Ok, that was 1969. I’m throwing back to 1650 when hair was such a bother for peasants. Girls younger than twelve could leave their hair loose or braided. Once a girl reached puberty, she was expected to cover her hair, perhaps braid it and gather it under her cap for modesty. Keeping the hair under wraps was practical…cleaner and out of the way for work. Hair was exposed only by young girls, brides, and scandalous women of ill-repute.
Men usually wore their hair about shoulder length. It would be chopped off by the wives, using a knife, or if wealthy enough, by a barber/surgeon/dentist.
Wigs for men became popular in about 1630 when Louis XIII began losing his hair. They were expensive, so reserved for the wealthy, nobles, and high-ranking officers. Military men wore wigs on parade or for ceremonies but did not wear them into battle…then they’d tie their natural hair into a ponytail, called a peruke.
What was under the wigs? Balding heads, shorn stubble, skull caps, and powder. The powder was used to cut down on the odor and deter lice. Ugh.
Which era would you prefer? 1650? 1969? 2026?
If you love the peasant era, join me on my historical fiction Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1185865059974956
Jeanne Meeks ~ Fiction Author 