Behind the Scenes at Downton Abbey (29 page)
Read Behind the Scenes at Downton Abbey Online
Authors: Emma Rowley
Men in the Chair
The male actors may not need as much finessing as their female counterparts, but they are not ignored by the make-up team. Their lack of hairpieces or wigs and minimal make-up base make the men’s pre-filming preparation a much faster process – just 10 to 20 minutes each, ‘depending on how much we gossip’, says Katie Pickles.
Most have their hair simply slicked over, with the parting on the left (part it the other way and you might have given rise to talk, warn the make-up team). Still, as with the women, there is variation, so that the younger generation look slightly freer at times.
As Carson, Jim Carter likes his hair ‘to be immaculate, with the parting dead straight’, as befits such a perfectionist, while his underlings may be less rigid. ‘Carson would never have a hair out of place, whereas Jimmy is a bit of a rogue so it’s nice to have some hair around the face,’ says Vaughan. ‘It’s not slicked right back – it goes across and then it can sometimes flop forward.’
SLICK AND SLEEK
‘Facial hair was for the older generation; the younger generation was clean-shaven,’ says Magi Vaughan. Stubble was not an option. ‘To be unshaven was an absolute no-no; it made you look like a tramp!’ The men’s hairstyles are quite simple and unfussy, although in series four Robert has been given a little wave through his tresses to reflect the softer styling of the ladies’ hair.
STANDARD BEARER
As butler, Carson sets the standard for the staff in many ways – even as far as how the footmen should wear their hair, demanding a smart, well-kept appearance. Tom Branson, now living above stairs, wears his hair either slicked back or in a more natural style, but the biggest change is that we are seeing a lot more of it since he has said goodbye to his chauffeur’s cap!
Flower of Scotland
Series three saw the Crawleys’ cousin, Lady Rose, join the family at Downton Abbey. Under the protective and very proper wing of the family, her hair, like her behaviour, has been tamed – her wild, tousled mane has become a sleek wave. She has ‘been Downton-ed’, says Magi Vaughan. ‘She came from the Scottish Highlands, so she was quite wild, but now she’s much calmer, much tamer’ – in appearance, at least.
It is a very different look for Lily James, who plays Rose. Her hair is naturally dark, but it was dyed a lighter shade for her part. ‘When Rose was in Scotland and London, she didn’t have much guidance,’ she says. ‘Now she is living at Downton, with a more stable base, she’s trying to behave better, which is reflected in her hairstyle.’
That said, James admits to a fondness for wild Rose as she was. ‘She has quite a severe look now. I preferred it when it was free-flowing,’ she says. ‘The make-up is very natural, too. I can’t wait until we move into a time when we can be bolder!’
STYLE BELOW STAIRS
‘There’s a bit of a wave in the hair below stairs, too, as if they’re practising on each other – Anna’s has more happening, and so has the new maid Edna’s, because she claims she’s been on a hairdressing course and she has big ambitions,’ says Vaughan. ‘The style is not as intricate as that of the ladies above stairs, but it’s definitely got a wave in it.’