Victorian Hairstyles: 25 Timeless Styles with Pictures

Getting a good hairstyle is tricky. You have to consider many factors before you settle for a style. And sometimes, the struggle gets confined to the question of whether you would like a classic or modern style. In this case, this article on Victorian Hairstyles is a good destination for you.

Evaluating different elements of a hairstyle is necessary before deciding on which style is appropriate for you. If you are looking for subtlety, getting a flashy hairstyle is never a good idea. Likewise, if you have short hair but want to get a style that requires you to have long hair, it becomes quite impossible to get exactly what you are looking for.

Victorian hairstyles predominantly focused on long hair. Nevertheless, there have been some modifications in modern times where different variations for short hair have popped up. Our goal for this article is to explain all the elements of Victorian hairstyles to you. We will discuss 25 amazing Victorian styles here in detail.

As you go through each style, you will learn more and more about Victorian hairstyles, and in the end, it will help you figure out your preference regarding this magnificent style. Let’s begin then!

25 Enticing Victorian Hairstyles

Victorian Hairstyles have many variations that go with a person’s taste depending on how they want to look. Although Victorian styles have domination of long hair in their looks, some modern takes on several of these styles have been popular lately. These variations do not ask you to follow strict rules.

Due to nostalgic as well as historical factors, people usually like to go with Classic Victorian styles. However, these styles’ hair length or people’s personal preferences sometimes clash with the desired look and these people then tend to give up on these styles.

In this article, we come to you with 25 incredible Victorian hairstyles. You can find something you may like among these variations. We will begin with Classic Victorian Hairstyles and then move on to Modern-Day Victorian Hairstyles.

Classic Victorian Hairstyles

Classic hairstyles are always classics for a reason. The elements they have in them are robust enough for them to survive a long time without any changes. Some Victorian hairstyles have been through it all in the last two centuries and came out unscathed.

In this section of the article, we will discuss 6 such hairstyles that are straight-out Victorian Classic Hairstyles.

Middle Part with Sausage Curls

Classic Victorian hairstyles have a strong presence of Sausage Curls. It is one of the most defining features of Victorian hairdos. At the same time, middle-part hairstyles have been a thing forever. During the Victorian period, the sausage curls and the middle part came together to give birth to an iconic Victorian classic.

If the hair was not long enough for the captivating curls in the back, women used hair extensions back then to give themselves options to get this amazing hairstyle.

Curly Knotted Updo

Curly hair was celebrated with exhilarating looks in Victorian times. When the Gibson Girl hairstyles got popular at that time, full updos got more recognition. This Curly Knotted Updo is one of those Gibson Girl-inspired classic styles that takes you back in time.

The Pompadour look at the front comes with a traditional messy look, and the middle of the head rocks a few knots to complete this hairstyle. It is an ageless hairstyle without a shadow of a doubt!

Slick Middle Part with Messy Bun

Two classic styles merged to create a Victorian Classic here. It includes a slick and shiny middle-part hairstyle where the sides are tightly brushed back to appear neat and clean. Meanwhile, a loose messy bun at the back captures the Victorian vibe to the fullest.

This particular style featured as one of the top evening hairstyles for Victorian women. It has both the look and utility to it which made it a lucrative option for the majority of style enthusiasts.

Simple Updo with Curly Fringes

Let’s meet another Victorian classic style where two hairstyles produce incredible beauty! Here, updo styles said hi to curly hair and together, they delivered a revolutionary hairstyle for Victorian people. The curly fringes added extra charms to the simple updo while the hair at the back had the most popular sausage curls.

The Updo’s rolled outlook had a magnetic vibe which got more enhanced by the curly look both at the front and the back. Sometimes, women opted for a simpler curl than the sausage ones and ended up with an equally wonderful style.

Clean Edwardian Pompadour

Edwardian Pompadours have seals of the Victorian Era all over them. It was a style for both men and women which took everyone by surprise when it came into existence. In this hairstyle, the sides and the back had a clean and raised pompadour look.

This style was a slightly modified and fuller version of the original Pompadour that came from France. It was the most recent Victorian style that lies in a transitory period between the fall of Queen Victoria and the ascension of King Edward VII.

Long Middle Part

Victorian hairstyles always entertained women with long hair. In fact, most Victorian styles focused on long hair because it was the norm back then. This Long Middle Part shows a similar case where the classic middle-part look takes over the head. And the long hair down was divided according to the middle part and turned into front tails.

Sometimes, it came with a twist where only the middle-parted top hair became front tails and the hair at the back produced another tail. Therefore, this specific hairstyle also got to be known as the Three-Tails look. Amazing, isn’t it?

Modern-Day Victorian Hairstyles

Classic Victorian styles can always appear and disappear according to the ongoing trend. Contrarily, to survive for a long time, anything must go through a proper evolution. Many Victorian hairstyles got modernized in more than one way and are celebrated highly among the fans of both genres of hairstyles.

In this part of the article, we will talk about some of the best Modern-Day Victorian hairstyles that will take your look to a higher level for sure!

