Head Jewellery

Fashion is never permanent. With change being the only constant in this ever-dynamic world, almost everything – from the most minuscule and seemingly insignificant entity to the most conspicuous one – alters. In a world that builds and thrives on its temporality, it would be ironic (and frankly, hypocritical) if certain fashion statements were considered to be the universal and absolute standard, spanning through all ages that have or will witness the presence of humankind. With the turn of a new century, certain style statements, quite expectedly, have become “out of fashion” and, in turn, have been replaced by styles to which the contemporary people could relate better.

During the 15th–16th century, India saw a rise in the use of an “Indianised” aigrette or a sarpech, a turban ornament primarily worn by Hindu, Muslim and Sikh princes. The word has a Persian root, and its two distinct words, sar (head) and pech (screw), convey the meaning of that which is screwed on the turban front. The turban and the supporting aigrette were both made to look elegant and sophisticated. Besides the cloth turbans, princes and kings were also seen using feathers of royal birds like peacocks stuffed under the aigrette. The aigrette’s structure included a gold or silver frame on which gemstones or diamonds are fitted. Gemstones mainly included sapphires, rubies, emeralds, opals, or lapis lazuli.

Men, since time immemorial, have been proud of wearing such an elaborate ornament, and the bigger the aigrette, the more respect was given to the owner. Mughal emperors and Persian and Rajasthani princes were all proud followers of this tradition of the aigrette.

Jewellery transcends geographical boundaries yet unites those miles. However, with time, bigotries have seeped into the way people think and rendered ornaments as something strictly female.

To keep up with the current demands, Zivame has updated its collection of head ornamentation, keeping their available range of contemporary and antique head accessories for jewellery connoisseurs and amateurs alike. The beautiful hair chains will add a touch of refinement to your hairdo. These hair accessories come in various breathtaking hues and patterns to complement your face’s shape and your haircut. Flowers, beads, crystals, rhinestones, and gemstones are among the ornamental items that enhance the beauty of your hairdo. You can wear accessories like earrings , bracelets, and pendants to accentuate your overall look. Depending on the rest of your attire, your earrings might be a simple and long chain or a multi-layered one. You can opt for bracelets made of pearls or other stones; you can even choose bracelets that are simple gold, silver or platinum chains if you are not a big fan of gemstones. Pendants can vary in size as well as the material used. Nowadays, several small Instagram businesses have created a trend of selling handmade resin pendants with a customised pattern or drawing inside the pendant . If you are looking for something out-of-the-box, that might be right up your alley!

You can flaunt your fashionable hairdos at parties, weddings, and other great events by wearing these hair accessories. Wear a gorgeous floral chain over your hair bun if you're wearing an ethnic outfit like a sari or salwar. The delicate arrangement of synthetic roses, jasmines and other occasion-appropriate minimalistic flowers, along with pearl strings, can give your hairstyle a pleasant appeal. If you are looking for a unique style (and something that defines you more!), you can choose a multi-layered golden head chain that flatters any haircut for a trendy touch for parties and evening functions.

To create a fashionable traditional hairstyle, choose from the maang tikka hair jewellery collection. You can wear these chains over hair buns or your hair parting, on the side of your crown, or like a tiara.

Types of head jewellery for women

Interest in jewellery has remained relatively consistent through the last few decades (although interests have regularly oscillated between shiny and matte jewellery). Who doesn’t love adorning themselves with things they like!

Women’s head ornaments used to be comparatively more elaborate, intricate and exquisite. A hanging head ornament called jhela surfaced during the 18th and 19th centuries and found favour among women residing in Kashmir, Rajasthan and Punjab. Gold, glass, or turquoise was primarily used as the base medium. The jhumka was made of flower- and bell-shaped ornaments called karnaphool. The jhumka would dangle along the side of the ear. This hair ornament would be attached to the top of the head. The karnaphool, or flower stud, is a familiar ear decoration shape that references the natural world, popular in Indian jewelled arts. As the user walked, moved, and danced, the hanging jhumka pendants would sway gently.

• Antique bridal festive wear

Indian brides are famous worldwide for their lavish wedding and wedding gowns. Aside from these two features, another feature that makes them look genuinely unique is their gorgeous jewellery.

• Antique

The world is melting over the classic and antique jewellery worn by stunning Indian brides, and the perfect headdress to go for the occasion rounds the whole outfit. The proverb “old is gold” stands timeless. Most antique bridal head ornaments are made of bronze crystals or gemstones. The entire headpiece is tied carefully and worn almost like a crown or balanced carefully on the two ears like a tiara.

