Leaving Cathy’s hair down during this period was intentional for a number of reasons. It made logical sense: When she arrives on the Trask Farm, she is healing from her injuries, including a broken wrist. “We figured the most she would be able to physically do herself is brush it, so we left it out and natural,” McIntosh explains. “As she begins to heal, we started pulling it back softly into a half-up style, but we kept it very practical, effortless, and soft.”
The entire hair team were also all big fans of fluff, wisps, and flyaways at this point in filming. The whimsical additions to Cathy’s hair play into the character’s healing state. They also give Cathy a softness that helps her present herself to Adam as vulnerable in order to gain his trust and eventually become his wife.
Cathy’s hair accessories are also important clues to her character’s psyche and societal position: “When we see Cathy in Boston, she is young; she is presenting with beauty and innocence. We chose key moments to have an Alice in Wonderland-inspired blue ribbon in her hair,” McIntosh adds.
While on the farm, Cathy is wearing hand-me-down clothing from Mrs. Trask, and still a version of her innocent, helpless self. “I was using small pieces of fabric ripped into ribbons to tie her hair back,” says McIntosh. “I also created one of those out of the bloodied dress she [was wearing when she] arrived at the home. Just a bit of a secret for Florence and me that no one would notice unless pointed out.”