Barbe

Barbe

Barbe

During the late Middle Ages (c. 500c. 1500) and early Renaissance, a married woman was generally not considered properly dressed without a head covering of some sort. There were many types of head coverings and other accessories that covered not only a woman's head and hair, but also modestly draped her ears and neck so that only her face was visible. One of these accessories, which was popular during the 1300s and early 1400s, was the barbe, a more formal version of the wimple, another form of neck drapery. Named after the French word for "beard," the barbe was a piece of cloth that fit directly under a woman's chin and hung down to cover her chest, somewhat like a man's beard. Most barbes were made of simple white linen fabric, and many were pleated with tiny folds ironed into the cloth. The sides of the barbe were brought up on either side of the head, covering the ears, and pinned on top of the head. A veil or other head covering was usually worn with the barbe.

A variation of the barbe was the simpler barbette, or "little beard." The barbette was a strip of linen fabric, which passed under the chin, over the ears, and around the top of the head. The barbette did not provide quite as much coverage as the barbe but was a very common part of women's headgear. Barbes were very modest garments and were often worn by widows or other women in mourning.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Laver, James. Costume and Fashion: A Concise History. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2002.

[See also Volume 2, Europe in the Middle Ages: Wimple ]

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"Barbe." Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear through the Ages. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Barbe." Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear through the Ages. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3425500287.html

"Barbe." Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear through the Ages. 2004. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-3425500287.html

Learn more about citation styles

barbe

barbe. A title used by the Waldenses of their preachers.

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "barbe." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "barbe." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-barbe.html

E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "barbe." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-barbe.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

Ariane et Barbe-Bleue
Magazine article from: Modern Brewery Age; 1/1/2008
A man of the trees.(News from the World of Trees; Richard St. Barbe Baker)
Magazine article from: American Forests; 3/22/2004
Preachers by night; the Waldensian Barbes (15th-16th centuries).(Brief...
Magazine article from: Reference &amp; Research Book News; 2/1/2007

Facts and information from other sites

Pictures from Google Image Search

Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture

See more pictures of Barbe