The Liripipe is part of the evolution of the hood in medieval men’s headwear.
The humble hood was a utilitarian piece of headwear worn by one and all. Unfortunately it lacked the style and panache that called to the upwardly mobile nobleman.
Given that the hood was separate to the tunic there were a couple of avenues for change. The edge of the wide yoke was dagged, taking advantage of the drape over the shoulders and across the chest but that was not enough for the fashion conscious of the Middle Gothic Era (1325 to 1425).
The next step was the changing of the cowl (the hoody bit that goes over your head). The back of the cowl was extended with a streamer-like attachment. And Lo, the Liripipe came onto the Medieval world fashion stage.
The Liripipe hung down the back of the now dashing male, the length sometimes reaching as long as six feet. Now clad in the Liripipe the fashion plate could hang the streamer over their shoulder or slung jauntily over an arm or clasped in the hand.
The Liripipe was not restrained to just the male fashions on the field. Some woman wore streamers attached to their
headdresses. When the streamer was attached to the headdress or a hat other than a hood it is referred to as a
tippet. The tippet/Liripipe for women never gained the popularity that it did for the men.
So popular was the Liripipe it supplanted the Robin Hood style of hiding cap. With its ornate dagges, bright contrasting colours and all-important tippet, the Liripipe continued its popularity until that later part of the Fourteenth Century. Then it morphed into a variety of headwear which included the chaperone and roundlet.
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