Why do Amish women cover their hair?

Amish see Biblical reasons for women covering their heads

amish woman head coverAmish women are almost always seen wearing a prayer covering (the term “bonnet” is often misapplied here; a bonnet is a larger covering that one would wear over a prayer covering in certain situations, for example while traveling and being outside).

Amish see scriptural justification for women wearing head coverings.  They base this practice in a number of Biblical passages, in particular from the book of 1 Corinthians.  Amish see similar justification for other Plain clothing practices.

Amish women pin their long hair up underneath their prayer coverings, which they remove in the evening.  Women also brush their hair in the morning or in the evening.

Prayer coverings have come to be a symbolic marker of Amish society, along with other Plain people.  Prayer coverings vary both among the Amish and other Plain groups such as Mennonites and Hutterites.

Read more on Amish Plain clothing.

Photo credit: melystu

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    16 Comments

    1. bob phillips

      hair

      why dont amish women cut their hair,is their something in the bible or is it their belief.

    2. Valerie

      I Corinthians 11

      Hi Bob:
      The Amish & other Anabaptists still practice the teaching of 1 Corinthians 11 so yes, it is a Biblical reason. In fact, in the Amish/Mennonite Behalt Information Center, there is a display of Coverings, with the Chapter of 1 Corinthians 11 posted to explain both the covering and the scriptures regarding long hair.

      1. H

        Head-covering is for church

        If 1 Corinthians 11 is applying to every minute of every day than why do your Amish men wear hats. That doesn’t match up. Clearly that chapter is only referring to meeting times and not to the ordinary day. I absolutely agree with women’s head covering but only for church or else you are abusing this beautiful principle and turning it into a simple cultural practice. It is something that is special for when the church comes together and is meeting as a Body. (1 Timothy 3:14-15)

    3. Amy Beth

      Looking for black crocheted covering pattern

      I cover my head, and am intersted if anyone out here has a pattern for the black crocheted Mennonite covering that some older ladies in PA used to use? I have tried ot find it searching online, but not successful so far. Would love to find it!

    4. Deborah Martin

      Laundry

      What method is used to starch a prayer coverings? Please describe procedure from beginning to end and the ingredients needed. I need to starch a prayer covering which I own. I washed it and cannot get the crisp starch back into it. Thank you.

      1. Valerie

        Starching Prayer Covering

        Hi Deborah,
        IF you do not get a reply here to your dilemma with your covering, you might want to ask (if you are on facebook) on the Amish Q & A facebook group. It’s a closed group but all you have to do is request to be a member. There are a lot of former Amish that post in there so they will see your question and probably have an answer.

    5. HARRY AND PAMELA RODRIGUEZ

      MY FAMILY ARE PART AMISH OR MENNINITE AND THE PLACES WHERE I LIVE I WAS TORCHURED IN THE HOSPITALS AND I DO NOT KNOW WHY AND THE POLICE FOR NO REASON TOKK ME OUT SIDE AND MY HUSBAND AND CHRISTIANS AND WE GIVE TO MANY CHARITIES FOR A 100 PWRCENT RETURN AND HURRICANES ON NOAA SATELLITE COME ACROSS THE ENTIRE STATE MY MORTHER IS FROM OHIO AND IF YOU PRAY PLEASE PRAY FOR MY FAMILY

    6. HARRY AND PAMELA RODRIGUEZ

      I WAS IN A LOT OF ACCIDENTS AS A CHILD WITH BROKEN BONES AND A CAR ACCIDENT TOO AND I DONT KNIW WHY THIS IS HAPPENING TO MY FAMILY AND MY HUSBAND TOO WAS IN ACCIDENTS THIS IS WREONG WHAT IS HAPPENING TO US AND MATERIAL THINGS ARE NOT BAD THERE ARE MANY WEALTHY PEOPLE THA GIVE MONEY TO CHARITIES LIKE MY FAMILY TO HELP PEOPLE.

    7. Lee James

      The irony

      As a born-again spirit-filled disciple of Jesus Christ, I find it quite disgraceful what the Amish men have their women do with their hair.

      It is sadly ironic that in trying to fulfill the instructions about head covering in 1 Corinthians 11, Amish people do the EXACT OPPOSITE of what the command says, and disgrace themselves.

      1 Corinthians 11 instructs that godly women should keep their heads COVERED – that is, to have hair hanging down over their heads in tresses, to show that they are under the authority of men.

      But instead of this, Amish women are forced to do the exact opposite and UNCOVER their heads, pinning all their hair up in and even hiding the hair under a covering, making them look masculine, ugly, self-sufficient and authoratitive. This is how women of the world dress, not Godly women!

      Godly women are to SUBMIT. To LOWER themselves. To SOFTEN themselves, covering over their head with their hair to show that they are NOT in command. By pinning their hair up and uncovering their temples, they are doing the exact opposite.

      I find it very sad that the Amish are so committed to holiness, and yet don’t dress their women in a holy way. The Scripture exhorts men and women to dress in a godly way when, particularly when in public, and yet the whole world looks at Amish women and sees ungodliness: masculine pinned-up, covered-up hair!

      When the Lord Jesus Christ returns to establish His eternal Kingdom, women will ceratinly not be pinning up their hair like that! It will not be allowed. The Bible says a woman who does this “dishonors her head” (1 Corinthians 11:5)

      1. Ann

        WRONG!

        It doesn’t say that AT ALL. If it was about hair, then it would be required that men shave their heads, because it says the men’s heads are NOT to be covered. It says that if a woman doesn’t cover her head, she might as well SHAVE her head. Seems like your real beef should be with the men who are always wearing hats, since 1 Corinthians 11 says that they’re not supposed to.

      2. Larry Simon

        Humbleness

        Paul writing by the power of the Holy Spirit wanted to instruct the church how to live life’s of submission and humbleness. Men, in a marriage represent God and women represent the church. The awesome privilege and responsible to represent God is so humbling sense it is impossible and it takes total dependency on the Lord. God, who is all loving, all caring, all powerful and all knowing can never be represented by mortal man so how you treat your wife the church is to die daily for her and with all your effort help her do the correct thing which is to humble herself to God. If the women want to cover there head as an action of humility then that is proper if her other actions display a humble heart to her husband. And the task should be easy of her husband is dying to his desires and looking to honor his wife a a child of God in his church. Appearance is only good if it reflects the heart. That’s my thoughts that I received from reading all of scripture.

    8. Yoder in Ohio

      Covered? May I ask how you “cover” a table with a tablecloth? Or “cover” a flowerbed with mulch? Or “cover” a wall with paint?

    9. For the Amish, the prayer covering is a symbol of modesty, humility, and submission to God’s order. It is also a way for women to distinguish themselves from men and to signify their role as caretakers of the home and family. bluey

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    11. Good

      there is a scriptural basis for this, as 1 Corinthians 11 is still adhered to by the Amish and other Anabaptists.

    12. Amish women

      In some Amish groups, women do cover their hair with a prayer cap or bonnet, which is often white or subdued color, as a sign of humility and modesty. However, there are other Amish communities that do not enforce strict rules regarding head covering! There are many misconceptions about Amish women..