There is this structure that is described by Paul. The head of every man is Christ and the head of Christ is God. However, for every wife, the head is her husband. There is this tradition that Paul describes with reference to this which is the practice of head coverings. Men are to pray or prophesy with their head uncovered, otherwise they dishonor their head. Man is the image and glory of God, which is why he ought not to cover his head. Women are to pray prophesy with their heads covered otherwise their head is dishonored. If that is the case, a woman is to cut her hair short. Woman is the glory of man and woman was created for man. Having a head covering is like having a symbol of authority.
Notice how they aren't really separate. Paul makes mention of the fact that they aren't separate in the Lord and how even man is born of woman. It's not as if man is somehow better than woman because she was created for her. Paul tries to back-up his argument describing the nature of men and women and their hair. It is only natural that long hair is a woman's glory and it is the opposite for men.
One interesting quote I came across is this one which I'll end with:
"Far from being a symbol of the woman's subjection to man, therefore, her head-covering is what Paul calls it - authority: in prayer and prophecy she, like the man, is under the authority of God" (NTS, 10, 1963-64, p.416, M. D. Hooker)
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