The finished product...

In terms of the assessment I feel that my partner understood my contemporary Elizabethan look very well. It took me a while to work out exactly what my final design would look like because I had trouble with placement of my lace, however she was able to resolve the problem on how to make it stay on my face. Most of my final look was made up of what we had already learnt in class. However, I had to show her on a piece of paper how to draw the eye liner lace pattern on my face, as well as how to create the collar with my hair. Originally I was going to tuck my hair under itself but she suggested I could use a sponge which really improved the shape of my collar.

I feel that my partner was well prepared and she got all of her brushes and equipment out before she started. I feel that this helped speed up the process of the assessment. She was very systematic and hygienic with her work, she made sure her hair was tied back and her hands were washed. I don’t feel like there was nothing she didn’t understand about my look and instruction. I did feel like she constantly wanted to know about her progress and was living up to the idea I had in my head but that is to be expected. She certainly created my look exactly how I wanted it.

I think having my partner as my classmate I saw her design develop over the weeks so I feel this made it easier for it to be executed. I was initially really worried about creating the hair because I know she had created it from scratch but in the assessment it was just a matter of assembling it. Also when we had practised it in a practical session it took a lot longer than the allotted 45 minutes. I also had qualms about the eyebrows because although I was drawing new eyebrows onto the face I was worried her actual eyebrows wouldn’t be concealed properly and it would show up on camera.

I think despite my anxiety about creating a wig from just a hair piece it was a good technique to learn because I have never tried anything like that before. Also for the eyebrows I had to glue them down which made them easier to control but they went crusty and I think if I were to do it again I would whiten the eyebrows properly and then glue them down. If I were to change the products I probably would have made the hair piece longer because I struggled to make sure you couldn’t see the wig cap, which was time consuming.

I think overall I achieved my partner’s look as she wanted it. I think she also felt her eyebrows weren’t how she wanted them. I didn’t make them even enough so they looked wonky. I was really pleased with the outcome of the hair because I was most anxious about creating that correctly.

Under the spotlight...

It was my turn to do Georgie's look and one thing I was completely anxious about was the hair. I had 45 minutes to create a wig out of a hair piece and make sure it didn't fall off and that you couldn't see the wig cap. I had a lot to think about.

The way I did her hair was by French plaiting the top four sections of her hair and then clipping them into place.

I then had to put the wig cap on which Georgie had to hold so I could get it over her hair.

The hair piece was really long so I started by pinning one end of the hair to just behind Georgie's ear.

I then weaved the hair back and forth over the head and each time I reached a side I would use a Geisha pin to secure it. I found that the Geisha pins didn't hold the hair tight enough so I used Kirby grips instead.

I then used a sponge on top of Georgie's hair and folded the hair over it and pinned it in place. I found with this that the hair at the front kept pulling back so you could see the cap.

With the remainder of the hair piece I folded it upwards and pinned it in place, this gave it an Elizabethan look.

Lastly, I secured some pink flowers along Georgie's hairline to cover up any of the cap.

I think one of the hardest things about this look was trying to make sure I got the hair exactly as we had practised it in the previous practical session. If I were to change anything about the look it would have been to make the hair piece longer because I found it really difficult making sure you couldn't see the cap and that the hair looked real.

I hope I did Georgie's look justice :)

Frizzy collar revised.

HOORAY! I managed to make my hair collar look so much better. With the help of Georgie, my partner for the assessment, we resolved the flat hair issue. I think my hair looks so much better with the crimping added to it. I knew that crimping all of my hair would never work in the time scale so in this image only the top layer of my hair has been crimped because I think that is all my hair needs to give it that lift. I feel the crimped look is also in keeping with the Elizabethan theme because they were known for their frizzy hair. So although it adds volume it also gives me a period look.

Another thing that I have changed about my design is that I have added a sponge to the lower section of my hair. I wrapped my hair around the sponge and then clipped it. I think this gives the collar a more structured look because there is something giving it shape and hold. 

Definitely a good day in terms of improvements!

Frizzy collar.

My initial final idea sketches.

This is by far my favourite design. I have always loved the idea of a hair collar and this was the best way to go about it. I feel like with the time scale I have this is the best way to achieve the right look. In this image I have back combed my naturally wavy hair and used plaited ribbon tied around my neck to separate the two different colours in my hair. I have then continued to back comb my bottom of my hair and then tuck it under itself so it looks like a collar. I feel like the ribbon around my neck needs to be thicker because of how thick my hair is. I also feel like there are other ways to give my hair volume. I don't feel like the collar will look right if my hair is flat. I have kept to the Elizabethan style by giving myself a middle parting. But I just need to work on the frizzy!

The French plait

I love being able to say I do a mean French plait on myself and on others. I prefer to do French plaits with long hair because there is more to hold onto and play with. But during my session with Seema where I used ribbon to plait Georgie's hair I think I did considerably well despite the fact she had short layered hair.

·         You will first need to decide whether you are going to one French plait down the middle of the head of two either side of the head, both methods are the same.

·         Standing behind the client, start at the front of the head by taking three equal sections into your hands.

·         Wrap the left section over the top of the middle section, then the right over the middle section and do this down the centre of the head. Every time you wrap another bit of hair over the top of the other grab another piece of hair from each side.

·         The three sections of hair with thicken as you add more hair.

·         Don’t try and rush the process as it will get complicated and the pieces of hair will fall away.

·         Make sure you keep the plait tight at all times otherwise it will be loose and look messy.

·         As you finish adding hair to the plaits you will only need to do a normal plait with the remaining hair.

·         Secure it at the bottom of the hair.

The new generation of bun.

I had never learnt how to do a bun like this. I am usually a twist and wrap kind of girl but I actually found this really easy to do, on myself as well.

You scrape the hair into a pony tail and tie it up.

You then split the hair into four sections.

With the first section of hair, starting from the bottom, wrap it around your finger and once you have reached the top of the hair use kirby grips to pin it into place.

Repeat this with the other three sections.

There may be some gaps between each of the sections so use kirby grips to pin the sections together.

Use hairspray to fix.

The images I have used are of the bun on myself. I think it looks really effective because I have dip-dyed hair so the waves of blonde are seen throughout the bun.

If I were to do it again I would probably try making it neater and filling the gaps between the sections better.

Practising final designs.

My sketched designs for my initial idea.

I tried out one of my three ideas on the hair with chiffon, ribbon, lace and my own hair in a plait. I decided to use quite thick materials because I wanted to emphasise how voluptuous the plait is. I think if I were to do it in my assessment I would use different coloured hair extensions. One of the colours would be auburn to bring the Elizabethan element into it. I think the reason I didn't like this idea as much is because it looks too simple and I wanted a more complex look.