Mary+Immaculate<3 Posted July 2, 2014 Share Posted July 2, 2014 Alright maybe some you the former sisters here could answer this. How do nuns keep on kind of veil that "wrap around" the head (rather then a veil that lies on top of a wimple)? I know that some orders (like SSVM) have a little cap that ties on and that keeps the veil from slipping as much. The reason I ask is because I would think some women might have a dilemma. I for example have very smooth, oily hair, which on days might cause the veil to slip back farther than I want. Women who have tight, spiral curls or coarse hair probably don't have as many problems. So, what do nuns with silky hair do? Does a safety pin do just fine? Do they use bobby pins? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 (edited) Alright maybe some you the former sisters here could answer this. How do nuns keep on kind of veil that "wrap around" the head (rather then a veil that lies on top of a wimple)? I know that some orders (like SSVM) have a little cap that ties on and that keeps the veil from slipping as much. The reason I ask is because I would think some women might have a dilemma. I for example have very smooth, oily hair, which on days might cause the veil to slip back farther than I want. Women who have tight, spiral curls or coarse hair probably don't have as many problems. So, what do nuns with silky hair do? Does a safety pin do just fine? Do they use bobby pins? Thanks! I've never been a religious, but my friend (the same one who made first vows earlier today) told me that most orders have a flexible plastic headband inside the veil. If you've ever seen the Sisters of Life or Nashville Dominicans, you know their veils are formed. That's because of this plastic piece. From what my friend told me, it helps prevent the veil from slipping. You can wear it further forward on your forehead and then it won't pose such a problem. Plus, bobby pins do well. My friend brought some just in case she needed some (plus, they are useful when you are trying to keep your hair in place; a lot of times, the hair wants to come out the sides). You could also try a cloth headband for more control. One of my friends with kinky, curly hair had to do this when she got the veil (her hair was cut, too). :) Edited July 3, 2014 by MaterMisericordiae Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luigi Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 I have two aunts who are Dominicans - both over fifty years in the congregation. They went through the change in habit from the traditional to the modified, including the shorter veil without the wimple. One of them is quite a jokester and she told us that, in the days of the new shorter veil, the sisters adapted the sign of the cross because their veils were constantly slipping. They said "In the name of the father" (touch the forehead), "and of the son" (touch the sternum), "and of the holy( (touch the left shoulder), "spirit" (touch the right shoulder), "Amen"(tug the veil back in place). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary+Immaculate<3 Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 I've never been a religious, but my friend (the same one who made first vows earlier today) told me that most orders have a flexible plastic headband inside the veil. If you've ever seen the Sisters of Life or Nashville Dominicans, you know their veils are formed. That's because of this plastic piece. From what my friend told me, it helps prevent the veil from slipping. You can wear it further forward on your forehead and then it won't pose such a problem. Plus, bobby pins do well. My friend brought some just in case she needed some (plus, they are useful when you are trying to keep your hair in place; a lot of times, the hair wants to come out the sides). You could also try a cloth headband for more control. One of my friends with kinky, curly hair had to do this when she got the veil (her hair was cut, too). :) That's good to know! :) I have two aunts who are Dominicans - both over fifty years in the congregation. They went through the change in habit from the traditional to the modified, including the shorter veil without the wimple. One of them is quite a jokester and she told us that, in the days of the new shorter veil, the sisters adapted the sign of the cross because their veils were constantly slipping. They said "In the name of the father" (touch the forehead), "and of the son" (touch the sternum), "and of the holy( (touch the left shoulder), "spirit" (touch the right shoulder), "Amen"(tug the veil back in place). Nice xD They should have stuck with a cap underneath and made it easy on themselves. That sounds like an unnecessary penance :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philosophette Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 We have a metal headband that slips in our veils. On the underside is a piece of bias tape attached to the veil and the headband slips in there. It is adjustable, so the Sister can make it as loose or as tight as she needs to. I have never really had a problem with mine slipping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sr Mary Catharine OP Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Alright maybe some you the former sisters here could answer this. How do nuns keep on kind of veil that "wrap around" the head (rather then a veil that lies on top of a wimple)? I know that some orders (like SSVM) have a little cap that ties on and that keeps the veil from slipping as much. The reason I ask is because I would think some women might have a dilemma. I for example have very smooth, oily hair, which on days might cause the veil to slip back farther than I want. Women who have tight, spiral curls or coarse hair probably don't have as many problems. So, what do nuns with silky hair do? Does a safety pin do just fine? Do they use bobby pins? Thanks! Veils are usually pinned or snapped to a cap. If we didn't wear a cap the veil would get dirty quickly. I know some communities wear headbands with their veils but I don't know why. they aren't really necessary. I guess it's just the way they do it. Maybe they don't use pins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sr. Dominica Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 For bigger veils, yes, caps, plastic forms and a wire band in the hem. For the lighter, modern slinky veils with no cap, the secret is VELCRO. A length of the grippy side is sewn under the front hem and grips onto the hair! Sticks like .... to a ....