straws in (one's) hair
obsolete A state of insanity or mental derangement. An allusion to patients of mental institution, which used to have floors covered in straw. Such persistent, vexatious comments are enough to put straws in one's hair. Do not dwell upon these failures and setbacks; you must march forward, or else you risk ending up with straws in your hair.
straws in your hair
a state of insanity. In former times, the floors of mental institutions were covered with straw, and so having straw in the hair came to be regarded as a characteristic of a deranged person.