... Because of the close association with the hair, the humble hairpin is not with out its own superstitions. It was once believed that finding a hairpin was to mean you will be making a new friend soon, and to loose one was to mean more ominous, suggesting that the enemy is close at hand.

... If a hairpin that was being worn works its way loose, this was a sign that someone close to you had you in their thoughts, though in Germany it signified the end of a love affair.