Jim---back in the dim and distant past when I sang this song I would point out the convention that lassies who were maidens were expected to wear a ribbon called a snood   in their hair, when they got married they then wore a bonnet called a curch, a bonnet somewhat similar to that worn by Dutch women. If they lost the right to wear the snood and did not gain the right to wear the curch they were seen to carry their character on their heads!
Joe.