Victorian hair for young women reflected the values, social expectations, and beauty ideals of the 19th century.
From the early 1800s through the late 1800s, the way a young woman wore her hair could signal her femininity, her sense of propriety, and even her social standing.
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Table of Contents
Long Hair Was the Ideal
Most young women in the Victorian period kept their hair long and healthy.
Longness itself was associated with youth and beauty, so many would grow their hair to mid‑back or longer, then style it up rather than cut it short. This long length could be shaped into many of the era’s signature looks.
Common Victorian Hair for Young Women Hairstyle Types
Victorian Era Hairstyles Female #1: Chignons and Updos
A chignon — a knot, coil or bun placed low at the nape of the neck — was extremely popular for young and older women alike. These could be simple for everyday wear or more elaborate with braids and twists for formal occasions. Hairpins and combs were essential tools for holding these updos in place.
Victorian Hair Woman Style #2: Ringlets and Curls
Soft ringlets framing the face were seen as youthful and feminine.
Some women curled just the front sections of their hair while pulling the rest up, or they would set their hair with strips of fabric or early heated tools to create structured curls.
Braids and Crown Styles
Braids were versatile and fairly easy to create. A “braided crown,” where hair is braided around the head like a halo, was a refined choice. Sometimes multiple braids were pinned together into a bun or wrapped around for extra detail.
Pompadour and Height
Wealthier Victorian women sometimes used padding or extra hair pieces to sweep hair up from the face into a style with volume over the forehead. These elevated looks required time and skill and were often worn for formal social events.(Victorian Children)
Accessories and Finishing Touches
Young women didn’t always leave their hair bare. Ribbons, combs, and decorative snoods (netlike head coverings that held hair in place) were common. These added elegance and helped the hairstyles hold throughout the day.(Wikipedia)
What It Signified
Because Victorian society emphasized modesty and social norms, most adult women wore their hair up when in public. Hair down and loose was more typical for children and girls before reaching adulthood. Wearing hair up was part of appearing respectable and well‑groomed.(Reddit)
Overall, for young women in the Victorian era, hairstyles were rarely simple “wash and go.” They involved careful brushing and arranging, often with help from family or servants, and reflected broader values about femininity and social status.
Did Victorian Girls Have Their Hair in Buns?
Yes, girls in the Victorian era did sometimes wear their hair in buns, but how common that was depended on their age and the specific time in the 19th century. (LEAFtv)
Everyday Hair for Younger Girls
In everyday life, younger Victorian girls most often wore their hair long and loose or in simple styles like braids, especially when they were quite young. Hair left down with a centre part was a very typical look for children. (eHow)
Transition Toward Updos With Age
As girls got older — especially into their late teens — wearing hair up became more common. Putting long hair up in a bun or chignon (a type of low knot or roll at the back of the head) was associated with entering adulthood and was part of Victorian standards for modesty and proper presentation. (eHow)
By the later Victorian period, simpler buns and updos (sometimes with soft curls) were popular for young women and older girls alike, reflecting broader fashion trends of the era.
So, while small girls often showed their long hair down or in braids, older girls and young women did wear their hair in buns, especially when following the formal standards of the time.
Photo credits: Louise Ebel Pandora, Vintage Everyday