The Flowerpot and Butterfly Hennin C.1470 - 1485

During the year of 1470, a new style Hennin came to be fashionable. This was the "Flowerpot Hennin." It consisted of cap of cone construction, very much like the Steeple Hennin, of the previous fashion but "Truncated," cut off half way down.

Hair was starting to be visible around the forehead, so it would have been drawn quite loosely away from the forehead, into a bun at the back of the head. The Flowerpot Hennin" was placed over this and worn at a 45° angle at the back of the head. Women of lower rank kept to the styles of headdresses from the previous reign.

From this shorter variety of Hennin, another decorative style appeared at the same time and was very popular at Court. This was the "Butterfly Hennin." Wires or canes came out of the back of the Hennin and were used to support fantastically arranged veils in ´V´ shapes. During the time of Edward V and Richard III this style of headdress was the most fashionable form to wear. Examples of this style of "Hennin" can be seen on many brasses in various churches throughout England. A Lady from the Clopton Family (1480), Melford Church, Suffolk and Lady Say (1473), Broxbourne Church, Herts are just two of them.

Both "Hennins" would have been covered in brilliantly coloured silks, velvets and "other costly stuff" (gold and silver tissue) aswell as being richly and heavily embroidered. Very transparent rectangular veils, measuring approx. 71"x 15", would have been "Richly" hemmed and hung over the wires the back of the "Hennin."

Merchant and middle class women would have echoed the styles worn by the upper classes and the elderly would have continued to wear the "Heart Shaped Hennin" or the "Horned Headdress" with a wimple, as the "Hennin" was for "Smart young things."

Elizabeth Woodville Style Hennin