In this era of lavish lifestyles, Amish people are known worldwide for their simplistic approach to life. The case is no different in terms of their appearance as well. While people all around want to gather everyone’s attention with their getup, the Amish try to appear as simple as possible so they do not come into the limelight.
To accomplish that feat, Amish men get simple hair designs that keep them well-groomed. They usually gain this haircut at home, widely known as the Amish haircut. Amish women follow similar guidelines the Amish community provides for their hair care routine.
This article will give you a comprehensive guide to the hairstyle choices of the Amish people. You will understand the reason behind their minimalist haircut and get inspiration.
Hop on this reading experience without delay!
Table of Contents
Haircut Tradition in The Amish Community
When you talk about a simplistic lifestyle, few communities can beat the way of life of the Amish community. They are known worldwide for their minimalist appearance, which is the case for their hair as well.
Both men and Women of the Amish society go for a minimal look in terms of hair. Most people don’t get to see their hair because they usually cover up their hair when they go out with a hat for men or a scarf if they are women.
This section will provide an overall glimpse of the hairstyle tradition in the Amish community. It’s divided into three parts focusing on the hair tradition of men, women and kids separately.
Haircuts for Amish Men
Amish men are considered the breadwinner of their families; they work outdoors, often physically labouring. Having long hair will hamper their productivity and make it difficult to fulfil their duty to the family and community.
There is a set of rules that needs to be followed by Amish men for their hairstyles. Their haircut needs to be minimalistic to avoid drawing attention to themselves. For this reason, an Amish man will get a straightforward hairstyle that we identify as a bowl cut. In many groups, it’s known as a mushroom haircut for its visual similarity.
Amish men also can’t use any type of hair products or designs on their bowl cut. They usually get their hair cut at home by their family members. Keeping a full beard without a moustache is another tradition they must abide by.
In addition, Amish men must wear hats outdoors. It helps them to protect themselves from the sun and show obedience towards God. You won’t see an adult Amish without covering their hair with a hat. Their hats are usually made from straws or leather, depending on the circumstances.
Hairstyles for Amish Women
Amish women follow an entirely different set of rules regarding their hairdos. While Amish men need to keep their hair short in a bowl cut, Amish women are forbidden to cut their hair in any circumstances.
The reason behind this forbiddance comes from the Christian scripture, which encourages women to keep their hair long as it works as a covering. Amish women don’t cut their hair in any intricate style following that belief, and you will see most Amish women with long hair that goes past their waists.
Simple braids and buns are the only two styles they do with their hair, and oil is the only product they use to care for the hair. In addition, they don’t show their hair to the public as well, like the Amish men. They cover their hair with a scarf when they go outside.
Hairdos for Amish Kids
Hairstyle tradition for Amish kids follows a similar approach to the adults. You will see Amish boys with bowl cuts; theirs are usually shorter because kids have thin hair compared to adults. However, the Amish tradition has no rules for boys wearing hats in public. They can wear hats if they want, but it’s not necessary.
In terms of Amish girls, they abide by the same rules as adult women; not cutting their hair and wearing minimalist styles like braids or buns. They also don’t show their hair in public by covering it with a scarf.
The Reason Behind Their Strict Hairstyles
People from Amish culture strictly follow the doctrines of Ordnung, a set of rules and regulations that Amish people strictly follow. Following the ordinances of the Ordnung is imperative for Amish, someone breaking the law can cause the accused person to receive a wide range of punishments based on their deed.
According to Ordnung, grabbing people’s attention towards oneself is forbidden. Getting extravagant styles on one’s hair will attract people’s attention and cause community disturbance.
If an Amish break a rule, like an Amish woman cutting her hair or a man shaving his beard, they will be rebuked for their actions if that’s their first miscreant behaviour. Continuous breaking of the ordinance can result in ex-communication from the Amish church and shun by the community. That’s a severe outcome for any Amish, their worst nightmare.
How Do Amish Get Their Haircut
Amish people are one of the most private communities in America that like to keep to themselves. They are mostly self-sufficient, which is the case for their hair care routine as well.
Amish men don’t go to any hairstylist to get their hair cut. Usually, a family member will cut their hair using scissors. As I have said earlier, they like to live a simple minimalist life and rarely use electronic products. Similarly, they don’t use any electric razors or hair clippers.
You already know that Amish women don’t cut their hair but have a simple hair care routine. They help each other take care of their long hair by cleaning and oiling the scalp to keep it moist.
Examples of The Amish Hairstyle Tradition
Here are some examples to help you better understand the Amish hairstyle tradition. If you have doubts about their minimalistic approach to life, I believe it will assist you in overcoming them and understanding their point of view.
Amish Boy’s Short Bowl Cut
Amish Women’s Long Hair
Amish Couple and Amish Hairstyles
Amish Father and Son Wearing Bowl Cuts
Boris Jhonson Imagined As an Amish Men
Medium Bowl Cut for Amish Men
Frequently Asked Questions
There must be some of you who still have a lot of queries about Amish people and their haircuts. I have prepared this FAQ section keeping that in mind so you can get the information you were searching for instead of surfing the internet.
Question: Why do Amish women not cut their hair?
Answer: Amish women don’t cut their hair not because of their aesthetic preference but due to their religious beliefs. The Bible encourages women to keep their hair long, and that’s strictly maintained in the Amish community. Cutting the hair can cause a verbal warning to ex-communication from the Amish church, so they strictly abide by that rule.
Question: Do Amish men cut their hair at home?
Answer: Amish people are known for leading a simple life which is also the case for their hairstyle. They usually get a bowl cut on their head, which they get from a family member. With the use of scissors and traditional razors, their hair is cut in a simple-looking bowl cut or mushroom cut.
Final Statement
We have reached the concluding part of the article. If you are still here, you already have an overall idea about the Amish haircut and their approach to this minimalistic hairstyle. You also have a grasp on the hairstyle tradition of the Amish people.
The bowl-cut is low-maintenance and easy to accomplish; as you can see, Amish men get this style at home. This style may not be visually captivating like many modern hair designs, but that doesn’t bother the Amish people. Amish people’s approach to life is different from the rest, which is reflected in this style.
What do you think about their hairstyle tradition? If you find it strict, you are not the only one. Many people find it too restrictive and work to change it, but the majority still follow their doctrine.
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