If you wear head coverings

[AnnaM]

I am not being snarky so please dont take offense to this, I understand the religious reasoning behind head covering, but why do some head covering women only wear scarves (or whatever) that cover the tops of their heads? I thought the purpose was to completely cover the hair? I have several facebook acquaintances who only cover the tops ant always seems to defeat the purpose.

[milovany]

I am not being snarky so please dont take offense to this, I understand the religious reasoning behind head covering, but why do some head covering women only wear scarves (or whatever) that cover the tops of their heads? I thought the purpose was to completely cover the hair? I have several facebook acquaintances who only cover the tops ant always seems to defeat the purpose.

 

I think the reason for most who cover is based on the Scripture in 1 Cor. 11, and it doesn't say anything about covering all the hair so none can be seen, as far as I know. It's not something against hair, it's a symbol of something. Hope that helps!

 

(I cover for church services and wear either a triangular scarf tied under my chin, or a long rectangle over the top of my head, crossed under my chin and passed over each shoulder.)

[BakersDozen]

It's not something against hair, it's a symbol of something.

Exactly. :)

[AnnaM]

Then how much you cover is simply down to personal preference or conviction?

 

I am a conservative Christian so I am aware of the verse you referenced :) For some reason I thought there was some sort of guideline. Perhaps that even differs according to what specific religion you are? I noticed that Jewish women tend to be more strict about what they cover where those in Orthodoxy range from completely covered to nothing but a headband.

 

Like I said, not being snarky, just generally interested in this topic.

[Wren5]

If you look in the original language it actually references something that covers the "head", different from the "hair" on the head, and gives the impression of something cast about (think like if you have a wrap and you cast it around your shoulders to put it on.) Anyway, that is the general meaning of the original language. I think only certain groups legislate what type of head covering to wear, if your not a part of one of those groups you can wear whatever you feel led to :)

[umsami]

From a Muslim standpoint, the verse in the Qur'an mentions covering one's chest with one's head covering, so that's why you'll see Muslim women with their necks covered as well. (For those who don't think hijab as mandated, they view the verse being about covering one's cleavage, but aren't convinced that it was referring to their head covering.) Some women wear more of a tichel style and then use a turtleneck, but most just use a square, triangular, or rectangular scarf and wrap it in such a way as to cover their hair and chest. If you're ever curious, there are a gazillion how to hijab videos on youtube.

 

But as to the original post, up until the late 1950s, most American women wore hats--covering the tops of the head, while not all of their hair. It was what "proper" women did--especially at church, but elsewhere as well. So my guess is the smaller covers are in a way a take off on that (or vice versa).

[Violet Crown]

I think the reason for most who cover is based on the Scripture in 1 Cor. 11, and it doesn't say anything about covering all the hair so none can be seen, as far as I know. It's not something against hair, it's a symbol of something.

 

:iagree:

My reasons are less directly Scriptural and more conformist - nearly two millennia of Christian women wore head coverings, and who am I to stand out from the crowd? - but it's never been a matter for legalism in Christian tradition, and so isn't for me. The purpose isn't to hide my hair but to be swept up and lose myself in the grand current of Christian worship.

[Trish]

I am not being snarky so please dont take offense to this, I understand the religious reasoning behind head covering, but why do some head covering women only wear scarves (or whatever) that cover the tops of their heads? I thought the purpose was to completely cover the hair? I have several facebook acquaintances who only cover the tops ant always seems to defeat the purpose.

 

What is the purpose?

[Katy]

I'm not a head covering person, but there are several religious groups around here who basically will pin a doily to the top of a woman's head. They're generally in a spin off of a Mennonite group.

 

I asked one of them about it once, and she quoted I Corinthians 11: 3-16, and said that it wasn't about modesty, it was about submission to God, and that because she should always have something on her head when she prayed, she always kept something on her head because her goal was to pray without ceasing.

[milovany]

I am a conservative Christian so I am aware of the verse you referenced :) For some reason I thought there was some sort of guideline. Perhaps that even differs according to what specific religion you are? I noticed that Jewish women tend to be more strict about what they cover where those in Orthodoxy range from completely covered to nothing but a headband.

 

Like I said, not being snarky, just generally interested in this topic.

 

I don't think you're being snarky! Just looking for info. It varies throughout the Eastern Orthodox church, and especially in America and maybe Greece, you'll find more Orthodox who don't cover. It's been my experience that if you're Orthodox and are going to cover, it's going to be something that's an obviously added covering, not something that's just stylish/trendy like a head band. I try not to notice how other people are covering, though, and or even if they are, because it's none of my business really. My own salvation is hard enough to work out (it makes me fear and tremble); I can't work out anyone else's.

