Interesting Amish article with pictures

[Red89]

I couldn't find a date for this article so I'm sorry if it's been posted before.

I found this article on how the Amish put their hair up (in this group) and it has lots of pictures with it. I thought it was interesting.

http://www.amishworkshops.com/among-the-amish/pinning-up-amish-hair.html

[Othala]

That is very interesting, thank you. I wonder if hair is stressed or weakened at the points where it is folded onto itself like that. I do like the way the bun net is secured. Very neat.

[Catladyintown]

Red89 Thank you:D for sharing the website very detailed instructions on how they put up their buns .

[rock007junkie]

The idea of the bun net was pretty neat

[Sillage]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing!

[barely.there]

didn't know the Amish could use the internet. :P

thanks for posting the directions for the buns. I love seeing how different cultures care for their hair :)

[heidi w.]

That's kind of neat. I saw a glimpse of the type of hairpin she is using, and it wasn't a traditional form of a bobby pin. These pins are more expensive, and a harder kind of metal.

I find folding the hair interesting as opposed to twisting the length then spiraling it. So, under those caps are a lot of hair!!

I found it interesting that the model, Mary, is around 12 and her mother still does her hair up for her.

heidi w.

[DaniVerde]

Very interesting!

[heidi w.]

I want to put a positive word in for the use of a hairnet in many hairstyles. It can help secure an updo, make a given area of an updo or an entire updo appear more tidy. I have used nets many times in the past. And you can purchase nets that more closely match your hair color even if you're gray haired or blonde.

heidi w.

[Bagginslover]

So THAT'S what Amish pins are! I've seen them mentioned and had no idea, I am enabled!!

I have often wondered how they do their hair under their hats (I actually really love the name 'kapp' for them) it looks very comfortable.

[Renate]

I don't see what the barrettes are for... But the hairnet reminds of my ballet days :)

[heidi w.]

I don't see what the barrettes are for... But the hairnet reminds of my ballet days :)

The barrettes are to hold the side hair so that not a lot of whispies escape too much. It helps provide support to the hair being drawn back.

heidi w.

[punkcatknitter]

That was very interesting. She certainly has beautiful long hair.

My aunt, who lives in amish country in Pennsylvania, says that a lot of the amish women have receding hairlines from how tightly they pull their hair back day after day.

[supercupcakexx]

I find it interesting how they put up their buns by folding them instead of spiraling them in any way. It's always fascinating to see a glimpse into the way that they (and any other cultures/groups of people) do things differently--especially hair! :p

Thanks for sharing! :D

[Carolyn]

didn't know the Amish could use the internet. :P

thanks for posting the directions for the buns. I love seeing how different cultures care for their hair :)I'm going to guess that the author/photographer is not Amish. You will notice that care was taken not to show faces. The Amish don't believe in graven images which would be a photo. I've seen a few but it's rare for pictures to be taken. I'm very respectful and careful in how I take pictures when I am visiting an Amish area. As for the internet they wouldn't be able to have the internet simply because old order Amish homes would not have electricity so the internet would be a moot point. I have a distant relative who designs quilt patterns and is a Mennonite in Kalona, Iowa. She has internet along with phone and fax and all that for her business. She told me she had to join a different church to be able to do that. I don't remember all the details and it's been a few years since I've seen her. I think we have a couple of Mennonite LHC members so perhaps they will jump in and explain more.

[pepperminttea]

That's really interesting, thanks for the link! :D I love these little insights into what feels like a secret world.

You might also find this thread (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=30688) interesting, which has details of another Amish style, nicknamed Amish braids. :)

[leslissocool]

I love Amish hair! Thank you for posting this!

[Celtic Morla]

I doubt they are old order. Old Order actually twist the hair from the hairline thru the ear which is why they go bald thru their part. The hair is under great strain. I have seen the twist done and I would not want to sit still for it!!!Hutterite actually do a light twist under fromt he hairline thru the ears then they braid it an dput it up. Every sect seems to have a different way of doing their hair, just as varied as their dress choices

[Celtic Morla]

So THAT'S what Amish pins are! I've seen them mentioned and had no idea, I am enabled!!



