Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Ask Aunt Tillie: That Crockhead Look

Blogger's Note: Since this blog is somewhat Amishcentric, I get questions from time to time from readers about Amish life and culture, which I refer to my Aunt Tillie, an opinionated, but humble Amish woman. Here is a recent question and answer. Please leave a comment or email me if you have questions you want me to refer to her in the future.

Dear Aunt Tillie:

I run a beauty salon on the West Coast. Since the Women's Wear Daily article on Amish fashion as the wave of the future, I have been getting more and more people coming in wanting an Amish-style haircut. I had read somewhere that the Amish cut their hair using an inverted bowl to get the lines right in front and back. In order to be authentic, I have used hand-thrown pottery bowls with a dark glaze. But the (excuse my language, but it really is necessary here) "damned" bowls keep falling off and breaking. Would it be permissible to use a Tupperware bowl, or do you think that would just be too hochmut?

Signed "Frustrated Hair Designer"

Dear Frustrated:

Maybe 100 years ago, Amish used pottery to give crockhead haircuts, but you know you have to change with the times. I see nothing wrong with using Tupperware other than (excuse my language, but it really is necessary here) "darned" parties to buy it. I used to use gallon ice cream containers, but they are way too big for youngsters. (Of course, with babies, you can use large margarine containers.) I have found the best way to do it is to forget about the bowls and use a chalk line. You just tie the ends of the line around the ears, give it a snap and you've got a nice clean mark to use to cut the hair.

Aunt Tillie

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Aw, where was this advice three weeks ago, before I gave myself the pathos-evoking pre-Mexico haircut in the mirror photo? Timing is everything, Tillie!

Crockhead said...

Welcome back from Mexico. So, you're not going to be moving there? Next time, be sure to ask Aunt Tillie before you start doing anything drastic. She's there for you.

Jess D'Zerts said...

Nope, I'm staying put. I'm just not an international playgirl, I guess. Apparently I should have consulted Aunt Tillie about the Mexico idea, she could have saved me a bundle.

Lauren D. McKinney said...

You have the best posts on Amish haircuts that I ever did read.

Crockhead said...

Thanks Lauren, but are you sure you're not damning with faint praise? I don't think there's exactly a plethora of posts about Amish haircuts.

Lauren D. McKinney said...

Ah, well. I expect it takes a few generations of being ex-Amish to develop a keen sense of irony.