 

My reasons are less directly Scriptural and more conformist - nearly two millennia of Christian women wore head coverings, and who am I to stand out from the crowd? - but it's never been a matter for legalism in Christian tradition, and so isn't for me. The purpose isn't to hide my hair but to be swept up and lose myself in the grand current of Christian worship.

 

:iagree: Very good post. If you look at the icons of Christian saints throughout the history of the church, there are very, very few who are not covered (St. Mary of Egypt is one -- if you live out in the wilderness for 80 years, you are exempt I imagine ;)). I first came to head covering through "personal conviction," when I was protestant, but now it's because of what is described here. It's what the church has historically done.

[frugalmama]

From a Muslim standpoint, the verse in the Qur'an mentions covering one's chest with one's head covering, so that's why you'll see Muslim women with their necks covered as well. (For those who don't think hijab as mandated, they view the verse being about covering one's cleavage, but aren't convinced that it was referring to their head covering.) Some women wear more of a tichel style and then use a turtleneck, but most just use a square, triangular, or rectangular scarf and wrap it in such a way as to cover their hair and chest. If you're ever curious, there are a gazillion how to hijab videos on youtube.

 

But as to the original post, up until the late 1950s, most American women wore hats--covering the tops of the head, while not all of their hair. It was what "proper" women did--especially at church, but elsewhere as well. So my guess is the smaller covers are in a way a take off on that (or vice versa).

 

Ditto. Except then there are those easing into headcovering and don't fit the mold :D Like myself. I wear shirts as close to my neck as I can stand {I have a terrible gag reflex if anything touches my neck} and then pull my hair back into a bun and cover the whole head with a bandana style head cover. I'm transitioning to wearing hijab full time but not fully comfy with wearing it in some circumstances.

[NASDAQ]

Jewish law is quite specific that the _hair_ is "ervah," private. So the point is to cover the hair. Even a wig is okay as long as the natural hair is covered.

 

AFAIK Christian women who cover their heads do it for different reasons and generally for a reason other than to have the hair covered up (e.g. to conform with tradition, or as a devotional practice, or to conform to scripture about women covering their head). So it makes sense that there's a wider variation, because people are doing it for different reasons, and covering the totality of hair isn't always one.

[Melissa in Australia]

in the next town from me there is a large congregation of exclusive brethren. they mostly wear ( when they are out and about shopping etc) a very thin scarf more like a head band, or a strip of ribbon. I believe they wear more covering in church.

(on a side note they seem to own and run most of the very successful businesses in this town they are very hard working and have beautiful customer service)

[Mom in High Heels]

What an interesting thread! If some of you who wear head coverings aren't shy, could you post a picture? Of course I've seen women with head coverings but over here it seems to mostly be hajibs and I'm curious about partial coverings. How do you keep them on, BTW? It seems like if it only covers the top of your head it would slip off. Hats used to have hat pins to keep them in place. Is there a head covering equivalent?

[Ipsey]

What an interesting thread! If some of you who wear head coverings aren't shy, could you post a picture? Of course I've seen women with head coverings but over here it seems to mostly be hajibs and I'm curious about partial coverings. How do you keep them on, BTW? It seems like if it only covers the top of your head it would slip off. Hats used to have hat pins to keep them in place. Is there a head covering equivalent?

 

This is the sort of veiling I used to wear. It's considered a "hanging veiling". It often snaps in the back, underneath. It's typically secured with a bobby pin at either temple and a couple on either side of the snap.

 

http://www.livingintheshoe.com/2012/06/christian-womans-head-veiling.html

[cottonmama]

If you look in the original language it actually references something that covers the "head", different from the "hair" on the head, and gives the impression of something cast about (think like if you have a wrap and you cast it around your shoulders to put it on.) Anyway, that is the general meaning of the original language. I think only certain groups legislate what type of head covering to wear, if your not a part of one of those groups you can wear whatever you feel led to :)

 

My understanding is that the literal meaning of the Biblical directive has to do with having something that hangs down. I find something like this to meet that need for me.

 

I agree that it's important (a) that it's not a hair covering, but a head covering, and (b) that the covering is a symbol of the woman's submission and not an article used for modesty. So although there's a sense that the covering should come down from the head somewhat, I think that part is not especially clear, and what is clear instead is that the covering should go along with and communicate the kind of attitude that is described in the passage.

[stripe]

AFAIK Christian women who cover their heads do it for different reasons and generally for a reason other than to have the hair covered up (e.g. to conform with tradition, or as a devotional practice, or to conform to scripture about women covering their head). So it makes sense that there's a wider variation, because people are doing it for different reasons, and covering the totality of hair isn't always one.

 

And I always assumed some Christian women are covering as a form of identifying as Christian, and therefore want a distinctive look apart from Jewish and Muslim headcoverings, and the lacy buncover variety is a (but not the) distinctive Christian look. I've seen a few women who wear this sort; aside from obviously Amish women. I think they had bobby pins.

