coiffe

Coiffe is a French noun that denotes the way hair is styled or arranged on the head (coiffure), as well as certain head coverings or headdresses. In standard usage, coiffe can refer to a hairstyle, to a hairpiece, or to a cap or hood worn as part of traditional dress. The term can be used to describe both the arrangement of hair and the decorative coverings that accompany clothing.

Etymology and usage are tied to the verb coiffer, meaning to arrange or dress the hair. Over time, coiffe has broadened to cover both practical and symbolic head coverings as well as the general concept of a hairstyle.

Breton coiffe is one of the most well-known senses of the term in regional dress. In Brittany, la coiffe refers to distinctive lace headdresses worn by women as part of traditional costume. Coiffe variants are highly regional, with styles that can indicate locality, and, in some traditions, marital status or age. Historically part of everyday dress in the 17th through 19th centuries, the coiffe was often made of lace, linen, or silk and could be tall or elaborate. Today, Breton coiffe remains a symbol of cultural heritage and is worn at festivals, weddings, and historical reenactments.

Contemporary usage: Outside traditional costumes, coiffe is largely encountered in the sense of a hairstyle (coiffure). The standard French terms for a hairdresser are coiffeur (masculine) or coiffeuse (feminine), and coiffure refers to the styling itself. The head-covering sense of coiffe is more specialized and historical, preserved in cultural contexts such as regional dress.