I have amish pins and I love them I can use just 3-4 to hold my waist length hair in a twist bun! They stay in place a lot better than bobby pins and because of the size you can gather more hair as you secure themwhich seems to anchor them better. I get about a dozen for $1.85 at th eBulk Food store I go to. They are dullish when I get them but shine up with wear(wierd eh?)

[Tisiloves]

I found it interesting that the model, Mary, is around 12 and her mother still does her hair up for her.

heidi w.

Some Amish orders/sub-sects ban the use of mirrors as it is seen to encourage vanity, so the only way to make sure that your hair is done properly is to get someone else to do it.

ETA: Apparently, I can't find a reliable source, and I have doubts as to the accuracy of the documantary I got it from.

[Kat]

Many of the sites that sell Christian religious headcoverings have instructions for various buns. Here's one with several examples:

http://www.prayercoverings.com/pages/howtomakeabun.php


Many seem to use an method that involves one or two large barrettes (I laugh at the thought of getting all my hair into such a thing, but my hair is quite thick) and folding the hair up over it, similar to Mary's style. I've always wondered if there is damage from the hair being pulled up against the barrette and rubbing against it all day.

I'm not sure if communities tend to all do their hair the same (I don't imagine there's a certain prescribed hairstyle, but it may simply be due to tradition or trends), or if it varies according to the person and what she's found works best for her own hair.

I keep thinking of trying the Amish pins-- I use the plastic Good Hair Days pins but those tend to stretch and discolor and sometimes break when they get too old. I've worried the Amish pins will slip, though (I know some makers put bends in theirs, though), am not sure what length to get, and those pointy ends make me a bit nervous (says the chick who wears double-pointed knitting needles as hairsticks, but that's different!). I could see me scraping the hell out of my head trying to put them in, if one is in wrong and is poking me it would be uber-annoying, etc.


I know some Amish are allowed to ride in someone else's car, use someone else's phone, etc. (so they will sometimes pay Englischer neighbors for a ride to a far-away doctor app't, etc.). I do not know if this allowance extends to using someone else's internet, though... perhaps for a business or other some such, or it may be permissible to have someone else run a website for them, to sell their goods?



Some Amish orders/sub-sects ban the use of mirrors as it is seen to encourage vanity, so the only way to make sure that your hair is done properly is to get someone else to do it.


That makes sense (the mirror thing), though I doubt it's that critical. I dunno about you all, but I can easily *feel* if my hair is smooth in front when it's pulled back, and the rest is covered by a cap, veil, or other headcovering so it really doesn't matter if it's perfectly tidy (maybe that matters to them, but it sure wouldn't to me). Plus with enough practice, as we all know from learning various styles, you pretty much come to do it perfectly every time anyway.

[DaniVerde]

I found it interesting that the model, Mary, is around 12 and her mother still does her hair up for her.

heidi w.

Maybe her mother is only doing her hair for her in this picture series?

I can imagine that it is easier to take pictures of someone's hair being done, than to try to angle a camera around the hands of someone doing their own hair...

[mrs_coffee]

ITA the women in the tutorial are not Amish. Their dresses have buttons and the mother's forearms are exposed, so conservative Mennonite makes more sense. Around here even the beachy Amish do not wear buttons or shortened sleeves.

[Celtic Morla]

Some Amish orders/sub-sects ban the use of mirrors as it is seen to encourage vanity, so the only way to make sure that your hair is done properly is to get someone else to do it.

ETA: Apparently, I can't find a reliable source, and I have doubts as to the accuracy of the documantary I got it from.

It is true about mirrors. Some will have only a small one for checking that something is done right but large ones are a nono. Some sects dont have them at all. I asked these questions many years ago of a tour guide in Lancaster and she was one who left a pretty tight Mennonnite order to marry into a looser sect and she had relatives that were even stricter sects. But I was a teen then and didn't remember all the different types she was talkingabout

[barely.there]

I'm going to guess that the author/photographer is not Amish. You will notice that care was taken not to show faces. The Amish don't believe in graven images which would be a photo. I've seen a few but it's rare for pictures to be taken. I'm very respectful and careful in how I take pictures when I am visiting an Amish area. As for the internet they wouldn't be able to have the internet simply because old order Amish homes would not have electricity so the internet would be a moot point. I have a distant relative who designs quilt patterns and is a Mennonite in Kalona, Iowa. She has internet along with phone and fax and all that for her business. She told me she had to join a different church to be able to do that. I don't remember all the details and it's been a few years since I've seen her. I think we have a couple of Mennonite LHC members so perhaps they will jump in and explain more.

