Buckle rolls are one of the most iconic aspects of eighteenth-century hair, worn in various sizes, locations and quantities through the last quarter of the century. While you’re welcome to try buckles with your own hair, creating an assortment of falsies will shorten your styling time and the potential swearing and crying that come with trying to style buckles on yourself. Eighteenth-century women also saw the value of these pin-in rolls and used them with abandon. [11]
• 1 package (15–20-inch [38–51-cm]) hair wefts
• #30 silk thread
• Large powder brush
• Curling iron
• Size 15 (10-mm) knitting needle
• Comb
• Large U-shaped hairpins
1. Divide and cut out 12-inch (30-cm)-wide sections of hair wefts.
2. Beginning at one end, measure out 3 inches (8 cm), then fold the weft back on itself, just under the first length, and stitch the two together. Vary the width for longer and shorter buckles.
3. Continue folding the weft back and forth, stacking and stitching until the entirety is joined.
4. With the top of the hairpiece secured to something sturdy, pomade and powder the hair thoroughly.
5. Next, tease the heck out of the hair. Tease it. Tease it more, add more pomade and hair powder, and keep teasing until the hair is all matted together.
6. Lightly smooth just the surface of the hair with the hard pomade and comb. Smooth out any snarls or curls.
7. Rolling upwards, curl up the bottom few inches of the mess you just made with the curling iron, hold for about 10 to 20 seconds, then release.
8. Starting at the end, roll the hair upwards on the large knitting needle, smoothing the outside of the hair with the comb and your hands as you go.
9. At the top, slide the knitting needle out of the roll, then work one of the large U-shaped hairpins inside the roll. Hold the hairpin flat, aligned with the hair, and thread it in and out of the hair five or six times or until you reach the end. Repeat on the opposite end with another large U-shaped hairpin.
10. Your buckles are now ready to use. At minimum, wear one buckle behind each ear and play with the orientation—some were horizontal while others were nearly vertical. Stack an assortment of buckles upon one another, or pin them into various directions all over the back of your tall hairstyles.
11. Store your buckles carefully, each in its own silk bag, inside a box to prevent crushing.