Inspired by Elizabeth!

           

     It wasn't until I really started to think about it that I realised the sheer volume of styles and icons of our time which have been heavily influenced by the distinctive style of Elizabeth I. Both hair and make-up in Tim Burton's 'Alice in Wonderland' are very reflective of the style of that period, with varying tones of red hair which sits high on the head or wildly springs from beneath a hat and clashes beautifully with the pale, leaden faces. Then there are celebrities such as Paloma Faith, Tilda Swinton, Florence Welch and Christina Hendricks who share this dramatic colouring and can be seen here with hair which, for me, reflects the period in one way or another. For example, I have found this image of Welch which shows her head of flowing copper locks adorned with a wreath of flowers and jewels; something the Elizabethans would do to represent their purity at the time of marriage. For me, Swinton's look is the ultimate contemporary take on the look... Her hair is dyed an extreme shade of orange which draws attention to her pale complexion. The hair is short but styled upwards and back which gives her image a strength that cannot be overlooked. As I have short hair and this is something I will need to consider with my assessment design, I find it interesting how Tilda Swinton has struck the balance of modern and traditional whilst having such short hair.