![]() ![]() Īpart from society, hair was used symbolically to mark rites of passage for instance, loosened hair was common at a funeral, and the seni crines was the hairstyle worn by brides and Vestal Virgins divided and plaited into six braids, and in the case of the bride, it was parted with a spear. It was the job of slave hairdressers, called ornatrices, to create their master's hairstyle new each day, as well as pulling out any grey hairs. The association with barbarians was why Roman men kept their hair cut short. "Natural" showed a lack of culture, and grooming of the hair went hand-in-hand with being part of a sophisticated civilization. For women to have a fashionable hairstyle showed they were part of the elegant Roman culture.Ī 'natural' style was associated with barbarians, who the Romans believed had neither the money nor the culture to create these styles. In other words, having a complex and unnatural hairstyle would be preferred to a simple one, because it would illustrate the wealth of the wearer in being able to afford to take the time to style their hair. But unlike modern-day hairstyles, comfort and naturalism for the Romans took a back-seat to hairstyles that displayed the wearer's wealth to a maximum. Hair was seen as much as an indication of wealth and social status as it was of taste and fashion. įor more than just attractiveness, hairstyling was the leisure pursuit of the cultured, elegant woman. However, the numerous depictions of women hairdressing and mirror-gazing in tomb reliefs and portraiture is a testament to how much hairdressing was seen as part of the female domain. Lengthy grooming sessions for women were tolerated, despite writers such as Tertullian and Pliny commenting on their abhorrence for time and energy women dedicate to their hair. Hairdressing and its necessary accompaniment, mirror gazing, were seen as distinctly feminine activities. As a result, it was seen as appropriate for a woman to spend time on her hair in order to create a flattering appearance. Hair was a very erotic area of the female body for the Romans, and attractiveness of a woman was tied to the presentation of her hair. How one dressed one's hair was an indication of a person's status and role in society. A woman's hairstyle expressed her individuality in the ancient Roman World. Hairstyles were determined by a number of factors, namely gender, age, social status, wealth and profession. Much like today, hair for the Romans was as much an expression of personal identity as clothes. A young woman sits while a servant fixes her hair with the help of a cupid, who holds up a mirror to offer a reflection, detail of a fresco from the Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii, c. ![]()
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