Hoods were extremely popular in medieval times. They are defined as a type of headgear for protection from the environment covering most of the head and neck, leaving the face mostly open. In the case of knights, armored hoods were used for protection against bladed weapons.
In history, foods often formed part of a cloak or cape, but many were used as standalone headgear.
Traditional women’s hoods came in varied styles, from close-fitting and soft to stiffened, structured pieces worn over wigs or hairstyles. These headpieces frequently appear in medieval art, sometimes in a long-form that wraps around the head or the neck.
History of the Hood
Hooded garments (documented ones) date back to Medieval Europe. The word “hood” derives from the Anglo-Saxon word “höd,” which has the same root as the word “hat.” Hoods (or cowls) were popular among monks, while short capes with hoods are believed to have been imported from Normandy during the 12th Century.
Types of Hoods
Hoods can be classified flexibly into:
- Chaperones: A type of hood that was first worn with the face-opening on top of the head (perhaps in hot weather) and then evolved into a padded roll where the face-opening used to be. Chaperones were highly versatile and worn in all parts of Western Europe during the Middle Ages.
- Evolved Chaperones: Popularized in the 15th century, chaperones were worn on top of the head with very large bourrelets. A sign of affluence, a Florentine chaperon of 1515, is recorded as using sixteen braccia of cloth, over ten yards (9 meters).
- Liripipes: Similar to chaperones, liripipes are long-tailed hoods, sometimes considered extensions to them. The tail ends could be wrapped about the head or across the shoulders. Liripipes were popular from the mid-14th to the end of the 15th century.
Image Gallery: Hoods in Medieval Manuscripts & Art
Books about Medieval Clothing
Medieval Hoods on Amazon
More Medieval Clothing
Medieval Tabard
During the late Middle Ages, tabards (a type of short coat) were used by men all around Europe.
Medieval Dress
In the 11th century, women wore dresses that were similar to men’s tunics.
Medieval Trousers
Medieval trousers were traditionally worn under a short tunic or with a small cloak and were ankle length.
Medieval Tunic
The tunic is a garment usually simple in style and reaching from the shoulders to the hips or knees.