Flower Halo for Medieval Wedding

Hair braided in a halo
Photo: Robert Przybysz/Shutterstock
Q: I'm a bridesmaid in a "medieval" wedding. I'll be wearing a flower halo, and I have short hair. The bride would like to see it somewhat braided in a halo as well, but I don't know how to do it so that it looks right.
 
Also, I'm afraid I might not have enough hair to put in that sort of braid. Can you help with any suggestions?
 
A: Well, braided hairstyles were common in the medieval period primarily because most women wore their hair long and such styling was a simple and secure way to keep the hair out of the way while performing your tasks. Hairdressers were the prerogative solely of the wealthy and elite and even they worked under the concept of creating a style that would last for days.
 
Depending on how short your hair is, you may, indeed, have trouble styling the hair in a traditional braided crown. However, there are ways to fake the look of longer hair when dealing with a braided style.
 
One such method is to use vertical or near-vertical rows of braids which angle toward the crown and top of the head. These can be threaded with ribbons whose ends can then be used to create the "braided crown" if desired, or else the ends of the braids themselves can be hidden by and provide anchor points for the floral halo you will be wearing.
 
Another option would be to wear a small coif - common to the middle ages and the renaissance - made perhaps of a simple cotton lace or sheer linen - which would provide a mask for your short hair and upon which you can place the floral halo.
 
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See also:
 
Wedding hairstyles
 
Photos of up-styles
 
How to braid hair
 
How to wear flowers in your hair