D. Darby in Pinehurst, North Carolina, writes:
Regarding your column about the connection between handedness and the side on which one parts his or her hair (February 15, 2015), I recall hearing that most men part their hair on the left because their mothers were right-handed and found it easier to part their child’s hair in that direction. What do you think?
Marilyn responds:
I don’t think this is plausible, for at least two reasons. First, I doubt that one’s childhood hairstyle has any effect on one’s choice of hairstyle as an adult; and second, I don’t think a right-handed mother finds it easier to part a child’s hair on his (or her) left side. (The “left” side refers to the child’s left side.)
I think most mothers part their children’s hair on one side or the other because the hair lies more easily in that direction or because they simply like the look of it that way.