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Mark Fitzpatrick's avatar

Fascinating stuff! Something that occurred to me in my first quick reading (I'm in the middle of working on posting my books out!), that I don't *think* you mention, is this: I remember either someone suggesting this to me, or this occurring to me (can't remember which) : that "loose women" might also refer to the kind of woman who wears her hair loose or uncovered. I know that in Irish, British, French society up until the 1950s, repectable adult women would never be seen in public with their hair unbound - ie, not in a bun or chignon or more elaborate coiffure of plaits and loops, etc, and in exterior settings would be almost invariably wearing a hat ; in earlier Irish society (and I believe in Medieval/Early Modern British and French as well), "loose" hair was strongly associated with either a girl-child, a very low-class person, an "uncivilised" person, or indeed a forest-dweller, nymph, or Fae. It is significant too that both mermaids and some "Washer at the Ford" type Beann Sidhe-figures would be combing their loose hair, and even sometimes using the comb as a sharp weapon ; "loose" or "unbound" hair was also associated with private and intimate moments in the bedchamber, at her toilette, or with carnal relations, and therefore prostitutes ... I'm not 100% sure of all of this, but I think I've read/thought about it and it seems to make sense .... What do you say?

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