Words of the Week
Word of The Week - What is Hair Jewelry?
courtesy of hairarchives.com
During the 17th and 18th Centuries, it was a popular custom to wear mourning dress when a loved one died, but England's Queen Victoria took this practice to a new level with the mourning of mourning her husband Prince Albert. She wore mourning dress for the following 42 years and required her court to do the same!
A special type of jewelry item used as a mourning accessory during this time was a brooch or other style of jewelry made from the hair of a deceased friend or loved one. These were hugely popular in Victorian times. These jewelry designs were very complex and also often incorporated other materials such as black jet, gold, precious stones and diamonds.
This "hair jewelry" was used as a reminder to the mourners that death was inevitable, and that the wearer should lead a good life, lest they be struck down without warning. However, hair jewelry was not always used just to mourn the dead. It was also made as a love token from a lover or cherished friend. Many jewelry pieces of the times had hidden compartments for the hair of another.
The brooch featured here was made in the form of the Prince of Wales Feathers. This plume style of design was quite popular with Victorians. The brooch is adorned with seed pearls and also used gold thread.
The use of hair in jewelry was fashionable during the 19th and early part of the 20th centuries. It faded from popularity during the roaring 20s. Since human hair does not decay with the passing of times, it is still possible to get examples of Victorian hair jewelry in good condition. It is a highly collectible form of vintage jewelry.
To view other articles on other vintage words, please visit the word of the week archives.
