Hurly-Burly

Originating in Paris, France, the hurly-burly, also known as hurluberlu, became a fashionable hairstyle for women during the Baroque period of the seventeenth century, during which time people favored extravagant fashions. The hurly-burly consisted of shoulder length or shorter curls falling in ringlets from a dramatic center part to frame a woman's face. With its masses of curls, the hurly-burly was a dramatic expression of the many varieties of curls set with gum arabic, a sticky, resin-like substance extracted from African trees in the Acacia family, that were very popular among women at the time.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Kelly, Francis M., and Randolph Schwabe. Historic Costume: A Chronicle of Fashion in Western Europe, 1490–1790. 2nd ed. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1929.

hurl·y-burl·y / ˈhərlē ˈbərlē/ • n. busy, boisterous activity: the hurly-burly of school life.

hurly-burly XVI. Preceded by †hurling and burling, a jingling collocation based on †hurling (XIV), †hurl (XV) strife, commotion (f. prec.).