The intricate hairstyles worn by Cressida Cowper in Bridgerton season three are not just elaborate fashion choices. They tell a deeper story of imprisonment, desperation, and the desperate need for freedom.
The Netflix series used hair as a visual language for Cressida’s journey. From towering sculptures to the final birdcage design, every curl and accessory carried meaning about her tragic fate .
The Birdcage in the Final Scene
The most powerful symbolism appears in Cressida’s last scene. As she sits in the carriage banished to Wales, her hair is styled to look exactly like a birdcage with chains .
This design directly represents how Cressida is trapped by society and her circumstances. Hair and makeup designer Erika Ökvist confirmed the intention behind these choices. “She’s so limited and suffocated with how the society works and what she is and isn’t allowed to do in her position,” Ökvist explained. “We see someone really trapped. She’s this caged bird who’s trying to get out” .
The cage hairstyle visually communicates what words cannot. Cressida, despite her cruel behavior, is a prisoner of the rigid expectations placed on women in Regency England .
Armor Through Architecture
Throughout season three, Cressida’s hair functions as armor. Costume designer John Glaser described how the creative team used extreme shapes to protect a vulnerable character. “She’s a fun character to dress because we can be a bit wilder with her and push her. She’s interesting but all that fluff and all those extremities are for a serious reason” .
Ökvist elaborated on this protective function. “Makeup and hair and costume, and especially our hair, big shoulders and all that kind of stuff – it’s almost like an armor to protect because actually she’s really vulnerable and she will get hurt really badly” .
The towering hairstyles create a barrier between Cressida and the world that judges her. They announce her presence while simultaneously shielding her true self from view .
Transparency Reveals Vulnerability
Not all of Cressida’s hairstyles were solid and impenetrable. Ökvist pointed out that some designs incorporated transparent elements. “There’s some of her looks that are quite transparent. It is big, it’s spiky, but it is really vulnerable, and looks like you can just break it apart” .
This fragility in the hair design mirrors Cressida’s internal state. Behind the mean comments and competitive behavior lies a young woman with no real power and few options. The hair that appears strong can shatter, just like she can .
The Key to Freedom
A hopeful detail exists within the cage imagery. The show’s wig stylist confirmed that a key is present in Cressida’s hair during the final scene. Someone in the future could use this key to set her free .
An alternate ending was actually filmed where Lady Cowper holds this key. Actress Jessica Madsen revealed: “[In the first ending we shot], Lady Cowper actually came to save her, and got in the carriage with her and they left together. I had a caged bird in my hair with a little door and Lady Cowper had the key” .
This alternate version was not used, leaving Cressida’s fate uncertain. But the key remains in her hair, suggesting her story may not be over .
Bigger Is Better for a Reason
The creative philosophy behind Cressida’s look was simple. “Bigger is better, and more is more,” Ökvist said . Every extreme hairstyle served to announce that Cressida was still in the game, still fighting for a place in society.
Women’s clothing designer George Sayer connected the hair to Cressida’s desperation. “We see it as an armor for Cressida for when she’s out socially. It’s her third season out. She still hasn’t found her husband. She’s desperate to find one” .
The comparison to a trapped creature was intentional. “We like to think of her as a butterfly in a mausoleum and she’s desperate to escape,” Sayer added .
The Red Dress Moment
When Cressida falsely claimed to be Lady Whistledown, her appearance shifted. She wore a striking red gown with simpler lines, and her hair became less elaborate but still dramatic. It fanned out from her head, echoing the giant bow on her dress .
This represented her attempt to empower herself differently. For one night, she believed she controlled her destiny. The hair and costume worked together to project confidence she did not truly feel .
Ökvist explained Cressida’s calculated approach. “She would have planned this for a long time. She would have had all of it down to a tee. She would have planned it to think, ‘OK, what would the Queen want to see? What will make her impressed?’” .
The Tragic End
After her plan fails and she faces exile, Cressida’s defeated words reveal everything. “After tonight, it shall matter no more,” she says . The elaborate hairstyles that once announced her presence no longer serve any purpose.
The birdcage chains in her final look confirm her imprisonment is complete. She tried to escape through marriage, through claiming Whistledown’s identity, through blackmail. Nothing worked. Society won, and Cressida lost.
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What Comes Next
Showrunner Jess Brownell has indicated the character’s story may continue. Jessica Madsen expressed hope for Cressida’s future. Since viewers never see her aunt in the carriage, she could be traveling somewhere else entirely .
The key hidden in her hair suggests someone might eventually unlock her cage. Whether that someone is her mother, a future love interest, or Cressida herself remains unknown .
Bridgerton season three is streaming now on Netflix.
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