On May 27, 2009, at 2:00 PM, Alexandria Doyle wrote:
Just to make sure I understand this, there is a difference between
coif and caul, isn't there?
Yes. At least modern people make a distinction.
I've always thought the coif was the embroider (or not) little hat
item that covers the top, side and back of the head, basically a
shaped folded piece of cloth.
It's sewn up at the top and gathered across the back of the neck.
You can see images of coifs both flat and sewn up here:
http://www.elizabethancostume.net/headwear/coifpics.html
The distinguishing features of coifs are the shape when laid flat and
the ground fabric, which was pretty much always white linen. Some
are plain, some embroidered with blackwork, some with polychrome
embroidery, and some even have gold thread and spangles on them.
A caul was more of a cap worn on the back of the head, covering the
hair that was put back in a bun/braid.
It's basically a circle gathered and sewn to one side of a straight
band whose short ends have been joined--at least, that is a
construction that results in something that looks like what we see in
the portraits. I don't know that we have any extant ones. The band
is what you see in most portraits that show it, such as the one of
Queen Elizabeth that has been referenced a few times in this thread.
In 16th-century portraits, cauls (when the word is used to mean a cap
and not a net) generally look like they are made of a fancier fabric
(i.e., not white linen, and probably not linen at all) and are often
decorated.
Melanie Schuessler
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