Tokens of Love and Loss: Hair Jewelry in the Regency Era

“I am sure they will be married very soon, for he has got a lock of her hair.” —Jane Austen, Sense & Sensibility 

Early in Sense and Sensibility, Marianne Dashwood observes Edward Ferrars, her sister Elinor’s love interest, wearing a ring with a plait of hair set into it. She assumes the lock to be Elinor’s, a token that would signify a serious romantic attachment. Marianne, not wanting to embarrass him if her assumption is incorrect, inquires if it came from Edward's sister, Fanny. Unwilling to reveal that the hair actually belongs to Lucy Steele, to whom he has been secretly engaged for years, Edward reluctantly agrees that it is indeed from Fanny. Both Marianne and Elinor privately assume the hair is Elinor’s, although Elinor, understanding the intimacy such a gift implies, suspects it was scandalously taken without her knowledge and is both thrilled and anxious by the possibility that it was a covert profession of his love. Later, when Lucy reveals her secret engagement to Edward, she confirms it by asking Elinor if she has seen Edward's ring with Lucy's own hair set in it. This revelation leaves Elinor heartbroken and shatters her hopes of a future with Edward. This ring, set not with a gemstone but a “plait of hair in the centre” and the hidden identity of that lock of hair, along with the lies and secretive intimacies it represents, drives the central romantic storyline of the novel.

Hair jewelry reached its height during the Victorian Era (1837-1901). This period was marked by sentimentality and a fascination with the macabre, influenced by Romanticism (~1798-1837), an artistic movement that celebrated emotion, imagination, and the sublime beauty of nature, and embraced the mysterious and supernatural. A lock of hair would be crafted into jewelry and worn as a symbol of affection, to commemorate an engagement or marriage, to preserve a connection with someone who is far away or at war, or to serve as a memento of a loved one who has passed away. Before the advent and accessibility of photography, hair art served as a way to remember the deceased. As the Romantic movement gained momentum, people were captivated by hair’s enduring nature—its ability to retain its form and color long after their loved ones were laid to rest, making it a living extension of the departed.

By the Victorian era, hairwork had become a popular pastime and a status symbol within Europe and the United States. Hairworks applications were remarkably diverse, spanning from a simple lock of hair placed inside a locket, to elaborate wreaths crafted from woven hair flowers, and even to miniature paintings made from finely chopped hair. This jewelry was not exclusively reserved for the wealthy. Edward Ferrars' ring, for example, features a modest plait of hair behind a pane of glass, demonstrating that hair jewelry could be quite simple and relatively accessible. More ornate pieces worn by the wealthy typically also included longer strands of hair, as long, healthy hair often signaled affluence. Intricate pieces such as watch chains, bracelets, brooches, and necklaces were hand-crafted, often incorporating hair from multiple family members.

Hair jewelry was more than just a fashionable accessory; it was a potent symbol of love and devotion. A lock of hair, intricately woven into a piece of jewelry, served not merely as an adornment but as a vessel of emotion and memory. Today, we use totes, scarves, jewelry, and other accessories to signify our love and allegiances. The Bond & Grace Heroines Twilly tied neatly in the hair is a contemporary parallel that is both beautiful and a powerful display of the things we love.

Selecting such accessories is an intimate act of self-expression—a way to communicate our inner worlds and passions in ways that words alone cannot.

To learn more, read…

• Austen, Jane, Sense and Sensibility, Project Gutenberg 1811.
• Bateman, Kristen, “The Long, Long History of Long, Long Hair”, Dazed Beauty, November 3 2023. 
• Campbell, Mark, Self-Instructor in the Art of Hair Work, Project Gutenberg, January 24 2012. 
• “Lock of Jane Austen’s Hair”, Jane Austen’s House, 2024 
• Meier, C. Allison, “How Victorians Mourned Loved Ones Through Hair Jewelry”, Art & Object, March 10 2020.  
• Meier Allison, “The Curious Victorian Tradition of Making Art from Human Hair”, Artsy, February 13 2018.
• Rode, Lizzy, “What is Hair Jewelry? The History of an Almost Forgotten Art Form”, American Swedish Institute, December 26 2022.
• “Victorian hair Jewelry”, Rosenberg Library Museum, 2024.

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