Medieval Hairstyles
Medieval hairstyles are not those same hairstyles that people see on Robin Hood, but rather are complex and often dirty styles that express richness and vanity. In the medieval times, bathing was rare and washing one's hair was infrequent. The hairstyles were designed to last for considerable amounts of time and were rarely freshened up. Hence, the popularity of lap dogs which were kept to draw fleas away from the woman, and onto the dog.
Most medieval hairstyles were shaped using wire and ribbons. Such hairstyles were designed no matter if the hair was dirty or clean. These hairstyles often took on shapes such as castle towers and hearts. The ribbons used often represented the different families that the women represented.
Because bathing was rare due to the belief that nudity was evil and sinful, it was not uncommon for animals, birds, and insects to live in the hair. This was all combated by the lap dog. Often the lap dog would be responsible for chasing out rodents and would be responsible for attracting the insects to it rather than have those insects on the woman.
Medieval hairstyles for men consisted primarily of wigs and of very short hairstyles. The wigs would be treated to help prevent the infestation of bugs and other animals, while the natural hair would be kept short as to keep it under the wig and clear of such infestations. The lap dog was not employed as much by men as it was by women.
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