Habit (Veils) Catalog

[OnlySunshine]

[quote name='CherieMadame' date='20 March 2010 - 10:00 PM' timestamp='1269140454' post='2076683']
It's kept very, very short and is cut in regular intervals. Not quite shaved ... but sometimes VERY close to it!!!

I must admit, it was much easier to wear the cap and veil when the hair was short. Once it gets too long it's much easier for it to slide around a bit and yes, if it gets caught on something, fall off (which was my WORST NIGHTMARE ... thankfully it never happened to me!)

Regarding wearing them at night, some communities have "night-veils" they wear -- a simple cloth with a tie on it in one community I am aware of -- but they always fall off during the night. In our community we could wear the cap to sleep. I always did -- and it hardly ever stayed on the whole night, although I sure tried to keep it on! [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/idontknow.gif[/img]
[/quote]

Do you mean something like this?

[img]http://www.calendarlive.com/media/thumbnails/photo/2004-09/14466066.jpg[/img]

[Cherie]

[img]http://wrightscatalog.com/files/QuickSiteImages/24.JPG[/img]

This is the cap that our community used, it's also what we used during the day to put our veils over.

But yes, the one you posted is very similar to what many other communities use as their "night-veil" [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img]

Our community made every other part of our habit ourselves -- veil, tunic, sleeves, scapular, cape, and everything else ... the only thing that we got from a place like Wright's was the cap and the collar we put under our cape.

[img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif[/img] So neat!


(Edited to clear up a typo )

Edited March 21, 2010 by CherieMadame

[zunshynn]

I actually found that the guimpe fit better when my hair was longer. I recall cutting my hair once (by myself... I did a horrendous job... you couldn't tell just by looking at it, but when I left my cousin trimmed it for me, and she forbade me from ever touching my hair again with scissors. ) and I cut it too short to keep putting it in a pony tail under the cap, which meant I didn't have anything to hold the tie of the guimpe up. I always looked droopy, and made it itch around my face and I was constantly having to adjust it. I figured out something with a safety pin eventually, but my hair worked much better.

Edited March 21, 2010 by zunshynn

[cmaD2006]

[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='20 March 2010 - 09:33 PM' timestamp='1269131637' post='2076516']
Under the veils, they wear what we called a "toca" (or I have seen others on VS call it a "toque"). The Sisters of Life call theirs a "cap". It's the little white bit you can sometimes see under the veils. This basically looked like something resembling an Amish bonnet to me. It is supposed to cover a good bit of your ears and ties in the back.
[/quote]

I'm kind of curious ... is the toque/toca somewhat comfortable? I remember that the sisters in my community and the other community I was with had to deal with the issue of the veil rubbing on the earlobe; but those two communities did not use a toque (well I think the 2nd community initially had veils with a sort of toque (it was brown to match the veil) but then went to a one-piece veil).

[truthfinder]

[quote name='vee8' date='20 March 2010 - 07:51 PM' timestamp='1269136306' post='2076641']
[img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/lol.gif[/img] In Canada the hat you wear outside in winter for tobogganing etc we call a toque. Ive never slept with mine on though. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/cold.gif[/img] When I hear the word hat I think of something like this. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/detective.gif[/img]


[/quote]

I slept with a full bellaclava on once because it was so cold in my tent, and it was made of wool, so itchy, what a penance. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/lol_roll.gif[/img]

[laetitia crucis]

[quote name='cmariadiaz' date='21 March 2010 - 12:34 AM' timestamp='1269142448' post='2076698']
I'm kind of curious ... is the toque/toca somewhat comfortable? I remember that the sisters in my community and the other community I was with had to deal with the issue of the veil rubbing on the earlobe; but those two communities did not use a toque (well I think the 2nd community initially had veils with a sort of toque (it was brown to match the veil) but then went to a one-piece veil).
[/quote]

At first I think many of us found the toque/toca quite uncomfortable -- simply because of it rubbing against the earlobe. (Some Sisters' earlobes were rubbed raw.) And of course, for the first week or so you don't quite know how to function with your veil on, so whenever you want to move your head, you move your ENTIRE upper body with it!

One hilarious newbie moment I had was my first morning being in a habit. I came downstairs all excited to be going to Morning Prayer in a real habit and wanted to be extra-sure my veil wouldn't come off. (We had just gotten our hair cute super-short the night before.) Before I made it to the chapel, one of the professed sisters pulled me aside into another room, shut the door, and immediately fixed my toque for me. She said, "[name], come here! You look like your head is about to explode!!" Aaaahahahaha! Apparently, my toque was a tad [i]too[/i] securely.

