Nuns haircut

[puellapaschalis]

@‌ People who commented that they would love to not bother with their hair and just cover it - why don't you? Just curious.

I did for a while - about a year, maybe two? Took it off at night.

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

@‌ People who commented that they would love to not bother with their hair and just cover it - why don't you? Just curious.

Actually, I do when I can get away with it. I often wear a baseball-style cap if I am running errands. I've never liked things like sun hats and it would look odd in my community to wear a kerchief etc. But, since I live in the Midwest, wearing some type of headcovering in winter is pretty common. and winter lasts roughly half the year (snow from late Nov (at the latest) to mid-April).

I have very straight, fine hair that I wore long until my mid-20's because that was the style. I had it cut short (and styled) in my mid-20's and wore it that way for many years.My hair looks much better short. Since I've gotten sick and no longer can work, I wear my hair straight and shoulder-length, unstyled. When I leave the house, I pull my hair back in a short ponytail at the nape of my neck. It's not the best hairstyle, but is not terrible, either. Best of all, it's VERY easy and age-appropriate. 

From these posts, everyone is different. I was never that fond of my long hair, so probably would not have felt sad at cutting it. However, I strongly suspect that my current attitude about my hair is a reflection of my age, and my memory of myself in my 20's could very well be wrong. For me, I'm sure there are other things about convent life that would be very hard to adjust to. For example, I dislike wearing shoes and wear them as little as possible when inside, and have been this way all my life. Since spiritually I am not a Poor Clare, being required to wear shoes or sandals all the time, even when inside, would probably be something I'd have to get used to. That's just one small thing I can think of quickly, I suspect that there would be many big things (like obedience!) that, in the end, would make me unsuited for religious life, even if I had a vocation, and didn't have several health issues (such as a sleep disorder that means I can't get by on only 7-8 hours of sleep, but require more) that would make me canonically unfit for religious life.

Edited July 27, 2015 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[vee]

 

I think the cutting of hair (especially when it has been a prized possession) can be beautifully symbolic of giving up what this world offers for love of Christ.

My thoughts and my hair exactly.

I have nice long hair and if it were to be cut for a religious ceremony it would also symbolize the change in family dynamic.  In my family us women always liked to do each others hair as an often enjoyable, but sometimes not, time of bonding.  As a child my mom or sister would braid my hair or put it up in different styles.  Now as an aunt I enjoy that time with my niece as she takes her turn as hair dresser.  To have it cut and covered would then also be me showing that I am giving to God something I love very much that being my family and time with them, for something I love more, Him. 

[marigold]

I did for a while - about a year, maybe two? Took it off at night.

What made you stop?

Actually, I do when I can get away with it. I often wear a baseball-style cap if I am running errands. I've never liked things like sun hats and it would look odd in my community to wear a kerchief etc. But, since I live in the Midwest, wearing some type of headcovering in winter is pretty common. and winter lasts roughly half the year (snow from late Nov (at the latest) to mid-April).

I have very straight, fine hair that I wore long until my mid-20's because that was the style. I had it cut short (and styled) in my mid-20's and wore it that way for many years.My hair looks much better short. Since I've gotten sick and no longer can work, I wear my hair straight and shoulder-length, unstyled. When I leave the house, I pull my hair back in a short ponytail at the nape of my neck. It's not the best hairstyle, but is not terrible, either. Best of all, it's VERY easy and age-appropriate. 

From these posts, everyone is different. I was never that fond of my long hair, so probably would not have felt sad at cutting it. However, I strongly suspect that my current attitude about my hair is a reflection of my age, and my memory of myself in my 20's could very well be wrong. For me, I'm sure there are other things about convent life that would be very hard to adjust to. For example, I dislike wearing shoes and wear them as little as possible when inside, and have been this way all my life. Since spiritually I am not a Poor Clare, being required to wear shoes or sandals all the time, even when inside, would probably be something I'd have to get used to. That's just one small thing I can think of quickly, I suspect that there would be many big things (like obedience!) that, in the end, would make me unsuited for religious life, even if I had a vocation, and didn't have several health issues (such as a sleep disorder that means I can't get by on only 7-8 hours of sleep, but require more) that would make me canonically unfit for religious life.

Interesting.

I hear you on the shoes issue! Wearing shoes indoors was one of those 'big little things' that was really noticeable when I entered my former community. It didn't bother me - actually it made me feel like a superhero ready for action at all times - but there was that 'woah' feeling of doing something I wasn't used to, every day when I dressed to socks and shoes the minute I got up.

