34 thoughts on “Poldark: What’s Up With the Hair???!!! Part 1

  1. Thank you– I’m not the only one! Elizabeth’s hair and lack of headcovering was just ruining it for me last night!

  2. All of the above. I can’t take one more wind swept cliff walk with wild tresses being wild. Hats, Hats, Hats, Hats. Also Shocking lack of petticoats.
    ( I blame The Tudors and Reign)

  3. What about the long, sculpted sideburns on Ross — isn’t that completely wrong for this time period as well? Of course, I’ll forgive Aiden Turner almost anything. Just sayin’….

  4. Yeah, the hair bothered me a lot, especially Elizabeth’s (as an aside, I didn’t like Elizabeth in the original series, either.)I tried to chalk it up to Cornwall being the back of beyond….. It looked like they cheaped out on the women’s hair or wigs. From the back, it looked like she had several hanks of hair of different colors woven in. Not a good look. I have to agree that it did look like a shot from a bridal mag.

    And Ross’ sideburns — romantic, but… What bothered me the most was his perpetual 5 o’clock shadow. One the other hand, he probably wouldn’t want Judd to shave him.

    1. Even as a current trend, I’d like to see 5 ‘o clock shadow die a quick death. And when it appears in period pieces—unless the guy recently survived a shipwreck—even more so. I’ll take Robin Ellis’ look any day.

      1. Yes! The long sideburns are so annoying. I was under the impression that that look was NOT in style during the 1780s. 1790s, maybe, but not during this earlier period.

        Stubble pops up time and time again in these period pieces, and it’s usually inappropriate. It’s particularly silly when a character’s stubble stays the exact same length throughout the production, as though he is carefully trimming it every day instead of shaving. Unfortunately, the vast majority of productions fall into this category. I’ve always been annoyed, for instance, that Donald Sutherland’s Mr. Bennet in the 2005 Pride & Prejudice has perpetual stubble that never seems to grow at all.

        Older period dramas typically avoid the 5 ‘o clock shadow, but there are a few exceptions. For example, Robert Swann, who plays Colonel Brandon in the 1981 BBC adaptation of Sense and Sensibility, has stubble when he returns to Cleveland after what must have been a 160-mile round trip (80 miles from Cleveland to Barton) to bring Marianne’s mother to her. Does that seem to you like an appropriate use of stubble in a period drama, or is it more likely that a man would have stopped halfway through such a journey to shave his face?

        1. Sideburns and a tricorn hat? Absolutely ridiculous in my view. It never happened. The three-day growth of beard that never gets shorter or longer? Abandon all credibility. What were they thinking?

          1. Oh, I agree completely that it’s ridiculous. Are you referring to Poldark or responding to my comment about Mr. Bennet in the 2005 P&P film? It’s true that both have the same problem: sideburns, a tricorn hat, and stubble that stays the same length and is never shaved off.

  5. The concomitant to wearing wigs was shaven or closely cropped heads, which is why caps are often worn indoors by men. I suppose it’s asking too much for an actor to go that far. But yeah — sideburns? And I’m generally tired of the 5 o’clock shadow on men on TV.

  6. Have you seen the original 70s series Poldark? I think they worked better especially with the ladies hair.

    1. I agree! The ’70s version wasn’t perfect but it has a more historical feel overall, whereas this reboot just has a general ye oldey timey romantic windswept look to it.

  7. Yep, same feels. It’s off enough that I feel no desire to talk about what it’s doing on Tumblr like I did a bit with Turn – I just resolutely switch that part of my brain off. The necklines especially are killing me.

    I mainly feel sorry for Ruby Bentall. She gets so typecast as “the plain one” – twice as “the dumb plain one” – when she’s absolutely pretty! I hope she gets a star turn one of these days.

    1. YES!!!! Where’s the neckhandkerchiefs/tuckers?? None these ladies can afford a length of lace/strip o’ linen? Their gowns just look unfinished, and the boobage hazardously exposed. And how about a small ruffle at sleeve openings?

      1. I’ve grown used to the fact that so few period dramas these days bother to fill in the necklines on the actresses’ gowns. But you’re right: they are far too exposed.

  8. I really don’t like all the guys with the very short regency hair, I would rather think they had a bit longer hair in a smal pony tale, but not curled like in regency period. It’s irritating me al the time! (more than Elizabeths hair)
    It’s a shame that in series or movies they wear so little small hats or caps. And petticoats, it’s like they have to little of them.

    Beside that, it’s gorgeous.

  9. I really love your website! I studied costume/fashion design at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, though I never worked in the field. Yes, I noticed that the hair didn’t seem to be “of the time” when I watched Episode 1 on Sunday. At least the dresses are better than Reign.

    Why can’t a program be more accurate? Are they cutting costs or trying to appeal to what they believe will be a broader range or viewers? I do think the actor who plays Poldark is seriously cute but he doesn’t need a five o’clock shadow or sideburns. In fact, I rarely like the stubbly look that is so popular nowadays. Many men look homeless to me.

    1. To be fair, I have seen Aiden Turner in a movie set in the 1960s, and when he’s clean-cut and shaven he loses a lot of his charm.

    2. “Dresses on Reign” …giggle.
      I just finished watching season 2 ep1 and thought “what the hell is with the hair?” And came to Google. Thank you for confirming the hair is a big fat ?. But oh I need a long olive green skirt and jacket!

  10. For Regency where it belongs, y’all might want to check out Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, currently airing on BBC America. I find the looks to be very accurate, especially the fronts of the men’s pants.

  11. OK. I get the annoyance, BUT I think Ross’s hair is also a lot about, Ross don’t care. He could give two figs for doing something fashionable or trendy to his hair. (And yes, it’s also about Aidan looking fabulous). I think Elizabeth’s hair early on is about trying to keep her a little bit thought of as younger. Just out of the schoolroom. The only thing I really really did wonder about and do everytime I see it is the magenta strands. It didn’t just happen on miss loose hips. there were a few village girls rocking it too. I just don’t know about that or why they chose to do that.

  12. Only just come across this – thank you, thank you, thank you! Margaret channeling Cyndi Lauper was bad enough, but Verity’s 1940’s roll was a pure, “What the . . .” moment.

  13. You can blame the original novel (rather than the costume department) for the red streaks in Margaret’s hair.

    IIRC, she’s described as a natural brunette who was still showing patchy evidence of a botched red dye job. But I definitely agree that the particular shade of magenta they used here looks way too 90s.

  14. Ross shows up in Season 2 with shorter hair, a bit closer to the Patrick Heatly portrait. But yeah, the women’s hairstyles bug me, too. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I doubt Demelza, who actually does actual work around the house, would wear her (admittedly fabulous) long red hair loose all the time. It would get in her way and she’s a rather practical sort.

    The story is so great I just try to ignore it, though. And frankly, they could shave Aidan Turner bald and he’d still be spectacular in this role. :) <3

  15. Omg. I’m just starting the first episode and her hair is driving me nuts! Very grateful the snark is already flowing ;)

  16. Anyone notice the two big portraits of two high-Victorians in the hall of the Poldark family residence?
    Inexcusable, frankly.

    It was George Warleggan’s Regency coif that first alerted me to the anachronisms!

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