• Bridal

Rather than opting for contemporary styles, Indian brides have often revisited vintage jewellery with their bridal suits. Vintage jewellery seems to add subtle sophistication to the whole ensemble, irrespective of whether the bride has opted for a lehenga or a sari – antique jewellery complements both the attires beautifully! The two most-known kinds of antique bridal head jewellery include the vintage maang tikka and the matha patti. Both these ornaments are sure to add an authentic, vintage look to the bride on her big day! At times, even flowers are used as a part of the headpiece, often interlaced with crystals and precious stones or even rhinestones.

• Festive

Festive styles on the bridal attire can also be categorised into wearing light or heavy jewellery. It is often misunderstood that festive styles have to include overdressing in order to fit into a specific crowd. You can sport the most simple jewellery if it complements your dress well. Festive jewellery does not necessarily need to be multi-layered or intricate and heavy (which can be uncomfortable). Anything can be made festive if you can dress it up in the way the rest of your attire requires you to!

However, the issue of balance should be addressed while deciding the headdress to complement the bridal lehenga or sari perfectly. If both the dress and the jewellery are equally overpowering, the attire loses the sense of fine balance. With a heavy headdress filled with stones and gold, one should opt for a comparatively neutral dress colour, so neither ornamentation is lost in trying to find sophistication in the bride’s attire. With heavy wear, a simple yet elegant headpiece is sure to bring out the beauty of the whole ensemble.

• Retro modern mid-century jewellery

The symmetry of older design eras, as well as the abstract shapes and stylised forms of the machine age, strongly impacted the retro jewellery period of the 1940s and 1950s. Due to changing trends and wartime shortages and regulations, bolder and heavier mid-century modern jewellery styles created a statement of prosperity and optimism in post-World War II jewellery. Coloured gold and larger jewels became fashionable in Retro Moderne 1940s jewellery fashion. Vintage 1950s jewellery was also influenced by whimsical space-age design motifs, open and airy asymmetrical forms, and textured surfaces. These gave birth to bold avant-garde free-form 1960s jewellery designs.

Consider adding a piece from the retro period of design to your vintage jewellery collection to add a touch of refinement and class. These one-of-a-kind jewellery styles are full of personality and charm, making them an excellent choice for all jewellery collectors.

Because platinum and sterling silver were earmarked for military uses during WWII, retro jewellery was mostly made of yellow, rose, or green gold alloys. Copper and palladium became new jewellery standards during World War II. To conserve supplies while keeping jewellery from being too little or minimalist, jewellers frequently employed thin sheets of these metals supported with a non-precious base metal. Finding precious stones was exceptionally difficult because many gem mines closed and international trading witnessed new sanctions and enormous shifts from the pre-war era. Many jewellers began to use synthetic or lab-made gemstones instead of naturally occurring ones. Over the use of fewer, larger gems, clusters of tiny diamonds and sparse settings of jewels like rubies and light-coloured sapphires were especially fashionable.

FAQs on head jewellery

1. What do you call head jewellery?

Any ornamentation that can be attached to one’s hair, either with pins or clips or tied directly, falls under the category of head jewellery. Sometimes, head jewellery takes up more space in the front and covers a part of the forehead. The phrase covers the most basic studded hair bands to the most intricately designed maang tikkas.

2. What are the popular hair accessories for girls?

Young girls can wear any functional hair accessories that they can relate to their vibe. Ornamental objects can be wrapped, twisted, or attached to one’s hair however one wishes. Hair accessories for young girls vary with age and occasion: hair rings or bands, flower barrettes, ribbons or bows, rhinestones on a string, hairpins, and fixing other miscellaneous objects in their hair, like flowers, feathers, jewels or shells. Other headpieces might include pearl hairbands (the vintage look never runs out of fashion!), knotted cloth hair bands, tiaras, customised clips or clutches.

3. Who can wear a maang tikka?

A maang tikka is primarily worn by a bride or other women attending a wedding or a similar occasion. Authentic maang tikkas are expensive and often quite heavy; hence making young children wear them should be avoided.

4. Can I wear a maang tikka with a sari?

Yes! The choice of maang tikka should be made depending on the type of sari one is wearing. Maang tikka designs range from highly intricate ones like the Borla maang tikka (culture statement of Haryana and Rajasthan) to a simple one-tier maang tikka. A multi-layered maang tikka will complement a Banarasi silk or a sari of similar material. A paasa maang tikka (this falls on the left side of the head), although primarily a religious statement for Muslims, complements lehengas beautifully. A pure gold maang tikka is bound to look magnificent with a simple Kanjivaram sari. Depending upon the patterns and colour of the sari, you can decide on an appropriate headpiece for the occasion!