This is exquisite ~ imagine how much work was involved in creating these masterpieces. When I was at Versailles the tour guide commented that they very rarely washed their hair and that Marie Antoinette introduced regular bathing at the court of Versailles. Is this correct?
2 comments:
Actually the poufs in the movie Marie Antoinette don't even come close to how elaborate the ones in real life were, nor are they very historically accurate. But yes, it is true that people would rarely wash their hair in general. The 18th century wasn't exactly the pinnacle of hygiene. Furthermore, if you just sat around for hours getting an incredibly elaborate and expensive hairstyle done, would you take it out at the end of the night? People would keep their hairstyle for days, a week, whatever, which obviously means not washing it. Marie Antoinette was big on personal hygiene, but I highly doubt she washed her hair all the time, seeing as she had the best hairstyles at court to preserve.
As gross as that was, I actually sort of understand where they're coming from. It broke my heart to take my hair down at the end of the night after getting it in the most beautiful (18th century inspired) hairstyle for senior prom.
I agree it does sound gross but understandable as the amount of time involved in these creations was huge ~ however, one could always carry ones "scratcher" for the lice! Apparantly they also hid their chamber pots behind the massive drapes and were only emptied every so often and of course by the poor servants. I love the 18th century but you would definitely have to have been born aristocratic, that is until Madame Guillotine took over. Thanks for your comment!
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