Quantcast

How did a V-shaped hairline become...

Print Friendly and PDF
How did a V-shaped hairline become known as a widow’s peak?
Answer
Widows in the 16th century wore a distinctive cloak while in mourning. The hood of this cloak formed a V-shaped peak on the forehead. Although the cloak did not survive, its name did, and by the 19th century the term widow’s peak” was used to describe this distinctive hairline.”