The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-03-07 00:00:00

HIGH ART IN HAIRDRESSING.

no Daily Seta elves the following accecnt nt a hiet'val
of hnlrdreasers wilicla was held OD Mouthy DL ht I Lohdoo,
lathe small c ,ncurt-room at lianover-stqUare 1100.14.

The object of the eathering was .to afford certain
members of the profession opportunity to exhibit
their skill before the public and each other. To thia
end an oblong table had been arranged down the
full length of the room. Sixteen toilet gin...a tenni
back to back upon the table, two of larger pro-
portions flathing either end, whilst before each
glee. a chair was placed. On the tray of each
looking-glares Wliff a card, hearing one rf the following
annouvmmente :—Mr. Riley, hall dreier. ; Mr. Per. ,
civet, ball dress; Mr. Stile., Grand Dochenne ; Mr. ,
De Lament, Merle Antoi tette ; Mr. Sn.gPtit,
dress; Mr. Stevene, pomp ulour ; Mr. Itt.odee, bill
dress; Mr. Cooper, corn-. dress; Mr. Comber, ball
dress; Mr. Ncaken, coiffure an lords; Mr. Williams,
Da Barn; Mr. Wilkie, Lothe XIV. ; Mr. WtIIP,
fancy dresa ; Mr. Altree, fancy drervi ; Mg. Rodeph,
grand Natalie ; Mr. Mason, Alexatdrs.
These evidences of preparation faced the visitor on
entering at eight o'clock, in acctirdance with the in.
vitation on the tickets), and IR three quarters of an
hour there wets nothing else save the gathering com-
pany upon which the eye might rest. At a quarter
to nine some sensation was created by the entrance of
two or three gentlemen carrying small ewer in their
hands, which heir g deposited beside the toilet giants
&Ind carefully op..r. «in revealed an assortment of Peilleol4,
comb', and, iti some instances, ringlets and pads. A '
towel, opened and spread ,v.r the back if the chair,
further indicated a temporary proprietary interest in
the eection of the table. Punc.uality Waif decidedly
not a virus pertaining to the exercise of hairemesing,
at least an exemplified on Monday night, it being cuss
upon ha.f-past nine before tee ixteen professore filed in,
each leading a lady. The ladle.' hair Wail at this stage
uniformly plain, or at m et crimped.
imp. Arils et. .7ercrite in deial
It would be obviously
the growth of the stxteen coitfutep, as IL4O
pad upon pail, aid plait upon plait, they grove op
under the dexterous tingers of the artiet. A brief in-
dc .tin of time procem in the Cu c of the " Merle
Antoinette" myrery may, how, ver, be given. When
the lady wh we hair W &s ..otrittt d Upoll ,at down, her
hair was powdered and ied in a !simple knot behind.
The artist first untied the knot mid b igbed out
the hair. Then he placed a thick p,,l ~et th-
roat top of the head, and hid I benc,a, a fold of

the lady's hair, A rid, hooked on in some inscrtit-
te)te manner behind, just over the nape of the neck,
waa htd•len with hair in a similar manner. Three
pads, riaiog upwards, converging from the right
ear, anti three from the left, were added to either side
of toe central ridge, and thus was tail a foundation
upon which the artiat might proceed to work, fm e
from the fear which ristiat thrrwjee have haunted
bin, of infitc jug pain by the vertical propadi in of
the hairgrips. Al the available hair which the head
afforded being now used up in the binding round of
the pads, the artiet took up a long wiap ot hair, which
he fastened by the middle on to the back of the
head with a hair•pin. This was utilised, WI the
natural hair had been, to bled op the pads, and when
it wee exhibited the back of the hair presented a
tieing bank of little hags, the front being brushed
cheer back from the forehead, high over the large pad
first mentiorsed.• Fina'ly, the hair was proinaely pow•
doted. a wreath of roses loop, d with pearls thrown
over the front, two ringlets were tagged on so as to fall
over the left shoulder, a single curl won port:d over
the forehead, and the "toilette it to Marie Antoinette"
was complete. Slue people must have thought the
lady would have looked better with the original simple
dreming of her hair. But de gustdnis non est aisputan-
dam and the trade of which there war a large gathering,
expressed their approval by applause.
- • • "

Three quarters of an hour were occupied in bringing
&bunt the effect here feehly described, and the rest of
the toilet being completed ea M hairdresser offered hie
arm to his lady, and all walked in proceenion round
the table, a fellowq.rtist, who obligingly officiated at
the piano, Flaying an appropri An march. The prome-
nade over, a g, ntieman took the chair and delivered
a short address, in the course of which be urged upon
the trade the desirability of forming "the nucleus of
a Hairdressers' Academy." Practice was, he said, all
very well, but it was essentially necessary t, perfec-
tion that "hairdressers should hale the opportunity
of irrigating their minds," a sentiment the expression
of which was heartily endorsed by the company,