 

I also know African American Christian women who cover their hair. Some of them are apparently covering for convenience or style purposes. Some of them are wearing headwraps, and others hats. This is really common in church. (I also know Rasta people who wear various type of headcoverings, I think, but these look different.)

 

These are the only Christian headcover I have been aware of seeing.

[Violet Crown]

What an interesting thread! If some of you who wear head coverings aren't shy, could you post a picture? Of course I've seen women with head coverings but over here it seems to mostly be hajibs and I'm curious about partial coverings. How do you keep them on, BTW? It seems like if it only covers the top of your head it would slip off. Hats used to have hat pins to keep them in place. Is there a head covering equivalent?

 

This photo isn't of me, but the chapel veil (often called, not quite accurately, a mantilla) looks exactly like mine, and she's wearing it in the same way. It's an especially good illustration of the point that Catholic women are often wearing the less silly headgear. :D

 

Gravity usually does the job for keeping it on, though hairpins are often used.

[milovany]

What an interesting thread! If some of you who wear head coverings aren't shy, could you post a picture? Of course I've seen women with head coverings but over here it seems to mostly be hajibs and I'm curious about partial coverings. How do you keep them on, BTW? It seems like if it only covers the top of your head it would slip off. Hats used to have hat pins to keep them in place. Is there a head covering equivalent?

 

This is kind of what you'll see in an Orthodox church. I'd say about 70% of the women and girls in our parish cover, most wearing the triangular type that ties under the chin or a longish rectangular scarf draped (like in this photo). If you get a non-silky material, it doesn't slip too much. Tying under the chin helps, too.

Edited July 16, 2012 by milovaný

[Suzanne M]

I cover and prefer to cover all of my hair. :)

 

I usually wear a tichel when I go out somewhere.. around the house I more loosely tie a scarf, or a snood.

 

I snapped this pic. before we left for town last week.

[mommy5]

This is all interesting to me. I'm not sure why I never have worn a headcovering and never knew that Christian women still wore them (quite ignorantly, obviously). Something to think about. Thanks OP for starting this thread!!!

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Then how much you cover is simply down to personal preference or conviction?

 

I am a conservative Christian so I am aware of the verse you referenced :) For some reason I thought there was some sort of guideline. Perhaps that even differs according to what specific religion you are? I noticed that Jewish women tend to be more strict about what they cover where those in Orthodoxy range from completely covered to nothing but a headband.

 

Like I said, not being snarky, just generally interested in this topic.

 

I know some Orthodox jewish women who wear wigs to meet this requirement as well so they might be wearing more than a headband possibly.

[NASDAQ]

Generally Orthodox Jewish women wearing headbands are wearing a hair fall and the headband is to cover up where the hair fall meets the real hair.

 

[Mom2Es]

An older lady friend of mine comes from a tradition of covering, and she does cover her hair. The reason SHE does so is because she says the Bible says a woman's hair is a glory to her, and since her worship is intended to glorify God instead of herself, she covers it.

[KarenNC]

Generally Orthodox Jewish women wearing headbands are wearing a hair fall and the headband is to cover up where the hair fall meets the real hair.

 

 

From what I've read, this practice of wigs rather than headcoverings is not without controversy in some Jewish communities, because the wigs make it look like one isn't covering (and may look better than one's real hair).

http://www.vosizneias.com/3819/2006/06/08/israel-need-cash-find-law-permitting/

[mommymilkies]

:lurk5:

[AnnaM]

Generally Orthodox Jewish women wearing headbands are wearing a hair fall and the headband is to cover up where the hair fall meets the real hair.

 

 

Hmm that is interesting!

[Jpoy85]

I know its a bit of an older thread, but im new to head covering and cant wait to find a covering that works for me. I do it for personal convictions.

Edited August 4, 2012 by Jpoy85

[mytwomonkeys]

our church has quite a few older mennonite women. they wear very small head coverings... sort of like a heavily starched little white plain covering that usually isn't much bigger than their bun. kinda like this picture... they wear them all of the time.

[Violet Crown]

Its wore by not now, because of its not publicity and lower in wearing so if we move back hmmm since 10 past years we can see women mostly wore these to away their hairs from their face and its also increase their face beauty.

 

You are right but I think traditions get changes day by day as time passes away. May be people do it only as a formality now a days.

 

I'm not sure exactly what these comments mean, nor why this old thread should suddenly attract two new commenters with a very similar style. But if they mean that women have traditionally covered their heads in worship in order to keep hair out of their face, or to increase facial beauty, and that women who now choose counterculturally to worship with their heads covered are only doing it as a formality, then I must strongly disagree.

Edited September 4, 2012 by Sharon in Austin
Typing incompetence