I remember one day there was a huge rainstorm and I got soaked to the bone. Actually it may just have been me losing control of the garden hose but the point is everything was drenched, including shoes. It was nearly time for Vespers so I went and had a shower, got into dry clothes and went down to church just in socks. It was super cosy and I remember feeling like I was really at home rather than at work, as I usually did when I had shoes on. When we were lining up to venerate the icons at the end of the service, one of the older nuns prodded me and glared my feet in a jokey-outraged way. Then she went and got me a pair of her shoes to wear to dinner It was a good day.

[MarysLittleFlower]

Interesting thread I think if its painful to give it up that's all the more reason to do it as a sacrifice to Jesus! I have long hair and the one time I had it shorter as an adult I hated it on me. And it wasn't even that short. It starts doing this wave thing that's half wavy half straight and looks messy. I also just prefer long hair. But if I was entering a convent I would want to get it cut and the symbolism is beautiful  

[Sister Leticia]

In my congregation novices had their hair cut really short at their clothing until about 1967. This was part of the ritual but also very practical, given they'd be wearing an under-cap, bonnet and veil, and were expected to wash and dress very quickly. In 1967 the habit was modified, and there was no longer any need to keep hair closely cropped, plus the clothing ceremony was simplified. Hair fashions had changed as well, so more women were entering with short or shorter hair. A few years later the veil became optional.

There's no requirement on us to keep our hair short, but most of us keep it short or shoulder length (as @‌Nunsuch said in an earlier comment). This is a mixture of practicality and simplicity and being "age appropriate" - in a Western cultural context older women tend to keep their hair short. Iggy referred to her short ponytail as "age appropriate", and those of our sisters with longer hair keep it tied back, usually in a simple bun.

(As an aside, our Indian sisters dress in plain saris and deliberately keep their hair long. They wear it in a bun, according to Indian tradition for older/married women. Short hair is more westernised, as is long hair worn loose. An Indian sister once told me that when she entered her hair could barely be pulled back into a pony tail because it had been short, and she was told she had to keep GROWING it until it was long enough to wear in a bun!)

I already had short hair when I entered, as did others of my contemporaries - or else collar length. One of our newer members has long wavy hair which she ties back, and it'll be up to her to determine when and whether to cut it, how short etc - but the other newer sisters and novices have short or collar length hair. Some of us might need to spend longer on our hair because it's thick or curly or unruly or whatever, and we need to look presentable and tidy, and appropriately smart for our ministries. Mostly, though, I'd say our hair and its length isn't an issue for us, which is good and right, as then we can focus on other things.

 

 

[MarysLittleFlower]

I was actually thinking about that... I guess it is more culturally accepted for older women to have short hair in the West. But what about wearing hair up or in a bun? If I was older I'd probably do that (unless I was a nun with a veil of course)

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

Obviously there is no one fashion in the U.S., but in general (although there are LOTS of exceptions) women tend to wear their hair long through their mid- to late-twenties, and somewhere along the way start to wear their hair shorter (although not necessarily "short"). Although there is no rule that women should wear their hair shorter after they get married, a lot of women do tend to wear their hair shorter after marriage, probably because it is easier to take care of when they have children.

In general, women over 40 or 50 don't wear their hair long, but wear it shoulder length or shorter. If they do keep their hair long, they tend to wear it up, although long hair on older women is the exception. However, there are no hard and fast rules about long hair on older women. I think that by the time women reach the age of 40 or 50, they know their hair, and how it looks best, and choose to wear it that way. 

There are some women over 30 who wear their hair up, but not a lot. I think part of this is that, if not styled well, a bun etc is felt to make a woman look older or look frumpy. (Obviously, if styled well, wearing your hair up can be very flattering, depending on the shape of your face.)

I wear my hair shoulder length, but pulled back at the nape of my neck. This isn't necessarily the most flattering style for me, but it is very easy and very cheap--I don't need to get my hair cut very often. Also, I've reached a point where I don't care as much about how I look.

Everything I've said above has exceptions, but one good thing about the U.S. is that I think that in most places a woman has a lot of freedom to find a hair style that looks good on her, and isn't tied to what is fashionable. After all, most magazine models are in their teens or early 20's and fashion doesn't apply as much after age 30. There is a lot of truth in the statement that women in the U.S. become "invisible" after about age 40-50. Rather than find this discouraging, I find it restful. It means that I can wear clothes and hairstyles that suit me and are comfortable. Since I'm "invisible" I don't need to try to stay fashionable. When it doesn't suit me to be "invisible," I am very articulate and can make myself noticed if I choose to. 

