Headdress connundrum

[alliette_d]

I'm trying to figure out the construction of a French middle class head-dress, quite common in the second half of 16th century, although I have seen an example in a drawing from a first half-century. It is always black and has a weird flat top, squared at the front and usually has a black fall/veil at the back.

Any ideas would be very much

Comments

[mimdancer]

The blog went up!

I am afraid I don't know anything about head-dresses, but you could always post the question to sca_garb. I watch the group, if that helps...

[vonstrassburg]

I'm reasonably sure they are made of PVC. It's injected into an aluminium mould at high temperature and pressure, and then allowed to cool before the mould is broken open. It's then shaped using a dremel tool or small sander before the surface effect is airbrushed on with polyurethane. This is the second half of the 16th century, correct? Because prior to that I think they were using polyamides rather than polyurethane, but polyamide has poor UV stability so they switched around 1560.

See, I'm the full quid on period costuming. Anything else I can help you with?

[alliette_d]

thanks Del :-)

[omnot]

I think the way that style of headgear came about due to the excessive drinking that prevailed at the time.

Something like "Oops! I sat on your truncated henin!" "Never mind, I'll wear it anyway!"

[alliette_d]

lol

[stellar_muddle]

Looks like something flat and folded pinned(?) to a coif underneath... but that is possibly just my brain breaking things down into a shape like something I recognize + an extra bit.

Certainly looks like that in the last image, but as you mentioned, that may be later artistic license...

[alliette_d]

may be a long bongrace (see the EDIT at the end of the post), pinned to the coif/hood underneath?