Coifs were headdresses worn in the Middle Ages in England, covering the entire head except the face. They were worn by all classes, with upper classes wearing more elaborate versions. Nuns still wear them, and they are used in historical reenactments. Coifs could also refer to head armor worn by soldiers.
A coif was a headdress worn in England and the United Kingdom during the Middle Ages consisting of cloth that covered the sides, top, and back of the head. Usually tied below the neck, it covers the entire head except the face. Although it had almost completely fallen out of use in mainstream fashion by the end of the 17th century, it is still used in some areas of the world and among certain religions.
Coifs were typically worn by members of all classes and stations of life. Lower class citizens would usually wear plain white colored caps. However, an upper class citizen or nobility would often wear a much more elaborate and ornate coif. Such caps were usually embroidered or decorated with lace, and were sometimes worn over a plain white cap for texture and contrast.
Many nuns in the Roman Catholic Church continue to wear a white casket on their heads with a larger white pimple on top of the cap. This is sometimes covered by a thin layer of black material over the other pieces to create the full habit. The nun is one of the few surviving examples of the garment worn in the modern world.
The coif also continued to be used through the 20th and 21st centuries by members of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) wearing costumes from different periods and with different levels of accuracy for performances. Most commonly seen at Renaissance fairs and similar events, members of the SCA can sometimes be seen wearing coifs to make their period garments appear more authentic. However, in these types of events, participants dressed as commoners are more likely to be seen with a hairstyle than men or women dressed as nobles who tend to prefer more romantic or extravagant styles of dress.
A coif can also refer to a piece of head armor sometimes worn by warriors and soldiers during the Middle Ages. The armored chest was a similar piece of equipment to the cloth version, and usually consisted of chains or mail that covered a person’s entire head other than the face. Such an armored piece would generally go over a similar piece made of soft cloth or leather to prevent hair dragging or other similar injury. Although such pieces were generally less protective than heavier helmets, they generally provided greater freedom of movement and vision for the wearer.
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