Мари-Антуанеттің шашы: 18 ғасырдың сәні мен тарихы

Hairstyle and a hairstyling support
the piece of furniture sometimes known as a pouf

The pouf or pouffe also "toque" (literally a thick cushion) is a hairstyle and a hairstyling support deriving from 18th century France. It was made popular by the Queen of France, Marie Antoinette (1755–1793), when she wore it in June 1775 at the coronation of her husband Louis XVI, triggering a wave of French noblewomen to wear their hair in the same manner. The hairstyle would become popular across Europe in the 1770s.

Marie Antoinette acquired the hairstyle, which was a creation from the famed hairdresser of the day, Léonard Autié. In April 1774, it was first sported as Le Pouf Sentimental by Duchess de Chartres at the Opera. The Duchesse's hairstyle was immense. 14 yards of gauze were wrapped around a tower as well as two figures representing the baby Duc de Beaujolais in his nurse's arms with an African boy (a particular favorite of the Duchess) at her feet. A parrot and a plate of cherries were also added. From then on it quickly became widespread amongst noble and upper class women in France during the time. It was highly creative and artistic, and women could literally wear their moods through strategically placed decorations and ornaments. Ships, animals and hundreds of other novelty items could be seen on these poufs. Other decorations included pearls, headdresses/hats, hair jewellery, and plumage, such as ostrich feathers. The pouf became popular throughout Europe during the same era, with Georgiana Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire, the most notably famous for her hair in England. Queen Charlotte of Great Britain would also fashion her hair into the pouf. As the 1780s progressed the style in which the pouf was worn evolved to become somewhat more conservative. From 1789, upon the outbreak of the French Revolution, the pouf became more of a political weapon for women who supported the revolution in turning against their former Queen's most popular fashion statement. As the 18th century came to an end, and the beginning of the 19th century, new fashions came along for hair, and the pouf, after the execution of Marie Antoinette, became history. Hairstyles similar to the pouf returned in both the 20th and 21st century with the more modern name beehive, worn by stars such as Dusty Springfield, The Ronettes, and Amy Winehouse.

The pouf was a very elaborate and time consuming hairstyle; hours were needed to create it. To create the base, a very thin metal frame was used to structure the shape. Also a triangular pillow (pouf, toque) was used as support. The frame was then padded and intertwined with pomaded false hair 'postiches', and one's own hair would be taken in. The pomaded hair would then be curled in various sections (varying on the specific style), with heated clay curlers lined with strips of thin paper. The lovelocks would be curled in a similar fashion. Once the shaping and styling was done, it would be finished off with white or grey powder, and decoration proceeded. In the mid to late 1770s, huge hair became all the rage. This high hairstyle was created using toques (or “cushions”) which were made of fabric or cork and shaped like a heart or spear. It was attached to the top of the head, and then natural and false hair was curled, waved, or frizzed and piled over and around the cushion. text="At that time [1780] everybody wore powder and pomatum; a large triangular thing called a cushion, to which the hair was frizzed up with three or four enormous curls on each side; the higher the pyramid of hair, gauze, feathers, and other ornaments was carried the more fashionable it was thought, and such was the labour employed to rear the fabric that night caps were made in proportion to it and covered over the hair, immensely long black pins, double and single, powder, pomatum and all ready for the next day. I think I remember hearing that twenty four large pins were by no means an unusual number to go to bed with on your head"

A high hairstyle was not necessarily time consuming or too labour intensive. The following styling without decorations takes only 15 minutes, and a hairdo of some 30 cm (one foot) in height is achieved. "18th century women did not scrub their hair clean, so much as cleanse it. Instead of daily lathering of soap and water, they worked pomatum into the hair with their fingers, added powder, and then brushed and combed vigorously. More powder was dusted on before styling to achieve the fashionable matte, "dusty" look of powder and to make dark hair paler. Women did not tease their hair, but added extra volume with padded forms called rollers (thick, sausage shaped pillow) and cushions. Sewn of wool cloth to match the wearer's hair, these were shaped pillows stuffed lightly with down or sheep's wool. The hair was wrapped around, or pulled through the forms, and smoothed and pinned into the desired shape. Side curls could be rolled and pinned into place, and extra touches could include braids or false curls."

Wealthier women may have had their hair done more often than this due to the cost of the technique and materials; Marie Antoinette at one time was said to have a different hairstyle every day, which were designed by her dressmaker Rose Bertin and her favourite coiffeur Léonard Autié. Countess Goyon de Matignon, known as Madame de Matignon, gave hairdresser Le sieur Beaulard 24,000 livres a year for styling her hair in a different way every day of the year. Duchess de Chartres ordered one batch of plumes from Genoa at a price of 50,000 livres. A chignon wig made to the opera singer Antoinette Saint Huberty (Saint Huberti) cost 232 livres.