For some reason, I decided to make sure my use of “hairpin” was correct and used during the Regency. Imagine my surprise to learn the first written mention of a hairpin was in 1818. Now, we all know that spoken words are frequently used for up to 20 years before anyone writes them down in something that will be preserved. That said, it was interesting. It was then I went down the rabbit-hole. Fortunately, it wasn’t a long one. In 1725, hairpins were called hair-needles. The first mention of a pin for the hair was 1580, when a “bodkin” or big needle was used to keep hair up. In the late 18th century they were called “skewers.”
Instruments used to hold hair up were made of wood, bone, and metals. Bone hair pins date from to the Romans. Unfortunately, we don’t know what they were called.
#RegencyTrivia #HistoricalFiction #HistoricalRomance
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Ella Quinn ~ Author 