On The Year of No Haircuts

This past weekend, as well as celebrating my 29th birthday, I also celebrated the milestone of not cutting my hair. No trims, no split-end details, nada. The last salon visit occurred on my birthday one year ago.

It was all accidental, really. I had not planned on avoiding a pair of scissors. Being poor and just seeing how it would go contributed to the feat of adding about 7 inches of length to my tresses. The current length is just past bra-strap length, or “Classic Length” with slight layers for all you Long Hair Aficionados. Notice I didn’t include photos of my hair…because…there are people out there who fantasize about long hair in unhealthy ways. Plus, my site is about covering said hair.

The last time my hair was this long  was probably junior high, when I conducted a similar “lets see how long I can let it grow” experiment happened. Since then I have yo-yo’d between pixies (really short) and shoulder length. I was always told my hair was too fine/delicate for any real satisfying long hair experience.

Wrong-o!

Even though the quality of my hair has changed only a little towards the better (lot less split ends than when I received regular haircuts…hmmm), I enjoy it more as it grows. One of these days I will try to teach myself how to do a french braid or some other similar pretty-ness.

So how long will it grow?? I made it a  year….how about another?

Covering for Beginners - What

Now that you have decided when to start covering, what do you wear?

If you have clicked through my blog at all, you will see that I have worn just about every type of covering available on the market over the past year. Some are of my own manufacture, some have been gifts to me from other sisters, and most of them I ordered from various vendors. Even after all this time and experimentation, I have not settled into one particular style. One facet of any covering I wear, however, that I have settled on is to have at least 80% of my hair/head covered.

This brings us to the balancing act between the symbolism of a Christian covering and the modesty aspect. If you are comfortable with having a small triangle of lace pinned to your hair everyday to satisfy the symbolism, then that is covered enough. If you are like me, I find that my hair is one of my best features. Men really are attracted to long, healthy hair! Since my hair is a special thing for my husband to see, I cover it up. That simple.

A second consideration is whether or not you desire some denominational identification “tag”. The most common covering associated with a church is the Amish cap. They are practical, especially if you tie them under your chin, no clippies required. But, you have to be prepared for all the questions. If you are not aligned with the Anabaptist/Quaker theological tradition, I suggest staying away from caps.

The next, deeper connotations involved in choosing a covering style is the “hanging veil” versus a cap-like or snood-like covering. The Greek words detailing the NT covering used in 1 Cor. 11 describe something that hangs down or that can be wrapped around. Does this delineate the type of covering, or are the words only what Paul had to use to describe the covering? Lots to think about.

So, onto the fashion gallery of coverings:

• A veiling, as pictured above. These require one’s hair to be pinned up and also require at least two clippies to hold it onto your hair. PrayerCoverings.com offer several versions, including one or two styles that tie under your chin.
• The cap. I like caps, because my theology does line up with the traditional cap-wearing churches. And they do stay put without extra metal secured to my head. This is important for those living on the windy prairie!
• Scarves. This is where your artistic/fashionable sense can shine. I love scarves for the same reason I love caps. Once you can handle tying them in the way you like, they do stay put. Tznius.com and Modest World sell the best, most beautiful scarves. I’ve also sewn some summer scarves of my own out of cotton voile.
• Hijabs. I’ve been known to wrap my scarves into a traditional Muslim style. The look might make you feel uncomfortable in the “religious cross-dressing” category. I find it rather…well, comforting and feminine.
• Snoods offer a variation on the scarf theme. I have not worn snoods, but many ladies are dedicated snood-wearers. Modest World has a nice selection of snoods, as well as She Maketh Herself Coverings.
• You can also find an assortment of covering styles designed for medical hair loss.

There are so many choices out there, that I am sure you will find the right balance between modesty and symbolism. Try out several different coverings at first to see what works for your family and situation. Give away the coverings you don’t use to another sister.

What if I do not cover my head?

One of my dear readers brought up a great point on my previous post on Being Feisty which I sum up as follows,

“So if I (or my wife or sister or daughter) do not see it as obligatory to cover their heads/hair, are they less or even not a Christian?”