After a while I found wearing the toque/toca and veil really comfortable. I actually preferred wearing it all the time. However, right after a haircut, one must remember to tie the strings on the back of the toca again; otherwise, it starts rotating on one's head... which is rather comical, I must admit.

[Cherie]

[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='21 March 2010 - 12:29 AM' timestamp='1269145762' post='2076733']
She said, "[name], come here! You look like your head is about to explode!!" Aaaahahahaha! Apparently, my toque was a tad [i]too[/i] securely. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/lol_pound.gif[/img]


[/quote]

[img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/lol_pound.gif[/img] I know the feeling ... when I first got the habit, I had my cap on WAAAYYY too tight because I was afraid it would fall off. One of the Sisters came over and said, "Sister, you look like a sausage!" The Sister then proceeded to show me that if I secured it a bit more loosely it would STILL stay on, and be a lot more comfortable!

[zunshynn]

When I was a postulant my cap fell off THREE times the day I entered. The second time I didn't realize it until several hours later when the refectorian sent it over, as she'd found it in the refectory and assumed it was mine. Then the third time I couldn't find it anywhere, so we called my seamstress and she laughed and brought another one over for me. I felt so bad. Then later that evening I found my first one on the floor in a bathroom. oy.

I didn't find the cap uncomfortable though. The guimpe itself was a little uncomfortable, but that was partially because it was way too tight. I wasn't sure how it was supposed to feel though (I mean, how would you?), so one day at dinner I asked the sister next to me how long it was going to feel like I was being strangled. To which she responded, "Uh, Sister, it's not supposed to feel like it's strangling you!" So my seamstress fixed it for me the next day. Good thing, because it was actually bruising my face. So if you enter somewhere and are really uncomfortable in the habit when you get it, don't be scared to mention it, because it really is not supposed to hurt!

And the headband could be uncomfortable if it wasn't clean... it would itch if there was a lot of dust and sweat in it, which happened fairly quickly because it was right on the skin... not to mention look really gross.

[mariaassunta]

We get our caps and veils from here and they are very comfortable.

[Cherie]

[quote name='zunshynn' date='21 March 2010 - 11:19 AM' timestamp='1269184796' post='2076896']
So if you enter somewhere and are really uncomfortable in the habit when you get it, don't be scared to mention it, because it really is not supposed to hurt! [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/lol.gif[/img]

[/quote]

Amen! That's the key for all you discerners out there for when you enter religious life and receive the habit -- the habit (and veil, esp.) isn't supposed to be PAINFUL like that, and if it is, well -- then it needs to be adjusted

[Hilde]

I saw some stores like that in rome. I never dared entering one though. I remember seeing a nun mannequin with a nice cardigan and thought "I want that"

I also found a catalog when I worked in a Catholic office, a german one with chalices and altar boy romes etc. Kind of cool.

[laetitia crucis]

[quote name='CherieMadame' date='21 March 2010 - 12:54 PM' timestamp='1269186890' post='2076922']
Amen! That's the key for all you discerners out there for when you enter religious life and receive the habit -- the habit (and veil, esp.) isn't supposed to be PAINFUL like that, and if it is, well -- then it needs to be adjusted
[/quote]

Double-Amen -- to both you and zunshynn's post!

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

Sister Helen (one of the retired Sisters who lives across the street) wears a one-piece veil that apparently is kept in place by a wire in front. (It's a very standard kind of veil--I'm not sure it was in the catalog, but I've seen lots of pictures of sisters wearing that veil.) A little bit of hair shows in front, and I tell Sister Helen that I am jealous because I have more grey hair than she does! (I started going grey at age 25--maybe that was a sign from God that I belonged in an order (Anglican, of course) that wore a veil that covered all your hair!)

A funny veil story: Sister Helen went to Detroit to visit a friend, and she was stopped at airport security because she set off the security alarm. Remember, Sister Helen is 80 and about 4'11" due to severe osteoporosis. They ran the scanner over her, and finally realized that it was the wire in her veil that was setting off the machine!

Ever since, I've teased Sister Helen that she is a terrorist in disguise. Frankly, if I were a terrorist organization, I'd try to recruit Sister Helen because NO ONE would ever suspect her!

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

[quote name='laetitia crucis' date='20 March 2010 - 09:17 PM' timestamp='1269134262' post='2076609']
I think this is also true for the Sisters of Life -- at least according to my novice friend. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/lol.gif[/img] She says a few of the Sisters she knows grow their hair out long enough to donate to Locks for Love and then repeat continually.

[/quote]

I'm glad you mentioned this, because I was going to ask if some orders encouraged their postulants to grow their hair long, so that when their hair was cut at their clothing, it could be donated to "Locks for Love" for a cancer patient. I think the hair has to be at least 10" long to be donated (there is more than one organization that does this, so the requirements may be different). I know some orders make the hair that has been cut hair part of the clothing ceremony by intertwining it with a crucifix, etc., but I thought that donating the cut hair to "Locks of Love" would be an added "good deed" to go along with the sacrifice of their hair.

