Practical: Early Victorian Hairstyles

Bun with curls

• Comb the hair back and use the end of a pintail comb like a pencil to draw a line down the middle (using the nose as a guide and looking in a mirror)
• Separate each side from the top of the head to the back of the ear and clip out of the way

• Create a high bun with the remaining hair at the back (Victorian's had high buns and not low buns). This may be by twisting the hair and then gripping it into place (if this is difficult, try using a hairband to tie the hair up first)
• Let down one of the sections at the front/side. Take a long, thin section and create a ringlet using fairly thin tongs

• Remember the tongs should always be facing upwards, and the curls should be coming in towards the face. Also, using a comb, tuck the end of the hair into the tongs, so that this has a nice end to the curl, rather than a kink

You do not want this kink

• Gently release the curl by using a comb to slide the hair off of the barrel

Continue doing this is small sections with the remaining hair on each side

Final look

 I think this style worked very well and would be well-suited to the era. In order to improve it and make it look like the portrait at the top, I would use thinner sections of hair when curling. 

Bun with plaits

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/c2/51/8f/c2518f5985a0f8185be73e9f359d5146.jpg

• Repeat the same process as above, where you section the hair and put it into a bun
• With the sections at the side/front, bring the hair slightly forward, and starting just above the ear, plait the section of hair
• Bring this plait round the side of the head, looping it up and in to the bun and grip it into place (in Victorian times, most women would've had much longer hair than this doll, allowing you to be more experimental when you link it to the bun)