I think thats interesting that she had to switch churches... I remember coming across a picture book as I was on travels, and it was about the Amish children and the freeing lifestyle they have. They showed the faces. The book was very inspiring to me, I loved it. I grew up in Southern Alberta and there are a lot of Mennonite communities in that area. I have only visited their farms a couple times but I really enjoyed it as I love seeing self (or even partial) sustainability. They bring their produce to farmers markets. Its very yummy!!!

I was just pointing out the oxymoron of an Amish website, whether or not its run by them :P

[Red89]

I'm glad so many people have enjoyed it. To clear things up the person taking the pictures is indeed not amish. He talks about meeting a family about 25 years ago and how he has kept in touch with them. He visits them often, as well as some other families in the area, and takes pictures. He talks about their lives and has seen both weddings and funerals in this group of people.

I danced competitively for 10 years, and I still study ballet, so the hairnet was not a surprise to me since we are required to use them. I found the folding interesting though. It makes me wonder about the weight distribution to secure it this way instead of twisting.

[Melanie Marie]

I LOVE my Amish pins SO much!!!!!!!

[DaniVerde]

I wish we had Amish pins in Finland....

[jacqueline101]

Its an interesting article.

[heidi w.]

Maybe her mother is only doing her hair for her in this picture series?

I can imagine that it is easier to take pictures of someone's hair being done, than to try to angle a camera around the hands of someone doing their own hair...

I can see the reasoning behind this...Thank you. Kind of a duh moment, but the text made it appear as though the mother did her daughter's hair regularly somehow.

Oh well. Minor detail. All girls should have such a loving mother. I never did.

heidi w.

[DaniVerde]

I can see the reasoning behind this...Thank you. Kind of a duh moment, but the text made it appear as though the mother did her daughter's hair regularly somehow.

Oh well. Minor detail. All girls should have such a loving mother. I never did.

heidi w.

I agree! That's a special moment between mother and daughter...

[Jenw777]

My Grandma puts hers up differently. As do my aunts. They do fold it over, but they use a big barette in the center to clip them in.

[Jenw777]

Yet again, my family is old order, they wear short sleeves and use buttons. It's not unheard of. They also don't just wear brown/black/maroon/ or navy. They wear all colors.


ITA the women in the tutorial are not Amish. Their dresses have buttons and the mother's forearms are exposed, so conservative Mennonite makes more sense. Around here even the beachy Amish do not wear buttons or shortened sleeves.

[Hollyfire3]

My Grandma puts hers up differently. As do my aunts. They do fold it over, but they use a big barette in the center to clip them in.

Just curious, in the link posted earlier in this thread demostrating hair styles to be worn under prayer covering why are clips favored over hair bands? The hair bands seem like they would be much more comfortable and practical. I know for sure that all my thick hair would NEVER fit in one of those clips...and OH the breakage for those whose hair DOES fit.....ouch!

[Jenw777]

I'm not sure WHY they use the barette exactly (probably so their kapps stay in place hair that long and thick makes huge buns). But my grandma and baby sitters used to fix my hair this way and those things are HUGE! When I was younger my hair was so thick that a ponytail holder would go around it once and somehow she managed to get my hair all into one barette! Insane I tell you!

It didn't break my hair though.


Just curious, in the link posted earlier in this thread demostrating hair styles to be worn under prayer covering why are clips favored over hair bands? The hair bands seem like they would be much more comfortable and practical. I know for sure that all my thick hair would NEVER fit in one of those clips...and OH the breakage for those whose hair DOES fit.....ouch!

[Hollyfire3]

I'm not sure WHY they use the barette exactly (probably so their kapps stay in place hair that long and thick makes huge buns). But my grandma and baby sitters used to fix my hair this way and those things are HUGE! When I was younger my hair was so thick that a ponytail holder would go around it once and somehow she managed to get my hair all into one barette! Insane I tell you!

