A close-fitting cap that covers the hair, traditionally worn under other headwear or as protective covering.
From Old French 'coife' meaning 'headdress,' derived from Late Latin 'cofia.' Originally, coifs were practical undergarments worn by both men and women beneath other hats for cleanliness and warmth. Medieval knights wore linen coifs under their mail hoods to prevent chafing, while women used them to keep elaborate hairstyles in place. The legal profession adopted white coifs as symbols of learning, which is why British barristers still wear wigs—a tradition stemming from the medieval coif.
The reason lawyers wear wigs in British courts traces back to medieval coifs—those simple linen caps worn under armor became symbols of scholarly authority, eventually evolving into the powdered wigs that still crown legal proceedings today.
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