SHIP HAIR

SHIP HAIR 

Coiffure à la Belle Poule.

In 1778, France signed a treaty and formed an alliance with  the new country of United States and, therefore, against their traditional enemy, Britain. The Battle of Ushant took place that year and was the initial major conflict between the French and the British. In the course of battle, a French frigate, the Belle Poule, badly damaged a British ship, Arethusa. To celebrate this victory for the cause of American independence and express French patriotism, women adorned their hair with small models of the Belle Poule. The coiffure à la Belle Poule as it was called, featured in miniature, the triumphant ship with its masts, rigging, and guns, riding atop glorious waves of hair.

I fell in love instantly with the antique images of the coiffure à la Belle Poule. At first I just loved the over the top idea of it. There’s a ship in her hair!  Fabulous!  I then  learned that it was worn by Marie Antoinette and other ladies of the court to show their support of the American Revolution. And I was hooked! I drew a new face on the illustration as I  wanted her profile to be more noble than the original, and I redrew parts of the ship and hair. She is now my logo and I put her on everything. 

I have created  a collection of items featuring  what I have come to call Ship Hair so that you can also love coiffure à la Belle Poule like I do. Tea towels, gift bags, and signs feature the illustration along with little sayings.   Enjoy!