Wimple

This article is about the women's headgear. For the Torah binder, seewimpel.

A wimple as shown inPortrait of a Woman,1430–1435, byRobert Campin(1375/1379–1444), National Gallery, London. The wimple is constructed of four layers of cloth and the pins holding it in place are visible at the top of the head.

Monumental brassof Margaret, Lady Camoys (d.1310), St George's Church, Trotton, West Sussex. This is the earliest surviving brass of a female figure in England.She wears around her neck a wimple (or gorget) which hides the chin and sides of the face. This style of dress continued in fashion until the end of the reign of King Edward III (1327–1377).

Awimpleis a medieval form of femaleheadcovering,formed of a large piece of cloth worn draped around theneckandchin,covering the top of thehead;it was usually made from whitelinenorsilk.Its use developed in earlymedieval Europe;in medievalChristianityit was unseemly for a married woman to show her hair. A wimple might be elaborately starched, creased and folded in prescribed ways. Later elaborate versions were supported on wire or wicker framing, such as thecornette.

Italian women abandoned their head coverings in the 15th century or replaced them with transparentgauze,showing theirbraids.Elaborate braiding and elaborately laundered clothes demonstrated status, because such grooming was performed by others. Today a plain wimple is worn by thenunsof certain orders who retain a traditionalhabit.

In literature

TheWife of Bathand thePrioressare depicted wearing wimples in theCanterbury TalesofGeoffrey Chaucer(c. 1343– 1400).

TheKing James Versionof theBibleexplicitly lists wimples inIsaiah3:22 as one of a list of female fineries; however, theHebrewword"miṭpaḥoth"(מִטְפָּחוֹת) means "kerchief".

See also

• Guimpe
• Headpiece
• Headscarf
• Veil

External links

Media related toWimpleat Wikimedia Commons