How to Get Regency Curls

Jane Austen's characters wear Regency curls.

The styles from 1810s England, called the Regency period, are associated today with romance, sophistication and an elegant beauty. Modern audiences are most familiar with the era's aesthetic from the works of novelist Jane Austen and the movies based on her books. Regency women wore long, empire-waisted gowns made of gauzy, pale fabrics, then crowned their look with a slightly disordered mass of ringlets. Wear this hairdo to costume balls, classy dinner parties, weddings or just around town for a graceful, feminine effect.

Things You'll Need

• 1/2- to 3/4-inch curling iron
• Sectioning comb
• 2 hairbands
• Bobby pins
• Hairspray

Instructions

1. Part your hair straight down the middle with a sectioning comb. If you have bangs, secure them out of the way with a hairband. If you don't have bangs, use the comb to separate the front 1 to 2 inches of your hair from the rest, then secure the front section with a hairband.

2. Wrap a 1-inch section of your unsecured hair around a 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch curling iron. Hold the curling iron vertically, so it points at the ceiling. If you have short hair, curl its entire length; if you have long hair, only curl the ends and the shaft, leaving the several inches closest to your scalp uncurled.

3. Heat the hair for 2 seconds, then loosen the curl slightly. Pull the curling iron out slowly, trying to keep the curl as intact as possible. This should produce a tight, short ringlet.

4. Curl the rest of your unsecured hair into ringlets. If your hair is long enough, tie it back into a low ponytail with a second hairband. Twist it upwards along the back of your head, then pin the sides, bottom and top of the twist to your head.

5. Pin most of the curly ends of your hair to the top of your head. Leave particularly tight ringlets loose if you wish.

6. Untie the front section of your hair. Curl it into symmetrical ringlets framing your face. Spray your hair with hairspray to secure it.

Tips & Warnings

• Curly wisps by your ears, neck or face are in keeping with the style of the time. If small sections of hair escape from your twist, simply curl them and leave them loose.

• Curling your hair with heat can damage it. If you plan to style your hair in Regency curls often, talk to a stylist about heat-free options that will work for your hair type.

References

• The Jane Austen Centre: Instructions for a Regency Updo
• Country Dancers of Rochester: Miss Lisa Brown's Guide to Dressing for a Regency Ball –– Ladies' Edition
• John Frieda: Grecian Updo
• Virtual Hair Care: Styling Irons

Resources

• Eras of Elegance: Hair and Makeup