Edwardian Wedding
Apr 18, 2014 | by Becky Oeltjenbruns
Image from John Oxley Library
The Edwardian era captures the years following the death of Queen Victoria and typically includes the early 1900s through mid-1910s. This was a time of significant change with increasing industrialization that impacted every social class. These were the years that brought us the Titanic, the onset of the first World War, the women’s suffrage movement, Art Nouveau, and the end of corsets in fashion. Edwardian weddings were known for showcasing beautiful brides with simple makeup, detailed gowns, and romantic hair. Our resident beauty expert, Ashton with Pinup Salon, walks us through key makeup and hairstyle looks as you plan your own Edwardian wedding.
Edwardian wedding makeup
While this was an era of less is more, there are still plenty of tips and tricks to create naturally stunning makeup for your big day. Since this is a subtle look you won’t want to use any products involving glitter or shimmer. As you put together your makeup plan, start with the face at its peak paleness. Back in the day, a tan meant you were no lady of leisure, so you can keep the bronzer in your makeup bag for this one. A tinted moisturizer is the best way to get a fresh, natural looking face with some coverage. Lightly dab concealer under the eyes and over blemishes, being sure to keep everything as smooth as possible. Top this with a touch of pressed powder.
Now that you have a stunning complexion, the next step is to work on your eyes. Lightly shade the outer edge of your lid, the crease, and just under your bottom lash line with a matte shadow. Look for a shadow tone that is just one or two levels darker than your natural skin color. Once that is done, slightly curl your lashes at the ends and apply mascara. For your cheeks you’ll want to use a stain rather than a blush. Stain creates a much more natural look, better fitted to a time when girls would pinch their cheeks to add color. Ashton’s personal favorite is Benefit’s original Benetint. Once you apply the stain, quickly blend with your fingertips to avoid noticeable circles at the application area.
Edwardian inspiration, image from Ashton at Pinup Salon
Lastly, for your lips you’ll want to use a lightly tinted lip balm to moisturize and add a hint of color. Good old fashioned cherry Chapstick does the trick, but if you want to get fancy, Sugar Lip Treatment by Fresh Cosmetics has a variety of flattering and natural looking shade options.
Edwardian wedding hairstyles
For an Edwardian wedding hairstyle, Ashton recommends a simple, romantic look with stunning accessories. A classic option is to incorporate an ornate headband within a softly curled and lightly teased hairstyle. You can best achieve this look by teasing first. If you tease after curling, you’ll often get frizz and uneven curls.
Lightly dust a mattifying powder at the root of your hair. (Ashton recommends Redken Powder Grip.) Once the powder is applied, create about an inch of teased hair with the fine tooth side of standard comb around the face and through the crown. Lightly smooth the hair and place your headband. Once the accessories are in place, begin curling the hair in large sections away from the face using a 1″ – 1.25″ curling iron. As the curls take shape, roll your hair from the bottom up, working toward the headband, and pin your hair in place around the band. To make this hairstyle even more romantic, gently pull strands of hair away from the scalp using the pointed end of a metal tipped comb.
Cause A Frockus would like to thank their tremendous resources: Ashton with Pinup Salon and the people who post their images without restriction.
For our readers: tell us, do you love the Edwardian wedding look? Share your favorite Edwardian era looks with us in the comments below!