Fifteenth Century Ladies' Headwear

During the 15th century, the hennin, a cone-shaped hat, became fashionable. They were worn primarily by royalty and upper-class women, in England, France, Burgundy (which was then a separate duchy and not part of France), and most of northern Europe. They never gained popularity in Italy.
The cones ranged in length from 12 inches to as long as 36 inches. The cones ended in a point, or sometimes a flattened end, from which a veil emerged. The veil cascaded over the lady’s shoulders, and sometimes, to the ground.
The hennins were usually worn at a backward tilted angle. Some paintings from the period show a forehead loop, probably attached to the hennin. It must have been used to pull the hat forward, or to hold it secure during a strong wind.
Hennin wearers frequently plucked their brows and the edge of the hairline, so that no hair escaped from beneath the hennin. Other paintings, though, show the hennin worn over long flowing hair. Illustrations of royalty show queens and princesses wearing crowns, either around the brim of the hennin, or at the top.
Hennins gradually lost their appeal, and were replaced by more wearable hats of the 16th century. What the 16th century hats lost in height, they more than made up for in elaborate design, as demonstrated in Renaissance art.

Medieval Headwear

The earliest head coverings were probably rough clothes or skins designed to protect the wearer from the elements. Through the years, head covers evolved to reflect the status and culture of the wearer.
During the early Middle Ages, women wore simple coifs, wimples, and veils. Coifs were just close-fitting caps, as in this picture, a later painting of young Edward VI by Holbein. Edward wears a coif of cloth-of-gold beneath a feathered hat. Essentially, a, a coif is very similar to a baby's bonnet.
Wimples were cloth head coverings, much like that worn by nuns to this day. However, the cloths could be elaborately folded and starched to become an attractive framework for the face of a medieval woman.
Veils have been worn since early times. In the 13th century B.C. their wear was restricted to noblewomen. Commoners and prostitutes were forbidden to wear them. Later, veils were worn by all women, and it became common for ladies to cover their hair and face when in public.
I’ll be covering 14th and 15th century headgear in future blogs. A good overview of medieval costume and accessories is Medieval Costume in England and France, by Mary G. Houston.