More about the coif

Today we use the word coif to mean a hairstyle. In the Middle Ages it was a bonnet. According to Rosalie Gilbert (http://rosaliegilbert.com),the coif was nearly universal, worn both during the day and at night,for both men and women. "The coif remained one of the few items of headwear which remained unchanged by virtue of its simple design. It is best described as a close-fitting linen bonnet or cap, usually tied under the chin. It was constantly used as a hair covering in bed, or under hats by the working classes and was the commonest daytime headwear worn by all classes of the community throughout Europe during the 13th century. Many early medieval illuminations show women wearing white coifs to hold their hear in place. Long after they were abandoned by women, men continued to wear the coif under other types of hat. Coifs were generally replaced by wimples and veils in the case of women. Coifs were made of fine or coarse linen, the only difference between those worn by the upper and lower classes was the material from which they were made. Upper classes naturally opted for luxury fabrics such as silk or finer linens. The finer examples were meant to be seen and not hidden under layers of other head dresses." Refer to the previous post picture of a musician with a coif.