On Yer Heade Handout
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On Yer Heade 1 On Yer Heade Period Head Coverings Or alternately, What Hat Goes with My Outfit? THL Esperanza de Navarra mka Josie Sewell e-mail [email protected] https://ManiacalMedievalist.Wordpress.com/ Taught at Seleone 30th Year 2009 For most of the SCA period, head coverings (headwear) was not considered optional by either sex. It’s called interchangeably headwear, headgear, head covering or hats. Unlike today where we wear hats for special occasions or to keep the sun off of our head, head coverings were a part of everyday life, especially for women. You would not step out of your front door without wearing proper headgear. There was a small time (mid-12th century) when it was acceptable for women not to cover their heads, but for the most part through the ages all older or married women covered their heads. What was the purpose? Modesty: There are even a few cultures today which require their people to cover their heads outside of their home. Lack of hygiene: Their hair was as hard to tame as ours can be. Imagine trying to fix your hair if it is really long and hasn’t been washed for weeks or months. Sticking it all in a hat seems sensible. Identification: Headwear gave clues to class and occupation. Different classes of people wore different kinds of head coverings. In later period, sumptuary laws were made forbidding lower classes to wear the same head covering that the aristocracy wore. When in doubt: For male, wear a coif. If early period, women can too. For female, wear a veil THL Esperanza de Navarra [email protected] On Yer Heade 2 Early Period Male and Female A rectangle of cloth, folded in half. Point in back can be curved or left pointy. Ties partly up front sided Not terribly sure, but it is guessed that the color was white or unbleached linen. Female Male THL Esperanza de Navarra [email protected] On Yer Heade 3 th 12 Century Female There was a short time period where women had the option of not wearing a head covering. Starting around 1125, some women began to appear in public with their head uncovered. Their hair, however was not loose, but parted down middle and plaited (braided) in various ways. By the late 12th century, women were back to covering their heads. The head-rail was simplified to become the simple veil Male Coif The coif is still around, but it is now more form fitting. It’s also higher in the back than it is at the ear area. Straps can still be thin or wider. The coif can be worn by itself. Closed Hoods THL Esperanza de Navarra [email protected] On Yer Heade 4 Simple hoods began showing up at this time. Closed fron at the chest (no buttons), so it needed to be loose enough to slip over the head. The hood, at this time, covered the shoulders and had no tail. The colors could be about anything, although red was common. You also see decorations the hoods – this one has a contrasting front and bottom edge. Combination The coif and the hood could be worn together. It’s not definite if a coif was always worn under the hood, but combining them is not uncommon. The Phrygian cap is still around. The point at the top can also be less floppy at this time. The basic cap is also still here. It’s a bit shorter and has a more defined band around the edge. th 13 Century Female Veil The simple veil can still be seen, but mostly on the peasants. Hats for women became more complex this century. THL Esperanza de Navarra [email protected] On Yer Heade 5 Many of the complex headgear was made using the barbette and fillet. Barbette: a band of cloth that goes around the head and under the chin. It could be thin (~1”) or a wide band. Fillet (aka coffee filter hat) was like a fabric crown. It could be tall or short. The barbette and fillet are often seen together, but they can be worn in some styles separately. T Cap Possibly the most comfortable 13th century headgear for women is the cap: It’s like a loose coif with one long continuous strap attached at the front bottom edge. The strap is then looped twice around the head to hold it in place. THL Esperanza de Navarra [email protected] On Yer Heade 6 Male: Coif The coif is still around. One difference is that it is no longer a rectangle folded, sewn up the back and then shaped. You can see a center seam indicating that it is now two separate pieces sewn together. It can still be worn by itself or under a hood or hat Hoods: The hood is starting to evolve in what will later be know as the liripipe. But for now, it only has a small tail or tippet. It can still be a loose hood that slips on over the head or it can made more form fitting by using buttons down the front, such as the one to the left. Straw Hats Hats not made with fabric are starting to be seen, although mostly by the lower classes of people. th 14 century Female Veil The simple veil is still around. Often held down by a circlet. The barbette and fillet are still here too. They can be seen together with nothing else. They can also be combined with other head coverings. Templars are braids worn in coils. They can be simple, like the figure to the left. They can worn with a veil. They can also become quite complex being wrapped in ribbon or metal or encases in tubes. THL Esperanza de Navarra [email protected] On Yer Heade 7 Hoods In the 14th century, we start to see women wearing hoods too. These are open hoods – not closed under the chin. Male Coif The coif is still around. It’s often worn under other hats. THL Esperanza de Navarra [email protected] On Yer Heade 8 Hood: Liripipe The hood has evolved. It now has a long tail and is often more decorative than it used to be. It’s uncommon for the liripipes to be lined with a contrasting color. Felt Hats Cap Now we’ve come full circle with the simple cap with a band around the bottom THL Esperanza de Navarra [email protected].