[AccountDeleted]

Actually, I do when I can get away with it. I often wear a baseball-style cap if I am running errands. I've never liked things like sun hats and it would look odd in my community to wear a kerchief etc. But, since I live in the Midwest, wearing some type of headcovering in winter is pretty common. and winter lasts roughly half the year (snow from late Nov (at the latest) to mid-April).

I have very straight, fine hair that I wore long until my mid-20's because that was the style. I had it cut short (and styled) in my mid-20's and wore it that way for many years.My hair looks much better short. Since I've gotten sick and no longer can work, I wear my hair straight and shoulder-length, unstyled. When I leave the house, I pull my hair back in a short ponytail at the nape of my neck. It's not the best hairstyle, but is not terrible, either. Best of all, it's VERY easy and age-appropriate. 

From these posts, everyone is different. I was never that fond of my long hair, so probably would not have felt sad at cutting it. However, I strongly suspect that my current attitude about my hair is a reflection of my age, and my memory of myself in my 20's could very well be wrong. For me, I'm sure there are other things about convent life that would be very hard to adjust to. For example, I dislike wearing shoes and wear them as little as possible when inside, and have been this way all my life. Since spiritually I am not a Poor Clare, being required to wear shoes or sandals all the time, even when inside, would probably be something I'd have to get used to. That's just one small thing I can think of quickly, I suspect that there would be many big things (like obedience!) that, in the end, would make me unsuited for religious life, even if I had a vocation, and didn't have several health issues (such as a sleep disorder that means I can't get by on only 7-8 hours of sleep, but require more) that would make me canonically unfit for religious life.

I'm with you on the shoes thing, Iggy. I love that in Asia, many places require you to take off shoes before entering. I take off my shoes as soon as I enter the house and either wear thick socks (bed socks sometimes) or slippers - but even these can be too much sometimes and I kick them off. I have a pair of slip on shoes next to the front door in case I have to go outside to check the mail, move the rubbish bins etc but no shoes in the house!  I couldn't be a Poor Clare though because they go barefoot and I love socks! My feet get too cold.

And my hair style is probably pretty much like yours - just past my shoulders so I can put it in a pony tail, or leave it out, or put it in a twistie bun. Getting older has its advantages - vanity takes a back seat most of the time.  

[sr.christinaosf]

My thoughts and my hair exactly.

I have nice long hair and if it were to be cut for a religious ceremony it would also symbolize the change in family dynamic.  In my family us women always liked to do each others hair as an often enjoyable, but sometimes not, time of bonding.  As a child my mom or sister would braid my hair or put it up in different styles.  Now as an aunt I enjoy that time with my niece as she takes her turn as hair dresser.  To have it cut and covered would then also be me showing that I am giving to God something I love very much that being my family and time with them, for something I love more, Him. 

Nice...that resonates with me...My mom and my sister and I used to "fool with" each others' hair -it felt good and was relaxing.  

[Mary Marguerite]

I've been told that (in some orders) a postulant's hair, after it is cut, is put in a container (such as a plastic bag), labeled and stored on the off-chance that, should the person become a saint, the hair is part of the relic of that person.  Is this an actual practice?  (Was told by member of the order, so not an urban legend, unless the nun was joking.)

[Antigonos]

It would surprise me  a bit, as hair keeps growing.  In a large community, eventually, if all cuttings were kept, entire mattresses could be stuffed <g>

On a somewhat related topic, if your hair is 30 cm or longer, you can donate it to an organization which uses it to make wigs for those in chemotherapy.  My granddaughter [9] here in Jerusalem just donated her hair, which she'd especially let grow long for that purpose.

[Mary Marguerite]

As I understood it, the hair kept was just the first ceremonial cut, not additional haircuts, but you do make a good point. 

[JHFamily]

When my daughter became a novice a year ago, she first put it in two braids. They cut the braids off, wrapped them up, and gave them to her father and I. I know this is also true with the Poor Clare Collettines and the Benedictines of Mary, as well.  Personally, I don't know of any community that keeps the hair for themselves.

[GraceUk]

In A right to be Merry, the author describes the clothing. And says the hair is boxed up and tied with ribbons by the other novices and given to the new novices mother. Not sure how I feel about this.  Don't think I'd be keen.