My (very secular) niece wears her hair very long and it grows very fast, so when she needs a "trim" she cuts off at least 10" so she can donate her hair to "Locks of Love" (or some similar organization). Anyone who receives a wig with my niece's hair is lucky (not that anyone who loses their hair through chemo or for other medical reason could be considered "lucky"). But, my niece is a natural blonde, with thick hair (but not too thick) and just the right amount of curl/body. Her hair grows so fast that she can donate hair every 18 months or so. Not too many secular teenage girls think of others when they are choosing their hairstyle. I'm very proud of her (especially since I have no children of my own and she is my only niece).

[Hilde]

I have heard some bad things about locks of love, but anyhow..I'm not cutting my hair at the moment. I'm not surew this has been talked about here before. Veiling has been talked about, I know, but not the part about not cutting hair/growing it long.

[vee]

[quote name='truthfinder' date='21 March [url="http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/index.php?app=forums&module=post&section=post&do=reply_post&f=17&t=103236&qpid=20767042010"]http://www.phatmass....pid=20767042010[/url] - 01:45 PM' timestamp='1269143131' post='2076704']
I slept with a full bellaclava on once because it was so cold in my tent, and it was made of wool, so itchy, what a penance. [img]http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/public/style_emoticons/default/lol_roll.gif[/img]
[/quote]

Ive never done but have had to put my hood like this before. [img]http://www.babble.com/baby-names/usercontrols/top-10-famous/k/kenneth/kenny-south-park.jpg[/img]
I just realized if I can survive camping I can survive anything in a cloister. Actually it would be better than camping because you dont have to worry about bears or mosquitoes at night, although waking up at 5am would be the same .

edit I have no idea why the formatting of this post is so weird I tried to fix it but cant.

Edited March 23, 2010 by vee8

[laetitia crucis]

[quote name='vee8' date='23 March 2010 - 10:04 AM' timestamp='1269349454' post='2078284']
Ive never done but have had to put my hood like this before. [img]http://www.babble.com/baby-names/usercontrols/top-10-famous/k/kenneth/kenny-south-park.jpg[/img]
I just realized if I can survive camping I can survive anything in a cloister. Actually it would be better than camping because you dont have to worry about bears or mosquitoes at night, although waking up at 5am would be the same .

edit I have no idea why the formatting of this post is so weird I tried to fix it but cant.
[/quote]


Wow, that is really weird. And when you click on your text, it takes you to the "Dude. This is lame" page. Hahaha! I must say, I prefer that over "Page error."

[Hilde]

lame

[Cherie]

[quote name='Hilde' date='22 March 2010 - 05:57 PM' timestamp='1269295061' post='2077948']
I have heard some bad things about locks of love
[/quote]

Really? What sorts of things? It would definitely be good to know if they, for example, support a place like Planned Parenthood or something ... is it something along those lines?

In our community, you could choose what to do with your hair, but you couldn't keep it -- you had to send it to your parents and tell them what you wanted done with it. Some parents were very sentimental and kept it - I chose to give mine to Locks for Love (I think it was 12" when it was cut).

We had tons and tons of horror stories of going through airport security! We had so much metal to take off - rosary, cross, pins galore, sometimes in the shoes, etc! Not to mention our metal band which kept our veil in place -- this was something we certainly DIDN'T take off, so we just hoped it wouldn't set off the alarm. Most of the time it didn't ... but when it did, oy vey!

Our community was also involved in a legal battle regarding taking our veils off for our Driver's License photo. It was related to a question about a Muslim woman who had her entire face covered, except for her eyes. She had to show her nose and mouth, but then they went so far as to say all Muslim women had to take off their veils ... and then they moved to saying religious Sisters had to, as well! We fought it tooth and nail (we even got a call from the ACLU to defend us!!! ) and they ended up letting us keep it on ... but it was tough. The Sisters NEVER took their veils off, so a Driver's License picture without a veil would be more confusing than anything!!

[Hilde]

No, I don't know if they support an immoral cause or anything, but that's not the problem. The problem is that so little of the donations they get actually get made into wigs for i.e chemo patients or sufferers of alopecia. Like [url="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/06/fashion/06locks.html"]here[/url], it says they say 80% gets thrown away. And if you check out the website the amount of donations compared to how many wigs they have made just don't add up. It doesn't feel as good donating when you think it's only like a 1 in 10 chance it gets used. I think I'd sell the hair and donate the money to caritas or something, unless I found an organisation that promises the stuff LoL does that I can trust.