red or blonde or...

In numerous pictures of Anastasia and the other girls you can see a thin headband just behind the bump.

It is most likely that the girls would have worn a "ratt" which is a Victorian hair piece, that is similar to "bump its" and it has hair undereath for the extra puffyness.

 There was a thread on the Anastasia forum a few years ago that talked about the rat, the hairpiece. I just posted to it again, so people can read it.

Thanks everyone for the help! The ratt thing sounds most logical for the time period, but the headband thing works quite well!

["Господь им дал дар по молитвам их размягчать окаменелые наши сердца за их страдания..Мне думается, что если люди будут молиться Царской Cемье, оттают сердца с Божией помощью."]

The only reason I doubt the use of a ratt in the instance of OTMA is that in many photographs the headband is visible along with a fallen 'poof'. If they had such a device under it to keep it up why would it so easily fall down while they were at play?

Interesting information about them, I was thinking in something related a few days ago

That's a good point, Holly. It falls to both sides, suggesting there's nothing directly on top of the head to prevent that (aka a ratt). Maybe in some instances two ratts were used? It does seem unlikely though and I'm inclined to think of the head band thing. Perhaps not a headband as we know it but some sort of heavy duty ribbon? You can see bows on top of their heads at any rate. I toyed with it on my own hair and it looks similar. After a while it falls to each side like that. Though I really have thick hair and their hair seems even huger, so maybe there IS a ratt. Who knows.

The only reason I doubt the use of a ratt in the instance of OTMA is that in many photographs the headband is visible along with a fallen 'poof'. If they had such a device under it to keep it up why would it so easily fall down while they were at play?

It's my impression that their hair is naturally thick and wavy, and they used rollers to order their waves into the styles shown. At times when they've had no such upper highlights, their hair exhibits in photos this tendency to flow with thick heavy waves in them. Sometimes with such waves you have to take measures to make them look good. I've seen hair like that and when a look like that was desired, the favored method was to use bands to bunch up in the back and comb out the remainder into a design up front. Either that, or do the same with clips. Modern hair accessories are more visible than the ones of the past. The girls are not being photographed from behind.

Lovely hairdos!!! But sometimes is difficult to believe how they could made it as this way!!!
Interesting!!!

["Господь им дал дар по молитвам их размягчать окаменелые наши сердца за их страдания..Мне думается, что если люди будут молиться Царской Cемье, оттают сердца с Божией помощью."]

I didn't have time to look for the picture I was thinking of before. There is a photograph of Anatasia from behind (I think she's sitting at a table or something) and Alexandra is in it as well. You can clearly see the headband. Maybe someone else knows which one I'm talking about?

I think you mean this one Holly?

It gives us an idea of how they used to comb their hair

["Господь им дал дар по молитвам их размягчать окаменелые наши сердца за их страдания..Мне думается, что если люди будут молиться Царской Cемье, оттают сердца с Божией помощью."]

Yes, that's it! Thanks so much, Ally.