Considering the first of these primary divisions of the subject we find that it quite as naturally divides itself again under about four heads or subdivisions.

Typical Styles Of Hairdressing

In the dressing of the front hair there is first of all the typical set centre parting that demands the classical aquiline type of features in its wearer. Then there is the typical set side parting. Thirdly we have the soft and becoming Pompadour style, with the hair raised above the face and innocent of any parting at all. The fourth style is the Louis XV., and it was with this that I took my diploma in Paris. It consists in arranging the hair in a series of breaks or ridges across the front.

The variations of the Pompadour coiffure may again be subdivided under many heads. First of all, this coiffure may be arranged with a division near the centre. This is a different thing from the parting, which is made by passing the comb through the hair in a perfectly straight line, so that the skin is exposed, whilst for the division the hair is waved, and combed back from the face a la Pompadour, and then the fingers are run through it so as to cause it to divide in a perfectly natural manner, which is very attractive.

A second style is a division with a front dip bringing the hair down over the centre of the forehead in a curve. For this the division should come fairly well in the middle, as otherwise it makes the dip take an ugly straight line across the forehead, looking more like a swathe. The three-pouf style is another expression of the Pompadour that is becoming to many. The front hair is parted so that it can be taken back in three separate pieces. The divisions thus formed on either side are sometimes filled in with bunches of small curls. Again, a mode known as the Rejane, is a picturesque outcome of the Pompadour coiffure. There is a pouf on either side of the front, and then above each ear a cluster of curls. It is for the petite brunette of the type of the French actress herself that one would recommend such a style.

The Principal Aim In Hairdressing:

All through, the special type of the wearer must never be lost sight of. Indeed, the most important thing always to be considered in choosing a style of hairdressing is that it should be becoming to the individual. That is the principal aim of my work, the one point that comes before all others.

Even in deciding such a matter as whether the side parting should come on the left or the right, a careful study is needed, as the two sides of the face frequently differ very considerably. One side will sometimes be extremely pleasant and the other quite severe. The Pompadour style of dressing suits a pretty face with regular features, and after that any kind of physiognomy whatsoever. Whether or no a division is becoming is again an individual matter, but it is not nearly so severe a test of regularity of feature as a defined parting. There is a wider variety of styles now than there ever has been, so that every type of face may be suited; indeed, the art of manipulating the coiffure puts it, in these days, in the hands of any woman to enhance her appearance to a remarkable degree by a due attention to this the most important part of the toilette.

Coils and twists are largely used in the hairdressing of 1911, the hair being lightly waved across the forehead and over the ears

A soft arrangement of the hair, with a division slightly to one side of the face.

A ribbon threaded through the hair is also very becoming

Special designs by David Nicol, jo, Haymarket, London

The various types of back hair-dressing are regulated in the first place by the manner in which the hair is primarily handled. Nowadays there is a great vogue for dividing it and arranging it partly in one way and partly in another, combining twists with curls, and so on. Broadly speaking, however, the preliminary processes include plaits and coils or twists, the latter being used to a very large extent at present (1911). Then there are torsades and swathes. A torsade consists of a switch of hair divided evenly in two parts. These are each twisted separately, and are then twisted again around and around each other. A made-up torsade for supplementing the natural hair will sometimes have curled points, which are left loose and give a charming finish to the coiffure.

Most of the styles in hairdressing are revivals of old fashions, but the swathe really is a complete novelty. I have never come across it in any of the old prints. It has, however, become familiar to all of recent years. It is merely a switch, or tail, of hair taken and laid flat against the head, often bound around it as though it were a ribbon. In the latest modes there is only a short piece of it showing as when a ribbon is threaded through the hair.

Then caps of curls are another vogue. They are put on the head as though actually they were a cap. Also, the Marteau poufs, which are a series of small rolls made by twisting the hair round the fingers, contribute to some very attractive coiffures.

In future articles I intend to give some coiffures in which these various styles are exemplified, with exact directions as to how they may be carried out and other points of interest to readers. To be continued.