| Victorian Hair Artists Guild |

Hair flowers were made individually and then arranged together to form
large wreaths which were placed inside a deep frame. Sometimes these
wreaths incorporated the hair of an entire family and got quite large.
They were made to be hung on a wall and displayed. Not all wreaths
were made as memorials
to a deceased many were made as memories of family, church groups,
schools, etc.
Most of the hair wreaths were formed into a horseshoe shaped wreath that was placed on a silk or velvet background inside the frame. When memorial wreaths were made, hair was collected from the deceased and added to the wreath whenever any one died. The top of the wreath was always kept open at the top....ascending heavenward. It is said that the newest addition would be placed in the center, and then moved to the side to become part of the large wreath when the next person passed away. The official mourning period was one year.
Hair flowers are made by wrapping the hair around a rod and using a fine wire to hold it together. Depending on the size of the rod and the amount of hair used, different looks are produced. Many different shapes and sizes of flowers could be made in this manner.
| © 2000 Victorian Hair Artists Guild. |