I've long wanted to wear a "cofia de tranzado" (coif for braid), *the* elegant headdress of choice for any 1470s spanish lady or lady's attendant. But so far I've failed ...to gravity! Does anyone have any idea how cloth may have been secured to the hair itself in the 15th c.? I'm just not happy to reach for modern hairpins without justification.

Here's some photos showing the headdress and the problem. There are many such headdresses shown in otherwise normal paintings and the "cofia de tranzado" appears in wills and literature of the time, so I'd say it's real, even if it may be idealized to some degree in some paintings. The early ones (say, up to 1480s) appear to go closer to the nape of the neck and less shaped. While later ones seem to close lower, beloew the neck, and be more shaped or decorated.

Here's a very clear picture of one, albeit with a roll over it (which may help secure it, but most don't have this). http://jessamynscloset.com/images/postspainimages/Reyesmujeres/rmII.jpg

I just don't think that leaves any space for a bun that might help support it.

The woman on the upper right is also wearing one, by itself: http://jessamynscloset.com/images/postspainimages/Notebook/nbored.jpg
The woman next to her may have her braid enclosed but without the top, as that was worn sometimes too.

Falling down was a problem they had too, as this one shows: http://jessamynscloset.com/images/postspainimages/Barcelona%20Cath/BC75.jpg
Again, there seems to be no fun nor bands to help it stay in place. I've managed to replicate this one quite well... It just takes an hour or so of wearing it.

Finally, a version in netting (lady at bottom right): http://jessamynscloset.com/images/more%20art/lleida2

Any help, info, hints, ideas to try, etc. will be very much appreciated.

Thank you!

Several of these might be held in place with braided hair and then taking a medieval hair pin and pinning the fabric to the braided hair.

Like the woman on the far right. Her hair seems to be braided and may actually give a purchase for pins.

I can't really blow up the images clearly.

Jenn

--------------------

--------------------

The pictures are a problem I have, too. Most of the useful ones are in black and white and way too small to be able to rule out much.
When you say... held by braided hair.. do you mean like a concealed braid? In some of the small pictures you can sometimes see braids, more along the lines of northern braided hairdos, but in these I never saw a sign of anything that couldn't be explained by slightly wavy hair (of course that doesn't mean it's not actually there...). There's a text by a priest complaining that the women take out strands of hair and show them, so it makes sense that sometimes you do see these shorter, often wavy strands coming out to the sides of the face.
I'm reviewing anything I can lay my hands on to see if I can get a hint somewhere.

One question that comes to my mind is how crespines (showy nets) were held in front. Fair enough. You can pin them onto a bun or coiled braid, so they won't completely fall off, but they could then slip back, just like these.... Do you have any experience with these?

Thanks!

--------------------

quote:

---

Originally posted by Fire Stryker:
Unfortunately, no. Most of my experience with hair and coverings is from a Franco-Burgundian perspective.

---

What do you think of those loopy things in front of "hennins" and such? Might they be related to the cloth covered wire in the MOL's Dress Accessories book.

I ask because these coifs often go with what I assumed were just dark ribbons, but now in desperation I wonder if they could be something else. Normally they seem to go from top of the head, near the forehead, to just above the nape of the neck. Of course there's the catch that often you can't see the back at all...

You can almost see the back of one here: http://www.historiaviva.org/temp/gallego_det_tranzado.jpg

And here there's similar coifs (but with loose hair?) and two girls wearing ribbon-like things with strange shapes, which reminded me of covered wire: http://www.historiaviva.org/temp/berruguete_paredesdenava_2det.jpg

Any help, or even just opinions will be very appreciated!

Thanks,