It didn't break my hair though.

WOW! Those barrets sound HUGE, my hair was thick when i was little also, as it is now, i am intrested where they find clips that huge, did your grandma special order them or make them? I would say to heck with them, i'm using hair ties...my pride in breaking rules is one of the many reasons i wouldn't last a day in an amish area (also, filterless, its a problem)....i am amazed they even make barrets that huge! Awsome!

[Red89]

Jenw777~ Thanks so much for the information. I can't imagine getting all that hair to hold with one clip! That's crazy.

I am also from Ohio. We are in Westerville, just north of Columbus

[Littlewing13]

I could so be amish. Except that im not into men with beards. They always seem so content.

[Kat]

I agree! That's a special moment between mother and daughter...

Heh. Clearly Mary does not have tangly hair. Pretty much no one is allowed to touch my hair but me because I'm the only one who knows how to handle it-- anyone else, pretty soon their fingers are tangled in it and I'm shrieking and swearing! And yes, that includes my mom, to her chagrin (my ex quickly learned too after the first time he tried to run his fingers through my hair, he got MAYBE six inches before he hit a big snag and I yelled). (I even get nervous to let my hairdresser touch it, for the same reason i don't let other people: because A. she doesn't do it on a daily basis and so doesn't understand its idiosyncrasies, and B. she is not attached to it, so getting tangled can be rectified with a yank with no consequences to her!)


I assume the barrette vs. elastic is to get the hair spread out into a slightly-flatter formation rather than in one big bunch?

[mrs_coffee]

Yet again, my family is old order, they wear short sleeves and use buttons. It's not unheard of. They also don't just wear brown/black/maroon/ or navy. They wear all colors.

That's interesting! Around here you can always pick out the Old Order because of the dark colored dresses, black capes and kapps. Different Bishops, different rules I guess.

[Hollyfire3]

Heh. Clearly Mary does not have tangly hair. Pretty much no one is allowed to touch my hair but me because I'm the only one who knows how to handle it-- anyone else, pretty soon their fingers are tangled in it and I'm shrieking and swearing! And yes, that includes my mom, to her chagrin (my ex quickly learned too after the first time he tried to run his fingers through my hair, he got MAYBE six inches before he hit a big snag and I yelled). (I even get nervous to let my hairdresser touch it, for the same reason i don't let other people: because A. she doesn't do it on a daily basis and so doesn't understand its idiosyncrasies, and B. she is not attached to it, so getting tangled can be rectified with a yank with no consequences to her!)


I assume the barrette vs. elastic is to get the hair spread out into a slightly-flatter formation rather than in one big bunch?

That makes sense about the barrette, but what about some who have thicker hair (like me) and may find wearing a clip like that uncomfortable, assuming a big enough clip was avaliable? I'm not Amish, but i am curious as to how they would manage this, there must be some of them with hair too thick for a clip or to fit under the covering the wear?

[punkcatknitter]

Each Amish community or order has their own rules and can be VERY different from one another. One might allow buttons but not colors, some even allow electricity but only from a generator, ect.

If their religious beliefs didn't differ from my own I could happily live Amish. I can't wait to get a house in the country so I can start a giant garden and start getting animals. :D

[ArienEllariel]

If their religious beliefs didn't differ from my own I could happily live Amish. I can't wait to get a house in the country so I can start a giant garden and start getting animals. :D

We could so be twins! :D

[Desdesdes]

Very interesting article. My grandmother and her sisters were members of an extremely conservative church. They wore very similar buns and more hat-like head coverings.

I still brushed my daughter's hair pretty often at 12 years old :)

[Hollyfire3]

We could so be twins! :D

I want a ranch with lots of animals and land and a large garden, can i join?:D

[ArienEllariel]

I want a ranch with lots of animals and land and a large garden, can i join?:D

Yes of course! :D Seriously, someone should start a group for country loving, gardening, homesteader/ranching people with a fondness for animals. :p

[sfgirl]

Eh. I'm happy I was allowed to run around with my hair loose when I was little. I liked playing with it, and getting new barrettes and stuff to fit my mood.