Terézia Uličná Tomašovičová
Hairpins are a unique part of our cultural heritage; they combine craft, the practical function of a fashion accessory, as well as the well thought-out visuals of a small item of jewellery. Variously ornamented ladies’ hairpins were a typical part of the clothing worn mainly by bourgeois women and aristocratic ladies in the 16th to 18th centuries. Unfortunately, unlike other clothing accessories (bonnets, headdresses), they were not transformed in their original form into traditional clothing, which preserved a whole range of such accessories. We only come across them now as archaeological finds. In collections, the depositories of Slovak museums and research institutions, several specimens can occasionally surface, often in a surprisingly good state of preservation. What is even more paradoxical is that although they are visually very attractive objects, only rarely are they displayed in permanent exhibitions. We still know very little about their original use and symbolism, and it appears that modern hairpins remain even today forgotten by professionals and the general public.