Victorian Hairwork, Victorian Hair Art, Victorian Hair Wreath, 19th Century America, 19th Century Domestic Arts, Material Culture, Memory and Mourning Practices, Women’s History, Gender Studies Diane Irby Victorian Hairwork, Victorian Hair Art, Victorian Hair Wreath, 19th Century America, 19th Century Domestic Arts, Material Culture, Memory and Mourning Practices, Women’s History, Gender Studies Diane Irby

Hairwork Flowers and Wreaths, and the Material Culture of Gender Ideology

Discover how Victorian hairwork flowers and wreaths reflect the gender ideals of the 19th century. This post explores how piety, purity, submission, and domesticity shaped women’s lives, and how hairwork materialized these values in the home through acts of sentimental craft.

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Victorian Hairwork, American Folk Art, 19th Century Domestic Arts, Material Culture Diane Irby Victorian Hairwork, American Folk Art, 19th Century Domestic Arts, Material Culture Diane Irby

Victorian Era Women: The DIY OGs

Victorian women embodied the DIY spirit, crafting hairwork jewelry with handmade tools and resourceful skill. This post reflects on an 1877 article from Ladies’ Floral Cabinet, drawing connections between historical and modern creative practices that rely on patience, experimentation, and ingenuity.

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