More Pictures will be added.

To wear a henin, the burgundy cone hat

is very demanding but it is beautiful. I will recommend everyone who is curious! Try it Ladies! And Lords try it too! By the way, the medieval man had a similar thing on his head.

I have researched the topic at least in a year, and gathered a lot of information in period paintings and drawings and I got some good advices from people in the SCA and on the net. I tried some of my own solutions but they were too simple and did not work. There is almost nothing left from the period, to show us how the henin was made and how it was attached.

But one day I came over a period illustration, I had overlooked several times. It shows both men and women in a public bath, the people are naked and the women wear only a typical burgundy necklace and a basket on their heads. The “U” needle is also attached and a small veil is placed over the basket from the forehead down to the ears.

From here it was easier to figure out the mystery, the functions of different parts of this hat.

Now I have tried it out, both at home and under a whole evening with banquet and medieval dances, the henin still sat put on my head, and it was easy to take of afterwards.

It isn’t so hard and it won’t hurt if you follow these instructions. The difficult part is to wear it without hitting someone in your range and to preform the art of passing thought modern size, self closing doors without banging in the frame and still looking cool.

I hope some of you who are reading this, will take the challenge, the exclusive club "The golden henins" are waiting...

1.
Make small flat braids of the hair nearest your face, from your forehead to behind your ears. A friend can be useful. Sample hard all the other hair in a knot, on top of your head, together with the braids.

2.
Attach the long comb around your head into the braids, and tie it in your neck. If you make the comb yourself, use an iron wire 2,5 mm thick and bend it forward and backwards 3 to 4 cm, until it becomes almost as long as your head are around. Then take a small, strong cord and twist it up and down through the comp teeth, at least two lengths, make sure it is placed in one site of the comb. This cord will prevent the comb to fasten in your hair backward, and make the comb more effective. Place some cords (to attach the basket with) in the comp and a cord to tie the comb together in our neck. The “U” needle is also attached under the comb into the braided hair. The outer area of the “U” needle should be laced with black silk or similar soft yarn.

3.
The basket is also made of the same wire as the comb and fits exactly in the finished henin. It also fits on your head exactly on top of the comb. Just tie the cords in the comb to the basket.

4.
The henin is attached and the cords are hidden. I have a wire sewed inside the henin, crossing almost at the top to strengthen it. The period paintings also show a wire on top of henins, formed round and carrying the veil up and away from the henin top. A good henin material is the stiff wool cloth; you use to hem jacket collars with. I rolled a cone and used two layers of it. Outside I used a golden brocade cloth and some black velvet on the edge.

5.
Finally the henin is decorated with a veil. If you want the veil to stay in place needle it into the henin. If you want to ensure the henin a bit more, needle through the cloth and into the basket and up again. The most beautiful henin must have a transparent veil made of finest silk. It doesn’t cost much more than ordinary linen, just buy the lightest chiffon in pure silk.

good luck!