Natural Perukes

Perukes or periwigs were a huge part of the Victorian period. It was exclusively worn by the nobility during that time. However, in modern times, this false hair look got adopted as a natural hairstyle by many Victorian enthusiasts. This particular variation is a great example of that style.

Getting the permed look of artificial perukes is not as easy with natural hair. As a substitute, sausage curls were used to create the Perukes look, and ultimately, the Natural Perukes look was born!

Parted Pompadour

In the hand of artful hairstylists of the modern time, the classic Pompadour style from the Victorian age got some enhancement. A middle-parted Pompadour re-introduced a Victorian Gothic variation after so many years. The inward curls on both sides had hypnotic elements to them.

Depending on the hair length, the curls are clipped in, and the rest of the hair on the back is let loose. However, if the goal is to achieve an all-around pompadour, we recommend cutting your hair to a medium length. It will help with getting the pompadour faster and easier.

Short Curls

We discussed earlier that curls were an inherent part of Victorian hairstyles. Back then, hair was long and curls came with attractive propositions of having the look of voluminous hair. With time, the preferred hair length got shorter but curls prevailed.

This Short Curls style is an excellent example of the evolution of Victorian hairstyles. Despite the short hair, the majestic touch of the curls is still present in this classy variation.

Sausage Pony

Classic sausage curls from Victorian times cover a huge ground in terms of fascinating hairstyles. When the Victorian era was at its peak, sausage curls took over the fashion arena. Even men with long hair were attracted by these curls. But with time, people started to wear big ponytails, and those ponies employed medium sausage curls.

As you can see in the picture here, the hair at the back is turned into a semi-high bun. Then the loose hair is turned into sausage curls. Based on how voluminous your hair is, you can increase or decrease the number of sausage curls and own the look wholeheartedly.

Finger Wave Bob with Fringes

Bob hairstyles are a modern creation. They got traction in the mid-1920s and the look became a part of popular culture at that time. Finger waves also came into existence in the same period. Those two styles collided to make a Finger Wave Bob with Fringes look much more familiar in the 1930s.

However, later in time, this combination got another member added to the mix. It came from the Victorian period. It was the sausage curls that gave the Finger Wave Bob a much-necessary upgrade to make the entire hairstyle a timeless one. In this style, the sausage curls are usually kept medium-long while the rest of the head rocks little finger wave curls.

Half-Curls with Half-Tail

This hairstyle comes from a famous Victorian classic long hair tradition. Women used to love the curly look. If they did not have natural curls, they wore curly extensions to get the look. Around the 1870s, perming of the hair got introduced and women started wearing curly looks left, right, and center.

The modern variation of these simple long curls is the combination of having half your hair in curls while turning the other half into a big straight ponytail. This way, you get to wear two styles at the same time where the Victorian curls are dominating your overall look.

Victoria

Victoria. That is the name. That is the hairstyle. Queen Victoria wore this hairstyle for the longest in her lifetime. Not only that, it is one of those rare Victorian styles that worked with short hair. It includes a tight bun at the back while the top hair was middle-parted. But back then, no one dared wear the Queen’s style.

However, as time passed by, people discovered this hairstyle to be a good one with history. Subsequently, many women started wearing it in the early 1920s. This style got revived with The Young Victoria movie in 2009 and now, some history lovers are wearing it again!

Simple Victorian Bouffant

Bouffant hairstyles were highly fashionable in the Victorian era. Its rounded fluffy look where both ears got covered by hair offered an enchanting appearance. The back of the hair employed a loose bun. The bun’s size depended on the length of the hair.

Originally, the side hairs got attention, and the bun in the back could not be seen easily. In modern times, the bun gets the most focus with a braided version. Also, contrasting with the tradition of keeping the bun loose and subtle in the Victorian era, the modern Simple Victorian Bouffant encourages a tight look with its polished presence.

Puffed Updo

Puffed looks and Updos were equally attractive in Victorian times. But the power of evolution took its turn and combined these two styles into a Puffed Updo in the 20th century. The principle for this style is pretty simple. You brush up your hair from the back and join them at the top with the rest of your hair.

Now, you can create a fluffy look by creating little curls. But as you can see in this example, you can also tie little strands of hair and then turn them into flower designs. If you have the time, we highly recommend going for the latter option.

The Crown Braid

This Crown Braid style has been through so much. It originated in ancient Greece where women liked having short hair. They braided some of their hair and used it much like a hair band. This style got resurfaced in the Renaissance period which then lived on as an excellent choice into the Victorian era. At that time, a parted look got popular as a touch of novelty.

The modern take on this magnificent style has stayed almost the same. The change came in the size of the braid. The modern look includes a thicker braid that goes around the head and forms a crown. It gets more visibility than it did in its original form.

Semi Beehive with Curly Bun

Curly buns were a big part of Victorian styles. The voluminous looks of curly buns were no less than irresistible. On the other hand, coupling the curly bun with a Beehive style is completely a modern idea. The beehive intensified the full appearance of the curly bun.

Since the practice of growing hair long is rare nowadays, it is popular to use curly bun extensions to achieve the ultimate look. Some stray fringes at the front make this Semi Beehive with Curly Bun look even better.

