Generalities of the Period
For once blond hair went out of fashion, and black or brown hair was preferred. Women, during the time of Louis XIII, often wore their hair in tight, neat plaits. A popular hairstyle was launched by Mademoiselle de Fontanges, a favorite of Louis XIV. On a hunt with the king, she appeared with a glorious coiffure adorned with ribbons and feathers. On horseback, her hair became tousled, so she simply tied it up with a silk garter. From that moment on, women tied up their curls, which had fallen on the shoulders until then, and the style became known as a Fontanges.
Young women wore their hair in soft, loose curls which fell about an inch below the ears. Towards the end of the period, wigs were gaining popularity.
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