Way With Words: Let Your Hair Down

It’s been a long day at the office dealing with difficult people all day.

You head to the car, and drive to the nearest bar, all the while pulling out the bobby pins and disheveling your hair.

This is a case of ‘letting your hair down,’ meaning to relax.

Back in the 17th century it was considered proper for ladies to wear their hair up in immaculate style.

Any lady seen in public with her hair down was very unladylike and judged harshly for not putting effort into her appearance.

But at the end of the day she was allowed to relax, wash and brush her hair. This was also known as disheveling.

Phrases.uk.org found writing with the colloquialism, “John Cotgrave's, ‘The English treasury of wit and language’, 1655, ‘Descheveler, to discheuell; to pull the haire about the eares.’.”

Life’s a little different now with the current style being down, but the phrase remains accessible and the meaning has not changed over the years.