Victorian Mohawk

You may have already guessed that hairstyles that gave a fuller appearance were the most popular ones during the Victorian period. A modern take on a similar Victorian style that takes shape in a Mohawk is no different. It came with relaxed sausage curls that began at the front and went to the back.

The curls then turn into a mohawk shape where the hair retains the baggy look. The sides are brushed upward to include all strands of hair in the mohawk.

Disconnected Braided Bun

This style here replicates one of the most signature Victorian looks in the history of hairstyles. Originally, this style was known simply as “Victorian Plaits”. The hair is divided on top of the head from left to right. The hair in the front is then parted in the middle where each side produces a long braid.

The hair on the back side is turned into a huge braid which then takes the shape of a bun. Meanwhile, the two braids from the front are included in the big bun at the back. The modern touch in this style comes from its big braids whereas the original style included thin braids with a small bun.

Small Beehive Updo with Bangs

Beehives came into existence in the middle of the 20th century. They are one of the most modern hairstyles you can find. The small beehive in this style is given the Victorian touch by making it into a loosely shaped updo.

Some curls at the back also ensure a Victorian presence in this style.

Victorian Long Curls

Long hair and Victorian hairstyles are inseparable. It is mostly due to the custom back then when women grew their hair long. And if their hair was naturally curly, they felt blessed enough due to the number of hairstyles they could try.

This Victorian Long Curls is a reincarnation of the original gothic look from the Victorian era. The hair starts as brushed straight which then turns into more curls as the hair goes downward. The slightly messy look of the curls enforces the gothic vibe more and more as it gets lengthier.

The Side Braid

The Side Braid style is also another magnificent variation where the Victorian presence gets easily noticeable. Even if the style has a modern touch to it, the overall look will always be prominent on the Victorian side.

The thickness of the braid determines whether you are going with a Victorian classic style or a modern take on it. Women mostly wore thin braids during the Victorian period.

Victorian S-Curls with Bun

S-Curls are another signature element from the Victorian era in terms of hairstyles. It is a flowy and relaxed version of Sausage Curls. The S-Curls produced some of the best styles in the Victorian catalog. A top bun occupies the crown from where S-Curls flow downward.

It was also a Victorian practice to wear flowers with your hair. You can do it too if you want to get the full experience even in this 21st century.

Barrels with Bun

Barrels are another definitive curl from the Victorian era. The difference between Barrels and S-Curls or Sausage Curls lies in their respective shapes. Hair overlaps in the barrels whereas Sausage Curls and S-Curls follow simple top to down twirls.

Barrels are also easy to form into a bun as you can see in this example here. With S-Curls or Sausage Curls, it is not as easy to create a bun and maintain the distinct looks of those curls.

Romantic Swept Curls

This hairstyle comes from Victorian classic literature. During a drama, this hairstyle was used the most for women because of how easy it was to achieve this look. You only needed less than five minutes to prepare your hair for this amazing style.

The Romantic Swept Curls are probably the least dense among all types of curls from the Victorian period. If your hair is not long enough for this look, you can attach hair extensions to achieve your goal of wearing Romantic Swept Curls.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Victorian hairstyles have been famous for close to two centuries. It is a source of curiosity for many hairstyle enthusiasts. In this section, we will answer some of the questions asked by these people. You will get more information from these answers regarding Victorian hairstyles.

Q: How did Victorian women maintain their hairstyles?

Ans: They wore hairnets and scarves around their head whenever they could, It protected their hairstyles.

Q: Did Victorian women grow their hair long or keep it short?

Ans: Victorian women always preferred to grow their hair as long as they could. Keeping the hair short was almost a non-existent practice in the Victorian era.

Q: Are bangs and fringes elements of Victorian hairstyles?

Ans: No. During Victorian times, people preferred to brush their hair away from the front side of the head and keep them neat and clean.

Q: Did women wear hair extensions during the Victorian period?

Ans: Yes. It was a frequent practice for women to wear hair extensions to make their hair look longer. It allowed them to try out new styles.

Q: Was coloring hair popular in the Victorian era?

Ans: No. Usually, people avoided coloring their hair in Victorian times.

Q: Are Victorian hairstyles still popular today?

Ans: Yes, Victorian hairstyles are still worn by people today and are popular enough. However, as times changed, some tweaks have been introduced to almost all the Victorian styles to give them a hybridized look.

Final Words

Hairstyles are more than just how good or bad they make you look. They carry forward cultural significance and history with them. Victorian hairstyles are no different in terms of having historical gravity. However, with time, while some styles retained the classic look, many other styles got modernized and have been modified to some extent.

In this article, we discussed 6 classic Victorian styles and 19 modern-day Victorian styles, bringing the tally to a total of 25 styles. The most authentic Victorian looks require having long hair. On the other hand, if you are looking for something Victorian with short hair, modern-day looks have something for you.

Be it classic or modern, Victorian hairstyles always uplift anyone’s look. We believe you will have a good journey with any of the Victorian styles you choose from our guide. Don’t forget to share your experience with us in the comment box below.