Historical Inspiration - Curls and Veils

The Kitchner Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I,
John Dee, 1580http://beingbess.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/
elizabethan-fact-of-day-john-
dees-home.html

The Ditchley Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I, 
Marcus Gheeraets the Younger
http://happyandgloriousblog.blogspot.co.uk
/2013/01/royal-documents-elizabeth-
is-golden.html

The veil is a reoccurring feature throughout many portraits of Elizabeth I, the use of a veil enhances the heart shape of the hair or rather creates one if the hair is simply curled without a shape. Within this first portrait of Elizabeth entitled The Ditchley Portrait the use of a veil is far more extravagant and is visibly highly ornate with rubies and pearls. The use of a veil demonstrated regality as the fabric required to make one was expensive and delicate, therefore often only the Queen was pictured with them. It is clear that the shape of the veil behind Elizabeth's head is of two distinctly rounded shapes that appear as if they could form a heart however as portraits are never painted from behind the sitter it is unclear what final shape they form. Regardless under the assumption that they meet to create a heart (which is a popular shape within Elizabethan hair design) the use of such a decorative piece could be included within my own final hair design.
The second image also features a veil but is a more casual shape and retains focus on the actual heart shape of the hairstyle. The veil is visibly made from a similar translucent fabric but features decoration around the edges of the mesh fabric, this veil is also softly decorated with what appears to be pearls - a popular choice for Elizabethan jewellery as it symbolised virginity. Commonly the edges of the veil were decorated with a gold threaded trim (as can be seen in this portrait) and this would carry up into the actual hair. Metallic features are a popular concept within Elizabethan headdresses and would therefore be a suitable addition within my own final hair design for creating a headdress or the colour of the hair itself.