headcovering

Headcovering is any item worn on the head to cover the hair or scalp, or sometimes the face. It includes religious and cultural garments as well as everyday fashion accessories and protective coverings. Coverings may serve practical purposes, such as protection from sun or cold, or symbolic ones, such as modesty, piety, or identity.

Religious and cultural practices surrounding headcovering vary widely. In Judaism, the yarmulke or kippah is traditionally worn by men to show reverence, while some communities also have women’s coverings. In Islam, hijab, khimar, or niqab are worn by many Muslim women as expressions of modesty and faith, though requirements differ by tradition and region. In Christianity, head coverings have historical and liturgical roles in some denominations, with veils and mantillas used during worship or weddings; other groups have limited or no practices. Sikhism requires the turban to cover hair as a sign of devotion. In Hindu and other South Asian traditions, head coverings are common in temples or ceremonies. Western fashion has also used headcoverings in various eras, from hats to scarves, sometimes independent of religious meaning.

Styles include skullcaps, yarmulkes, hats, scarves, turbans, veils, and mantillas. Materials vary from cotton and wool to silk and synthetics. Some coverings are practical, others ceremonial, and many forms cross cultures.

In many places, headcovering intersects with personal choice, religious freedom, and dress codes at schools or workplaces. Legal debates may arise around rights to wear coverings in public institutions. Modern fashion has popularized headwraps and scarves as everyday accessories, while traditional coverings retain communal significance.