This might seem to be the next logical step of my argument. If I am willing to argue any positive statement at all, must not there be some consequence for not doing (in this case, head covering) that thing? I will refer to 1 Corinthians 11 to see if there is an eternal consequence. The only word I see used is “Dishonor” when referring to a woman who does not cover while praying or prophesying (speaking out for the Truth). This word means to blush at or be ashamed over. I do not see in any other context where a woman who dismisses the head covering injunction receives some eternal reward or punishment.

[Blueletter Bible has a great clickable Greek/Hebrew concordance built into their search records.]

You are no less a Christ-follower if you do not cover your head.

Now that we are clear on that ground rule in the debate, let us turn to this idea of blushing at something one may do or not do. This is a tricky matter, because this idea changes from one context to the next. Aha! you might say, then the HC issue was cultural/contextual! Because we no longer blush at a woman wearing brazenly bouffant hair to church (being facetious here - sort of), then we are “free” of the injunction. Not quite so fast, my friend.

My belief and practice surrounding the head covering stems from the Bible and from Tradition. Yeah, I lost many of my fundamentalist friends with the “T” word. They don’t like doing something because other people have been doing it for 1960 years. They’re different. Oh. Really. We can argue over that at another time. What I see in the Biblical text and from the practice of my Christian ancestors in both the Catholic/Orthodox and Protestant camps is that the veiling of women is a cultural practice born out of a Biblical injunction. It is both. One created the other. We cannot jettison one thing without losing the other.

Wendy Shalit does a much better job (though from a Jewish perspective) illustrating how losing the ability to blush is a consequential series of acts. She wrote Girls Gone Mild.

Is there anything to gain from veiling yourself? Speaking as a lone-coverer, I can list some benefits:

• You can’t hide in your closet from Sunday to Sunday. You must be transparent with everyone about your faith. It is an awesome responsibility. This is a good thing because I learn how to be honest about my faults. People like that.
• Interfaith relations are much easier with Muslims and Observant Jews. They are rather surprised and pleased to meet a Christian woman who not only respects her body by being fully-dressed but that she respects them in the process.
• Door opening and yes ma’ams. Random hugs from other women in Wal-mart. Wow.
• Questions. I get asked daily who/what I am. I tell them. Wearing a Jesus t-shirt usually does not illicit this type of response.
• Prayer is easier for me to remember to do. Not sure if this is strictly an HC thing, but the cloth reminds me that is what I should be doing.
• It makes Jeff happy. He didn’t tell me to do it, but he likes that I am doing it. What is good for him is good for me, too.

Here is a discussion point: What would be one thing that a person could do in your church service that would make you blush? Why?

Easiest Hair Day Ever

Today was the easiest hair day ever. How so? I didn’t even comb it after waking up! If my coworkers only knew how rebellious I am! My trusty black cloth snood is my co-conspirator in this hair-revolution. It covers everything, from forehead to nape of neck.

Here is how I accomplished today’s amazing hair feat: Last night, I braided it, Heidi-style with two braids and small “ouchless” plastic bands. Those little things sure stay put! Slept on the braids all night. They looked pretty good after all that tossing and turning, but the hair above it was fluffed up. I whetted a comb and slicked down the fluffy parts. I picked up another plastic band and tied the two braids together in the back. Then I slipped on the snood right over the whole design and I was ready to go!

This hair escapade is part of my larger plan to wean my hair and scalp off of daily washings. My hair is almost to the middle of my back, so it is past time to be more gentle. I am aiming for every other day to start. How many times do you long-haired ladies wash your tresses?

Letting my hair down

Quite literally! On the whole of Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, I let my hair down or never put it up. I had washed it on Weds. morning and let it air-dry. Its been over 2 weeks since I started covering every day. My hair is either in a bun or ponytail for 3/4 of the day. Feeling my hair hanging free after that time was an odd experience! Look at how long it has grown…ok, not that much difference, but my feeble brain had forgotten.

On a bright note, I received a care package from Prayer Coverings of white clippies and light brown hair nets yesterday. I left out the baggie with the hair nets in it and Jeff came out of the bedroom last night hold it out like some sort of alien substance! I showed him what they were. Very cool, he pronounced.

This morning I tested out a hair net on a basic bun. Wow, how did I live without these? My bun looks so neat and no pins are threatening to fall out. I am also wearing a white kerchief with matching clippies.  Boy, I’m feeling like an official covered lady now! I’ll post some photos this weekend of how I make my bun and attach the kerchief.