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egeria Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 At one point in my life I thought I could write a book entitled, "101 ways to keep a veil on your head, most of them unsuccessful." Suffice it to say, that if you have the wrong sort of hair, ears and head, and if you have a community that doesn't want it to be too far forward, keeping a modern "minimal" veil on can be a nightmare. I really never thought it would be that much of an issue, but it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruuuthio Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Just for a quick laugh. I asked the CFR sisters how their veils stayed on. One sister said the are sewn on at final vows and another told me they are glued on!!! I'm not sure I ever got a serious answer as we were too busy laughing at the fact that for a moment I actually believed them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximillion Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 We had (post modernisation) a little cap and the veil was velcro-ed to that. BUT as a postulant we had to wear a stupid little black short veil direct on our hair......between skipping/running/dancing/ doing what I was not supposed to do, it NEVER stayed on. And I lost bobby pins in a cascade. The Sister who was on sweeping-the-cloister-duty got used to slipping the cascaded pins into my hand as we went into refectory or as I served the meal.....a real trial. It was one of the modernisations I approved of when we stopped using them for the postulants. They had a neat little black mantilla. How I envied them, in retrospect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
be_thou_my_vision Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 My former community has a sort of amish-bonnet thing with a wire in it. The sister bends the wire to fit her head. The veil is sewn so that the frame can be placed inside a flap in the veil and then placed on the head. If a picture is more helpful, here are some pictures of my investiture with my VERY solid veil and frame: http://ssfpa.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=202 It was actually extremely sturdy. In my 4 years of wearing the veil, it never once fell off. Funny story, oftentimes I would be a night adoration and doze off... when I woke up my head would be in the same neutral position in which I fell asleep. The reason being that I was leaning against my veil and the back of the pew, and my veil was so sturdy on my head that it held my head up as I slept... hahahhhaaa! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sister Marie Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 My former community has a sort of amish-bonnet thing with a wire in it. The sister bends the wire to fit her head. The veil is sewn so that the frame can be placed inside a flap in the veil and then placed on the head. If a picture is more helpful, here are some pictures of my investiture with my VERY solid veil and frame:http://ssfpa.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=202 It was actually extremely sturdy. In my 4 years of wearing the veil, it never once fell off. Funny story, oftentimes I would be a night adoration and doze off... when I woke up my head would be in the same neutral position in which I fell asleep. The reason being that I was leaning against my veil and the back of the pew, and my veil was so sturdy on my head that it held my head up as I slept... hahahhhaaa! It must be a common experience for anyone who has ever been a sister to, at some point, use veil position to keep their head upright at prayers. I have at one time or another been guilty of this as well! No one knows you might have dozed if your head is still upright! I've never had a problem with my veil slipping off although there have been times I've wondered if I even remembered to put it on. I really don't even feel it anymore. I wear a veil similar in style to what be thou my vision linked to but I wouldn't call the mesh lining particularly sturdy and I don't put a headband in it even though it is made for one. Once I break a veil in, it seems to just mold to my head and naturally rests where I like it to. Maybe I have a good shaped head, lol, but I've never had a problem with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 My former community has a sort of amish-bonnet thing with a wire in it. The sister bends the wire to fit her head. The veil is sewn so that the frame can be placed inside a flap in the veil and then placed on the head. If a picture is more helpful, here are some pictures of my investiture with my VERY solid veil and frame: http://ssfpa.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=202 It was actually extremely sturdy. In my 4 years of wearing the veil, it never once fell off. Funny story, oftentimes I would be a night adoration and doze off... when I woke up my head would be in the same neutral position in which I fell asleep. The reason being that I was leaning against my veil and the back of the pew, and my veil was so sturdy on my head that it held my head up as I slept... hahahhhaaa! Did the wire bonnet look similar to these? http://stores.wrightscatalog.com/mesh-frames/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AveMariaPurissima Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 My postulant veil was a half-circle piece of fabric with two strings that tied behind the neck...and yes, it did slip frequently, but as long as I had it tied tight enough, it wasn't too much of a problem... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
be_thou_my_vision Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 Did the wire bonnet look similar to these? http://stores.wrightscatalog.com/mesh-frames/ Yep! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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