A rotating pole with red, white, and sometimes blue stripes is a common sight outside barbershops. But do you know why these specific colors were chosen?
The answer lies in the history of the barbershop. In the Middle Ages, people didn��t just go there to get their hair cut. They also went to do bloodletting because barbers had experience with razors.
For this procedure, barbers used a staff for the patient to hold on to, a basin to catch blood, and linen bandages. They would store these items outside their barbershop with the bloodstained bandages twisted around the staff and the basin placed on top. This was also a way for barbers to advertise their services. When it became illegal to display bloodletting equipment, barbers used wooden poles to continue the tradition. They painted them red for blood and white for bandages. Blue was added to poles in the United States reportedly to either represent veins or match with the colors of the American flag. So, the barber pole was born and remains a symbol of barbershops to this day. |
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