When you see the iconic column with red, white and blue stripes running around, you can be sure you’ve found a barbershop. But what is the story behind this symbol and what does it represent?
When you see the iconic column with red, white and blue stripes running around, you can be sure you’ve found a barbershop. But what is the story behind this symbol and what does it represent?
As the Latin word 'barba' (meaning beard) suggests, barbers have been cutting beards and hair for hundreds of years. However, before the advent of modern medicine, they were also responsible for certain dental and medical procedures such as suturing or bloodletting.
The red and white colors of the pole refer to the latter areas of the barber's trade. According to most sources, the red and white stripes symbolize blood and the bandages used in bloodletting, while the pole itself refers to an instrument that patients would lean on during the procedure to stimulate blood flow. The origin of the blue stripes is disputed: Some sources claim that they represent veins, while others believe them to be a tribute to the colors of the U.S. flag, alongside the white and red stripes.
Even though the now obsolete practice of bloodletting has fortunately been proven to treat very few ailments and we can turn to more specialized professionals for a cure to our aching teeth, the barber pole has retained its traditional form. Today, however, it is found in a much more modern, luminous, sometimes electromechanically rotating version at the entrance of the barbershops.
In a way, the pole is an excellent symbol of the profession's modernized version: The Black Sheep Barber Shop staff creates the trendiest hairstyles using traditional tools and techniques. See it for yourself, and book an appointment at any of our salons!