the weichselzopf was quite common in europe during past centuries when hair grooming was largely neglected. it affected mostly the peasantry, but was not unusual among higher social classes. in the early 17th century, people began to believe plaits were an external symptom of an internal illness. a growing plait was supposed to take the illness "out" of the body, and therefore it was rarely cut off; in addition, the belief that a cut-off plait could avenge itself and bring an even greater illness discouraged some from attacking it. these convictions were so widespread and strong that some people lived their whole lives with a polish plait. a plait could sometimes grow very long  even up to 80 centimetres (31 in). plaits could take various forms, from a ball of hair to a long tail. plaits were even categorized; plaits were "male" and "female", "inner" and "outer", "noble" and "fake", "proper" and "parasitical".
United States