan time put their hair into a bun? They didn't have hair pins, those came about in late 1800s I think. But we read in so many place that they did put their hair up into buns. So after reading
How To Wear an Elizabethan Coif, by Laura Mellin I deiced to make a coif and try to wear in it in the way she recommend. But in the last day or so, I was being haunted with the question above.
First I tried to just tape a bun. No luck. It looked.... odd and sticked out to much to be called a true bun. I thought about maybe sewing the linen tape in to make the bun. Not sure what I mean,
check out this YouTube video to see how someone using some modern methods sewed braids on to her head. I wrote Mrs Mellin to see if I was on the right track, and she wrote back "I am convinced they *did* sew in their hair with finer thread as well as taping, and if you want to experiment, I strongly suggest you treat your hair first with a gel or a pomade (possiby an oil or wax-based pomade), and *heavily* beeswax the thread you'll be sewing with, so you don't rip or damage your hair."
Well, without adding anything to my hair, just "day old" hair, I tried it. First I braided the tape into my hair, like normal hair taping,
kinda like this. Then used a large needle, like the ones used for yarn, to sew the the rest of the tape around the bun.
Felt much happier with that. I do have to say that getting it out was a bit of a pill. If you try this, don't tie many knots.
After getting the bun set up, put the forehead cloth and coif.
Now, things I will do with the next one. Add a few more inches to the pattern,
which I got here, and that is over and above what I added to make it fit my head measurement. I also plan on making it 2 layers. I need to figure out how to get the bun to sit a bit higher. I may also try some thick hemp threat at some point, but I personal think that tape would have been used more because I know you can reuse the tape. Thread can get damaged more, and I am not sure it will able to hold up being used more then once. The higher classes can probably afford to use something once and trash it, but the lower classes will not be able to. And right now, I am working on lower class/working clothes so that I can get dressed fast for doing morning cry at events. And it is a bit more comfy and I will only need to get the plan, less expensive trim for garb.
If you would like to see Laura Mellin Blog, you can read it here.
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