Buy Vintage Hair Accessories for That Touch of Glamour

Whilst vintage inspired hair accessories are favoured by many brides to be, the truth is that retro chic is not just appropriate for weddings, fancy dress parties or when one is attempting to replicate a look favoured by women in bygone decades. Not at all, vintage style hair accessories remain popular because of their classic designs and the touch of glamour that they lend to any outfit or occasion.

Retro hair adornments not only make stunning gifts, but are also collectors items. And rightly so, because not only do they bring an air of nostalgia, but also reflect the trends of a particular period in modern history.

Whether you are preparing for a Christmas party, a special anniversary, or just hoping to add some vintage inspired style to a casual outfit, you are sure to find a number of beautiful classic accessories which are perfect for the job.

Unlike the traditional mantilla combs, vintage hair combs are often beautifully decorated with rhinestones, pearls, crystals and even diamonds. 

Although it's true that these classic items have gained much popularity with brides of the modern era, they are also frequently used to hold a bun, chignon or French plait in position.

Many vintage hair accessories, including vintage and antique hair combs, were inspired by the Art Nouveau movement, which began in 1880 and ended just before the Great War, and the Art Deco movement, which gained popularity during the 1920's and ended just before the First World war. 

Whilst the differences between the two styles may not be evident to the untrained eye, Art Nouveau inspired hair accessories combine geometric shapes such as parabolas, arcs, and semicircles, whilst Art Deco inspired hair adornments incorporated the use of more modern materials such as chrome, enamel and stainless steel.

Although geometric shapes still formed the basis of the Art Deco style, the curves tended to be bolder and much more elaborately decorated. 

Today, bun clips remain extremely popular, but vintage bun clips are always in great demand. Some of these particular vintage accessories are in the form of a clip type fastening, whilst the older, more traditional version of the bun clip, can either include a pin and a cover, or a pin and a cage. 

Just as bun pins date back to the Ancient Greeks, so do headbands. In fact, the first documented headbands were that of wreaths worn by the Ancient Greeks. Over time, the Etruscans and Romans began to decorate head wreaths with precious metals such as gold and silver. 

During the early part of the 20th century, headbands became headache bands, and as the name suggests, were used by women who believed that pressure around the temples would relieve headaches. 

By the 1910's, headache bands had become more decorative and were typically lacy, but often embellished with ribbons and rosettes. During the same period, for the more affluent, stunning headbands emblazoned with jewels were also produced. 

The peace and love years of the sixties also revived the headband, when many hippies adorned their ultra trendy accessories with feathers, jewels and psychedelic fabrics.

And who could possibly forget that iconic image of Princess Diana in Melbourne, 1985? Was that stunning jeweled headband, chic,classic, sophisticated or fashionable? Well, it certainly became fashionable, perhaps that's because it was chic, classic and sophisticated, and also worn by Princess Di! 

But in fact, that headband was actually a diamond and emerald choker which the Queen had given as a wedding present to Princess Diana. The stylish Diana clearly thought that the choker also made a very attractive headband.

A fascinator is a small headpiece which is often worn instead of a hat, typically at more formal occasions such as weddings and events such as the Royal Ascot.

Sometimes a fascinator may also be worn at evening parties when they might be referred to as a cocktail hat. 

The fascinator is usually attached to the one's head with a pin, clip, comb or headband and may be decorated with feathers, beads, jewels, flowers or ribbons. Indeed, a range of fabrics may be used to produce a fascinator.

During the Victorian era, women would wear a fascinator when attending cultural events such as a trip to the theatre, or a high society garden party.

This classic hair accessory is also frequently associated with the roaring twenties, when they gained much popularity with young women of the period. In fact, the much loved fascinator remained popular until the latter half of the 1950's, when sadly, the fascination for the fascinator waned!

But alas, fashion icons such as Catherine Middleton, the Duchess of Cornwall, and the renowned clothes horse that is Victoria Beckham, helped to revive the once loved fascinator, which has become a hot vintage inspired hair accessory in recent times.